Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Brinckmann.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I got started running a record label back in 2021 when I launched Artichokes Are Yellow, a previous label of mine with a previous business partner. I ran this label for about 2-3 years before starting a new label on my own called “Quack Squawk Honk”. Over the years, I’ve learned valuable lessons, gained extensive knowledge, and developed resilience by navigating various challenges that come with being a business owner. As a self-taught entrepreneur, every lesson was a stepping stone.
Starting a label and learning the ropes isn’t easy. I frequently reached out to LabelWorx, asking countless questions via email as I navigated distribution and data entry. When it came to business practices, A&R, and communications, I trusted my instincts, and they’ve never led me astray.
As a fem-identifying and queer individual in the music industry, I’ve learned the importance of being proactive—setting initiatives, working with confidence, establishing deadlines, and delegating tasks. Without this approach, people will often question both your abilities and the legitimacy of your work.
Having gained a wealth of knowledge in the back-end operations of running a label, Other record labels now reach out for my expertise. I truly appreciate this, as it confirms that this line of work is my calling. Today, I work for three other record labels in addition to my own, helping fellow entrepreneurs streamline their processes and bypass the tedious data entry work that I’ve come to enjoy.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the significant obstacles I’ve faced has been sexism. When I was running my first label with a male business partner, I often felt that many of the men we worked with didn’t take me seriously. Despite putting in a great deal of effort to build genuine connections with my artists, I encountered situations where male artists would either ignore me and speak directly to my business partner or, at times, resort to flirting instead of engaging with me professionally. This made it even harder to be seen as a legitimate business leader.
I had a male employee who would only communicate directly with my male business partner. Whenever I needed to delegate a task to him, I’d have to follow up repeatedly with no response, ultimately resorting to asking my male business partner to pass along the message. Looking back, I now realize that this kind of behavior in the workplace is unacceptable, and I should have been more vocal about it instead of just complying. However, this experience has taught me the importance of uplifting and supporting other fem and nonbinary individuals in the industry. We all face similar challenges and oppressions behind closed doors.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned, I released a song to express the pain many people assigned female at birth were experiencing. I was very vocal about my pro-choice stance, viewing the decision as yet another attempt to control ‘women.’ In response, a male artist on my label reached out to me with a long, inappropriate message, telling me that I would be a good mom and that I shouldn’t think the way I do. This message was not only deeply unsettling, but the assumption that I wanted to be a mother felt incredibly inappropriate, especially coming from someone I’ve only interacted with in a professional capacity over email. It was a stark reminder of how easily personal boundaries can be crossed in a business relationship, and how important it is to stand firm in my values and assert my boundaries moving forward.
Another instance where I felt my personal boundary was crossed occurred when a male artist I signed asked me to post more “cute” pictures of myself. I expressed that this made me uncomfortable, and he apologized, which should have been the end of it. However, I later discovered, despite being under contract with me, that he had deliberately unfollowed me while continuing to follow my male business partner. This behavior made it clear that, in the eyes of many of the male artists we had signed, I was never seen as an equal in business. It was a stark reminder of how gender dynamics often shape professional relationships and how much work is still needed to be taken seriously in this industry.
These experiences ultimately led to my decision to start a new label on my own, without any association to anyone else. This shift brought me a deep sense of peace and empowerment, as I was able to create a space where respect was a given. After launching my label as a sole fem business owner, I saw a remarkable change—the number of demos I received from women and nonbinary people tripled. However, I also had male artists with upcoming releases on my label back out of signed contracts as soon as they learned that a man was no longer involved. This only reaffirmed my belief in the importance of creating inclusive, supportive spaces in the industry where everyone feels valued and heard. It also showed me that the people I truly wanted to work with and uplift in the industry would come to me, while those who never saw me as an equal, would quickly distance themselves.
My label, Quack Squawk Honk, has now partnered with Qwerk Records to create a joint collective called Qwerk and Quack. Despite all the challenges I’ve faced in the industry, I’m deeply grateful, as those struggles have brought me to the incredible people I work with today.
Recently, our collective raised over $2K for The Center of Safety and Change by hosting a weekend of DJ sets on Twitch. This organization is life-saving, providing crucial support to survivors of domestic abuse and gender-based violence. With such a talented and like-minded group of people, I feel empowered to organize more fundraisers and events like this, knowing that we have the potential to improve the lives of so many.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In addition to running a record label, I am also a producer and create music under the artist name Artsychoke. I produce a wide range of genres because I don’t like to be confined to one style. I create what inspires me in the moment, which leads to a diverse discography that spans across genres. This unpredictability is something I truly embrace, as it reflects my creative freedom and the joy I find in making music that feels right, rather than sticking to a specific formula.
Growing up, I played piano and wrote songs by recording live instruments, which laid the foundation for my background in music, primarily within indie-pop and rock. These early influences shaped my approach to songwriting and production, grounding me in a more organic, hands-on way of creating music. Over time, though, my musical exploration expanded beyond these genres, allowing me to experiment with different styles and sounds as my creativity evolved.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I began producing electronic music, diving into house, drum and bass, and dance genres. Despite the shift in style, my music still carries elements of my indie music background. A signature of my sound is my use of original vocals and my tendency to write full verses and choruses, which is somewhat unconventional in club music.
One of my favorite EPs I’ve ever written is “I Killed Bigfoot Again”, which I released on a queer-owned label called Feral One Records in the summer of 2024. This EP featured four tracks I produced in different genres—two of which were drum and bass, marking one of the first times I released in this genre. The other two tracks were house and pop. I was incredibly fortunate to find a genre-inclusive label that was open to releasing a pop song alongside the three electronic tracks, allowing me to fully be myself behind my production.
Working with Feral One was an amazing experience. They truly saw me for who I am as an artist and wanted to showcase my work out of appreciation for my creativity. Feral One is deeply committed to supporting the underground dance music scene and providing a safe space for producers and performers from all backgrounds. They are an equitable institution that always prioritizes the art and the artist, and it was an honor to work with them.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Be yourself, you are art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://quacksquawkhonk.komi.io
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quacksquawkhonk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quacksquawkhonk/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@QuackSquawkHonk?app=desktop
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/quacksquawkhonk
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ZrHR85iyOOGeFvYLSilGe?si=do8NcVwFRnGr7o03_cKK6g
Image Credits
Devyn Breslin, The Scout, Dustin Shaneyfelt, Feral One Records