Photo: Courtesy of healthycookingcamp.com
I first encountered Sarah Lewitinn in the year 2000 when she wrote for SPIN.com. I was a fan of her contributions to the website’s “Kool Thing” column and reached out one day to give kudos. Unexpectedly, she e-mailed me back, we stayed in touch, and we wound up seeing Primal Scream live at The Hammerstein Ballroom a few months later.
Sarah has worked in nearly every facet of the music business since starting at age 15. She managed stellarstarr* and My Chemical Romance, both of whom before their major label deals. She ran a record label, Stolen Transmission, which Rob Stevenson (A&R for The Killers, Fall Out Boy and Sum 41) brought under the Island Records umbrella. She ran and DJ’ed an award-winning weekly party (also called “Stolen Transmission”) with Karen Ruttner, which ultimately led to being the touring DJ for Melanie Fiona. She co-founded an Internet marketing company called For The Win! Media. She wrote two books for Simon & Schuster. She did on-air correspondent work for Fuse, VH-1 and MTV. Concurrently with most of that, she ran a hugely-followed blog. And that’s not even close to everything.
Presently, Sarah selects the music heard at dozens of retail stores, although other projects seem to spring up often. As you will read below, Sarah is an inspiring example of not only work ethic, but networking in general.
Disclaimer: I may or may not have taken her to my Senior Prom.
Photo: Courtesy of Vanity Fair
Over the past 15 years or so, you’ve been a magazine editor, a blogger, an author, a DJ, a band manager, a live event promoter, a record label head, and a marketing person. Have I missed a job title or two?
Sarah Lewitinn: Wow, it’s been a busy decade and a half. I’ve also done on-air work with a few networks (Fuse, VH-1, MTV), I added “Producer” to my resume (I produced a 4-disc boxset for Sony Legacy of 90s Alt Rock which came out in May), and I’m currently the Music Director for Aritzia, a women’s fashion brand based out of Canada with 75 retail locations across North America.
When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you usually say?
S: My ex-boyfriend’s mother used to very proudly tell people that I was a DJ, which I initially winced at since I just wasn’t sure if that accurately covered what I was doing with my life. But then I realized it was probably the easiest way to describe what I do. So I either tell people I’m a DJ or a Music Director when I want to sound fancy and gainfully-employed.
Was it always your intention to be diversified and hold multiple roles? Or did that all happen by chance and opportunity?
S: I’ve always been kind of like Forrest Gump when it comes to the work I’ve done and the career path I’ve led. Things sort of happened by accident, or because I was at the right place at the right time, or because I knew the right people and made myself available. I think that because I never set long-term goals for myself I was able to take more chances.
Do you feel any particular roles have been more rewarding than others?
S: When I was Assistant Editor at SPIN, with my own column and a blog that people read because it was the early days of blogging and there weren’t many other options, I was in a mix of bliss and turmoil. I was constantly judged and criticized for a myriad of reasons — which I probably brought upon myself — but I was also treated really well by many people in a way that probably won’t happen again. People also remembered my name and my face and my extended family stopped asking me when I’d get a real job or get married. That was really rewarding.
Is there anything you haven’t yet worked on which you’d like to at some point?
S: I’m terrible at planning ahead and setting career goals, so I really wish I was more organized so I could do more things that interest me. Ideally I’d like to spend more time doing art projects and learning how to reupholster furniture. I also want to start a video podcast that in my mind is inspired by Glenn O’Brien’s “TV Party.”
In your current position, you choose the music that people hear in popular stores. How did you stumble upon that field?
S: I never, in my life, thought I’d be programming the music for retail environments — it just never occurred to me as an option. I was previously working at NYLON Magazine as the Music Marketing Director and left in the early Fall of 2013 to focus on my family because my father was really sick. A few months later I was contacted by a former NYLON colleague asking if I wanted to join his team at Aritzia as Music Director since they were launching a (now defunct, but really amazing) magazine, so I did.
Having worked in and around music for so many years, which trends are you most surprised about having stuck around so long?
S: I’m shocked that All Time Low are as big as they are. Of all the bands from that era of emo/pop punk, they weren’t really a band on my radar and now they’re in a movie and selling out huge venues.
In other interviews, you’ve talked about the importance of the internship towards building a career in entertainment. What were some other essentials for building and keeping a career?
S: I think one of the most important things I could tell a person is to be polite and kind to everyone they meet. EVERYONE. Even the people who treat you poorly. Probably the biggest regrets I have in life are the things I’ve said or done to people that are out of my character. I’ve done my best to be really nice to people, but I wish I was really nice to absolutely everyone, without exception. Also, small gifts or notes of gratitude sent to other people seems to go a long way. I need to do that more…everyone needs to do that more.
To what extent, if any, do you credit the “Ultragrrrl” nickname with your long-term success?
S: I will say this much, the Ultragrrrl nickname – which I’ve had for 20 years — is kind of hard to pull off as I’m in my mid-30s. I sort of wish I had a nickname that was age-neutral so I could have a brand that’s relevant to my age group.
Looking back, what was it like to be on the cover of The Village Voice? Was it a positive experience?
S: WHAT A TRIP. I will basically tell anyone that will listen that I was on the cover of the Voice. It was a monumental moment in my life and an absolute honor to be considered as worthy of such attention, which is something I’ve always wanted in my life. Initially my mom was somewhat horrified because of how objectified I appeared on the cover – you know, burning at the stake in a revealing dress and oversized boobs – but then she became incredibly proud.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do with yourself?
S: I watch an insane amount of television. I’m in absolute awe of the quality of programming that’s available to us now and will devour as much TV as humanly possible. Not only do I watch TV but I read recaps and listen to podcasts about my favorite shows. For anyone interested, my favorite TV critics/recappers/podcasters are Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan from Grantland and Michelle Collins [various outlets].
What’s the best rumor you’ve heard about yourself?
S: People used to suggest that I was a trust-fund kid. I wish! I’ve been working in my career for the past 20 years — yes, since the age of 15 — and wouldn’t have gotten to where I am without the help of my family…which included my brother Albert giving me a couch to sleep on when I was going to school and interning at three different internships, my brother Lawrence for basically being my chaperone and assuring my parents that it was okay for me to be DJing ‘til 4 a.m. when I was 21. My parents are wonderful people but they never set up a trust fund for me or my siblings and never really had the means to do so.
Finally, Sarah, any last words for the kids?
S: Be kind to yourself and be kind to others.
-by Darren Paltrowitz
