If Alicia Keys says it’s a good idea, then it’s probably worth a try.
That was the mindset of AU’s Second District Records after Kogod freshman and member Jade Bernad pitched the idea of a student-run record label to Keys, whom she met while interning at Sirius Radio.
With Keys’ seal of approval, students transformed AU’s defunct Music Business Club into the new Second District Records.
Second District’s main goals are to promote and record student artists and to eventually get access to local venues for gigs.
“The idea came out of all of us being a little bit frustrated with combining music and business at AU,” Second District co-founder and Kogod sophomore Spencer Swan said.
Students were frustrated with clubs being one or the other, with nothing adequately combining both.
In order to salvage the club and turn it into something new, Second District Records took over the name, picked new executive board members and wrote a new constitution. The members are currently working to switch all of the aspects of the Music Business Club to Second District Records.
The new label is recruiting artists to record, but Swan said that they are currently working with AU a cappella group On A Sensual Note to record their first album.
Twenty-five bands are on the list to record at AU’s new state-of-the-art Kreeger recording studio. Trying to find space to record all these bands is tough, and Second District Records is working to establish a process to determine recording priority.
Just like any other club, Second District Records has a budget that they are looking to increase so that the artists can continue to record for free.
“We never want people to have to pay, but if you want to give, that’s fine,” Swan said.
One does not have to be a business and music major to get involved with Second District Records. Swan said that there is a wide variety of students in the club, including audio technology majors and music majors—but they all have one thing in common: a passion for music.
So far, the record company has hosted a number of open mics with WVAU and their own successful DJ Battle with over 120 attendees. Second District Records is looking to throw a DJ Battle either every semester or year. Members also want to stage concerts on campus to promote the artists they record.
“We believe that Second District has the potential to become the best student-run label in the country,” Swan said.
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