In the music industry, a young female is considered an underdog. Why? Simple. It’s an industry dominated by males, as most of us are aware. Even though both the female and under 21 populations are growing, it is still rare to find both. As a youngster, you face disrespect and doubt from others for being “inexperienced”. Even if someone does not know how long or how much you’ve been a part of the industry, most people often just assume that you have little experience compared to them. There are obvious challenges that go hand in hand with being an underdog, but defeating the odds and overcoming this obstacle are doable and essential. Erin Cronan, a 20-year-old female in the music industry, is beginning to understand how to show people that her age and gender will not hold her back on her path to success.
Cronan, a photographer and writer for lifestyle blog, Sensible Reason has been a member of the music industry since 2012 when she saw a “help wanted” post on Sack Magazine’s webpage. Despite having little experience with photography, Cronan went after the photography position and was brought onto the team. She felt under qualified and unprepared for the position at first, but with reassurance from her boss, she was shooting for legends such as Bassnectar in no time. Since she is very confident in her writing ability, she also decided that she would start writing for the site: album announcements, tour dates, artists’ accomplishments, etc. Her first interview (Flux Pavilion) is what made everything fall into place.
While she has enjoyed her time writing and snapping photos for music sites, it hasn’t always been easy. For instance, she isn’t able to please her friends 100% of the time. Since she is a fan of the music, she chooses to attend concerts for both pleasure and work. Cronan usually goes with friends and is often asked if they can go backstage to meet certain artists while she is working (most of us can relate). That being said, sometimes she has to say no to her close friends because it is not professional or appropriate. She understands that she is there to complete her assignment, and not just to have fun.
In addition, she recently worked for a music site in which her opinions and input were not valued. That is why she decided to leave the site and find another that was more suitable (Sensible Reason). Cronan is also a full-time student and a cocktail waitress so finding time to do what she really enjoys can be a struggle. Lastly, this past summer Cronan began questioning herself, experienced a lot of doubt, and had a very hard time finding her true identity. However, with the help of her family and close friends she was able to overcome this dark time and learned how powerful it is to stay true to yourself and appreciate the people who support you.
Cronan has been inspired by those in the music industry who remain humble and who possess the ability to be level-headed during times of conflict. She can only hope to replicate this. Though she doesn’t have a definite plan for herself in the music industry, she hopes to combine her passions of music, traveling, and networking to inspire others. She may be an underdog for now, but soon she will become a beacon of hope and change for both her fellow underdogs and those already established in this industry. Her open-mindedness and ambition to stand up for what is right is clearly evident and we believe Cronan will be a phenomenal liaison for the positive, loving message behind the EDM scene. She has shared advice on how being confident, remaining humble, and going after what you love has helped to launch her career in the music industry.
1) Remain humble, but it’s okay to be damn proud of your accomplishments.
2) It’s okay to ask for help. If you can’t do it all, just speak up.
3) Find something you love and let it kill you.
Check out next week’s feature!
