Daily Inspiration: Meet Jessica Zabala Aguayo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Zabala Aguayo.

Hi Jessica, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m originally from La Paz, Bolivia, and funny enough, music wasn’t always the plan. Growing up, most of my life revolved around tennis. I competed nationally and internationally, but after an injury changed that path, I had to figure out what I wanted to do next.

In 2019, I moved to Madrid to study music production, and that’s where I realized I was just as interested in what happened behind the scenes as I was in making music. That curiosity eventually brought me to Los Angeles in 2021 to study Music Business at Los Angeles College of Music.

Since then, I’ve worked across different sides of the industry, including A&R, marketing, live events and music merchandise with companies like Hopeless Records, Absolute Merch, the Recording Fund and LACM. I also received the John Braheny Scholarship from the California Copyright Conference and now serve on the CCC Scholarship Committee, which has been really special because I get to be part of the program that once supported me.

Currently, I’m pursuing my Master’s in Music Business and working with B22 Entertainment, while also building Nomad Live Music and Noche Nómada, an event centered around emerging Latin artists in LA. Long term, I’d love to use everything I’m learning and building here to create a stronger bridge between the music industries in Latin America and the U.S.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not. I think one of the biggest challenges has been starting over more than once. I left Bolivia at a young age, first moving to Madrid and eventually to Los Angeles, where I had to build a life and a professional network completely from scratch.

The music industry is already extremely competitive, and navigating it as an international student has added another layer to that. There have been opportunities I’ve had to approach differently because of my status, and a lot of moments where I’ve had to be patient and find another way forward.

I also came to LA without industry connections, so almost every relationship and opportunity I have today came from putting myself out there, showing up, and being willing to start from the bottom. There have definitely been setbacks and moments where I questioned whether I was on the right path, but I think those experiences have made me much more resourceful and intentional about the career I’m building.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work is mostly on the business and creative side of the music industry, with experience across A&R, project management, marketing, live events, and artist development. I really enjoy being the person behind the scenes who helps connect the dots between an idea, an artist, and the people needed to actually make something happen.

I think what sets me apart is that I’ve made an effort to understand the industry from different angles rather than staying in one lane. Working in A&R taught me how to identify and understand talent, while my experience in live music, merchandising, marketing, and now project management has shown me everything that goes into building a career around that talent.

I’m especially proud of the work I’m beginning to do around Latin music and creating opportunities for emerging artists. Coming from Bolivia and building my career in Los Angeles has also given me a perspective that I want to use long term to create stronger connections between Latin American talent and the U.S. music industry.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I’m always open to meeting new people and collaborating on projects within music and entertainment, especially around A&R, live events, artist development, partnerships, and project management. I’m also really interested in connecting with artists and industry professionals across Latin America and the U.S.

The best way to support what I’m building is honestly to connect! Whether you’re an artist looking for opportunities, an industry professional with an idea, or someone who simply wants to collaborate, I’m always happy to have a conversation and see where it could lead.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zabala.jess/?hl=es-la
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-zabala-aguayo-a64552225/

Image Credits
@natehaiden
@chc.agency
@hopelessmusicacademy