Today we’d like to introduce you to April Duran.
April, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I became a single mom at the age of 35 and I was working as a school district. I loved my job but my heart was in search for more. At an older age, I decided to enroll at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood for the Music Business Program. I was attending night classes and working full time during the day. Thank God I had the support and assistance from my family and fiance for my boy who then was only 4 years old. I graduated and landed a job with Live Nation.
During my journey working at large music venues, I noticed the need for a sisterhood in the music industry so I launched Rag House Media in 2014 empowering women in music, sports and entertainment. I also launched an online radio segment for Rag House in 2015 where I interviewed women doing awesome things. After a couple of years producing my own online radio segment, I caught the attention of a program director, John Desantis, of an FM station here in Southern California. He called me one evening in March 2017 while we were eating dinner. When I answered he said, “I have a crazy idea and it involves you” I almost spit out my food because I knew it was “that call” that everyone dreams about.
FM HOT103.9 hired me on in the month of May 2017, trained me and gave me an “on-air personality” position on the weekends and also what is my precious little baby the “Local Artist Spotlight” segment. I search daily for talented and hard-working unsigned singers and bands from Southern California, I create, produce and host the show which airs every Sunday night at 10 pm pst on FM HOT103.9 hot1039.com. I love this job because I’m giving these amazing artists the chance to be heard!
Also, during my time of FM radio my company Rag House Media has been sponsored by a production company “Authentic Culture Network” and we interview women doing awesome things monthly at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood! If someone told me that at an older age I would become an on-air personality and have my own company with its own production company I would have never believed them. A drastic career change for a mom in her late 30’s is a very scary situation but it can be done!
Please NOTE… I have just begun, I have many more ideas and dreams for my career in radio and also for my company Rag House Media.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road! When I changed careers from a school district job to the music industry I had to start from the bottom up and also take a major pay cut. I would reach out to people so I could interview them and because I was just starting out a lot of people would not be interested.
I also was not and still not social media savvy so I had to teach myself anything and everything that most of the younger generations could do at birth. If I did not attain grit, tenacity and reinvent myself to be an aggressive hard working mama I probably wouldn’t have made it in this industry.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about FM HOT103.9 and Local Artist Spotlight & Rag House Media – what should we know?
I LOVE being an “On Air Personality” for HOT103.9 on the weekends and especially for “Local Artist Spotlight”!! I love searching, producing, playing and promoting unsigned singers and bands from Southern California! My whole heart and passion are in my every moves for this segment!!
As for my Rag House Media, I am very proud to see its evolution from what was just an idea in 2014 to its launch and now to have my own segments every month in Hollywood at Sunset Gower Studios. Its fun and educational to interview and empower women in music, sports and entertainment. There is so much talent out there!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have always been a people person, someone who doesn’t want to make people feel uncomfortable. I can successfully work, talk, and create with all sorts of personalities. I’m also a go-getter and very energetic. If I believe in something I will not stop until I’ve accomplished it. I have worn and still wearing many hats and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Its that artistic creative in me, my ideas never stop.
Contact Info:
- Website: hot1039.com raghousemedia.com
- Email: [email protected] [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raghousemedia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Local1039/ https://www.facebook.com/raghouserecords/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RagHouseRecords
Image Credit:
Shirley Manson from Garbage, Donita Sparks from L7, Monique Powell from Save Ferris, Ralphy Music
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