Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamia & Ariyon (Chrissy Goobache) Wells.
Hi Tamia & Ariyon (Chrissy Goobache), thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Our story hasn’t been an easy walk in the park or a cool breeze by the ocean. It has been more like a roller coaster or a tornado, filled with constant peaks of highs and lows and emotional trials and triumphs. Through all of the emotional whiplash one thing has remained palpably clear, Cruzn Cozy Records was ordained. Every path that our footsteps have tread upon leads us to these moments.
Originally starting as a clothing brand in 2017 located in Washington DC, Cruzn Cozy Records has always been around but took on different parameters within a different industry. We didn’t know it then but Cruzn Cozy Records was going to take over the LA area and travel farther than our imagination could fathom.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Chrissy: “Anything worth having or pursuing will never be smooth. If the situation doesn’t make you uncomfortable then there will never be anything to make you and your business evolve. Many people want the success without the struggle or failure, but it doesn’t work like that. As people, we always have to take the bitter with the sweet. We’ve faced many challenges by being black women in the music industry, being mother and daughter, by being from another city, being led astray by deceptive people, having to navigate through a male-dominated industry, finding loyal people to work with, experiencing the secretive nature of people; etc. There has been moments when I felt like giving up but my tenacity, my faith, and my competitive spirit won’t let me.”
Tamia: “I agree with Chrissy but one thing I would like to emphasize is being a Black women-owned label in the music industry. We face a lot of challenges with being overlooked, unrepresented, undervalued, sexualized and simply not taken seriously. Another major struggle was adapting to the west coast culture. Cultural differences can hinder you if you let it and I feel that a lot of people don’t shine light on that. By us (Tamia and Chrissy) being raised in Washington, DC and then coming to Los Angeles it was a major change that affected us heavily. The emersion of a place that you had no prior knowledge of can almost make you feel like a fish out of water.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Cruzn Cozy Records, LLC?
Cruzn Cozy Records, LLC is a boutique record label owned by Tamia Wells and Ariyon ‘Chrissy Goobache’ Wells. It is a family-owned and minority women-owned business. We currently have two artists on our roster. One specializing in theatrical R&B (Chrissy Goobache) and PluggNB/ hip-hop (HeyJP). Cruzn Cozy Records priority mission is to help independent artists with music education, artist development, management, and increasing the artist knowledge of copyrights, legal terminology in regards to their contracts, professionalism in boardroom settings; etc.
Tamia: The fact that we are not only a family-owned business but we have a business partnership sets us apart from others. Not only are we co-founders of the label but we also have a manager artist relationship on top of a mother-daughter relationship. Many are called but only a few are chosen and this is definitely not something for the faint-hearted. Cruzn Cozy Records will be looking forward to signing more artists, expanding globally and merging with a major distribution company very soon.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Joining groups that are related to your industry. For us, it was Directors Guild Of America, ASCAP, The recording academy Los Angeles Chapter, Women in FILM; etc. Joining professional groups like these will help you ween out the people who are serious versus the people who pretend. It also will put you in the right situation to find potential mentors and friends with common interests.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrissygoobache
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/Z13NtCGeZv8
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruzncozyrecords
- Other: https://unitedmasters.com/m/6411dc31dd60f349489f5603
