Today we’d like to introduce you to Arielle Tindel.
Arielle, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been playing music my whole life. I’m from Cleveland, OH, where I would frequently perform my original songs throughout high school. I didn’t love performing, but I loved writing, the logistics of putting a show together, and connecting with other creative people. I started booking shows for other bands and putting together benefit concerts at local venues. After doing a summer program at Berklee College of Music, I learned that what I was doing was actually an entire job and that there were many other jobs within the music industry that could put you close to the music without being a performer.
I did a year of community college while enrolled in high school and then transferred to Berklee at 17. I declared a dual major in Songwriting and Music Business and did as many internships as I could. I am so grateful for those experiences and connections. I just graduated in December, moved to LA, and started working! My strengths are in live show logistics and A&R. I really look up to women like Tina Farris and Bozoma Saint John and hope to one day use my platform to help other women and people of color.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There are not a lot of women in this industry, and it’s hard to be what you can’t see. I would’ve never thought that I could play bass until seeing women like Esperanza Spalding and Mitski. Women, especially of color, aren’t treated equally and I learned this at an early age when performing in clubs as a teenager and still experience it on tour.
From venue staff assuming I’m just someone’s girlfriend tagging along, to sound guys turning me waaaay down in the mix and then being surprised when I’m able to identify what frequencies need to be boosted or cut, women deserve better. When I came to Berklee, I’m pretty sure the ratio was 70/30 men to women. On my first day of classes, a male student (who I had just met) was shocked to find out that I had a tested into the same theory course as him. He didn’t know me and made a baseless assumption that I didn’t know anything.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I just started working in A&R at We Are The Guard. The job mainly consists of looking for new talent to write about on our blog and sign to our label. The label (and related publishing company, Brill Building) were founded by Benjamin Groff. He’s always been ahead of the curve and genuinely cares about the artists, writers, and producers that he works with. I am also doing an internship at Danny Wimmer Presents, where I rotate through each department. Even though I just started, I’m really enjoying it. It’s exciting to be apart of two growing businesses. On the side, I help my artist friends with booking and live show logistics, and sell merch at shows. I’ve been vegan for six years and am constantly thinking about how to make touring and festivals more environmentally sustainable.
Back in Boston, I worked as A&R Coordinator for online publication Sound of Boston and served as Boston Chapter Leader for #WomenCrush Music. I booked showcases and planned panel discussions highlighting women in the local scene. I played bass for Will Orchard (formerly Littleboybigheadonbike) and toured a few times. I learned a lot from Will. Not only is he a great writer, musician, and friend, he’s SO good at booking and being a leader. I also worked with local rapper Cliff Notez and his company, HipStory. He just announced his performance at this May’s upcoming Boston Calling festival. The Boston music scene, especially in the indie, folk, and hip-hop worlds, is absolutely incredible and underrated. A lot of Berklee kids fail to branch into it and miss out on some truly amazing people and opportunities. I’m excited to find my people and niche here in the LA scene.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, success is not about being better than the people around you, but being better than you were yesterday. Especially at Berklee and here in LA, where it can feel like everyone is doing something huge, it can be really easy to get sucked into comparing yourself to others. Some days, I succeed in failing, but make sure to learn from it and keep moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wearetheguard.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: ariemtindel
- Twitter: ariemtindel
Image Credit:
Jill McCracken, Chad Tindel, Tiny Dorm Sessions
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