Today we’d like to introduce you to Teya Erden.
Teya, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m from Turkey. I moved to United States when I was 13. I got a degree in Electrical Engineering but I realized after working a job I didn’t necessarily like, I’d rather take a pay cut and work somewhere I believe in and love. So I started working at Spaceland Presents. I found a family at Spaceland and the surrounding music community that brought me to work for festivals like Desert Daze and One Love Malibu. And even brought me to my boyfriend of two years. I wanted to be involved in the music community in any way I could and contribute.
Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Transitioning from what I majored in college to an industry where I had no connections or background was a great challenge. I just wanted it so badly that I was willing to start anywhere, even from the bottom. So I did. I began as the assistant to the CFO at Spaceland and eventually got promoted to Account Manager. I’ve been at Spaceland for five years now and have learned so much about the business side of live music and the ongoings of what happens behind the scenes. I started to feel like I wanted more for myself than just accounting but I knew that the transition from a business side to a more creative role was not something that would be supported or encouraged.
I knew if I really wanted it, I had to just do it on my own. So I started my own company. Once I got in there, I really found my stride and it helped me grow to band management for artists like Pink $ock, Skin Mag and even started booking my own shows. What began as a weekly night turned into booking at venues like The Echo & Echoplex, The Lodge Room, Zebulon, and of course, non-traditional venues.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Baklava Presents is known for putting on indie shows with some of the best rising bands in Los Angeles. Something I’m most proud of is curating a showcase of well-rounded acts of local music, and national and international touring acts. One thing that stands out is that we incorporate art installations either on stage or in house for the audience to interact with. We’ve had video walls and star walls that can be programmed or can mimic your moves as you walk by or dance in front of it. Instead of hiring photographers, sometimes we give out disposable cameras to guests to document the event and see the experience from their eyes. I feel that adding an art installation transforms the event from just “going to a show” to an “interactive experience”. As a frequent show-goer myself, I always try to look for new ways to make it exciting and not feel monotonous.
I would say my involvement in L7’s Record Release show at Monty Bar was one of my biggest highlights. It was such a special and rare opportunity to work with one of the most influential bands of all time. As someone who grew up listening to and idealizing L7, it still feels like a dream to me.
The name for Baklava Presents was inspired by the eyes of Princess Dürrüşehvar Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. She was the last heir to the Imperial throne, which has a significant tie to my culture. And that’s where the logo comes from! Most people think they’re my eyes, which I take as a compliment. I just wanted to have the name linked to my background and culture and I knew that putting Baklava on it was an instant way to make the connection to where I came from.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, this is a great place to start out to do what I’m doing because it has some of the best musicians and bands in the world. With schools like Cal Arts, there are great opportunities available for starting out here. There’s new stuff always coming out and there are cool above ground and below underground venues.
But one thing our city can improve is supporting non-traditional venue spaces and the arts community in general. For example, the city should give grants to non-traditional venues. There are places in the world where nonprofit grants and opportunities are available for non-traditional spaces. And after the Ghost Ship fires, our city doesn’t recognize the value of non-traditional venues anymore and is more fearful of them instead. Maybe I’d like to see more grants for local music and local music spaces and health care for musicians.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baklavapresents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baklavapresents/
Image Credit:
Zane Roessell, Michelle Shiers, Megan Hullander
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
