We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hazel Daigneault a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hazel, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been one of the most interesting investments you’ve made – and did you win or lose? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

When I was finishing high school, one of my faculty friends stopped me in the hall to tell me about an opportunity. She had been working with Blast N Scrap, a local arts nonprofit, and they were looking for a volunteer instructor for their summer program. I reached out and got involved, which led to me making some incredible connections. One of these connections led to a sold out show at the Aggie, which I never would have expected. This whole experience showed me how important it is to take advantage of opportunities when you can, even if they aren’t directly relevant to what you’re after.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been producing music for 8 years and DJing for 7. I make electronic music with a focus on dubstep and drum n bass, but I also produce music within many more genres. I am most proud of my sold out show at the Aggie and my 10,000 global plays milestone. I want people to know that I always put out my best, and that even if a song doesn’t perform well or a show doesn’t sell well, I’m proud just to have been able to share my craft with others.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Even if you might not want to buy merch from your music friend or go to all their shows, it still means a lot when you like a post or listen to a track. It can take less than a minute, but it reflects well on the artist. Supporting local music goes beyond immediate financial support, and is probably easiest through social media. Liking or sharing a post to your story can be a huge confidence boost, and it can also help promote the artist’s work.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Nonprofits are one of the best ways to get involved in music. Instead of needing to worry about giving back to your community, you can know that every time you show up to work you are helping to create that community. I don’t believe in karma, but I do think that working in a nonprofit can lead to the community giving back to you in unexpected ways. Also, helping a nonprofit also helps to create a supportive environment for other creatives, resulting in a positive feedback loop of artists supporting artists.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hazelhatesyou.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/hazelhatesyoumusic?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hazelhatesyou?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: https://on.soundcloud.com/kCbxRVCDKwqx9Le38 https://open.spotify.com/artist/3EkHmVqduHdQYoYQOgCxt4?si=3BYHuOuUTzKoaCjsX9cSHw

Image Credits
Mellisa Rasor