Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alaina Curran. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alaina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
The first time I ever went to California as a St.Lous Missouri native as a freshman in high school, I recorded a video of myself saying ‘Alaina if you work hard, you can live here, so work your — off.’ And here I am.
Within weeks after graduating with a degree in Journalism, I packed a bag and headed to Los Angeles California with for a summer long internship with Capitol records. During that I helped to develop a database of influencers before influencers agencies were a big thing, and started working to pair artists with influencers for their rollouts. At the end of my internship I had to present this project to the entire Capitol Records staff which got me hired in a newly created role on the Capitol Records creative team led by Amber Grimes at the time. This was my first experience in the music industry. I was just a girl from Missouri who had dreams of making it into this space, and finally I was here. It was an evironemnet like I had never been in before, working with music industry vet’s and legends, working with A-list talent, being a PA on high end music video sets, going to music industry events. It was my first time being in this kind of environment and everyday I was learning and becoming this new version of myself that was stronger, more confident, constantly putting myself in rooms and positions with people that had something to teach me. I worked at Capitol for almost four years, learning everything I could, working on artists projects like Doechii, Toosii, Ice Spice, Lil Yachty, BabyFace and more. My experiences working on a team that focused on creative direction, creative marketing content creation led me to become more and more interested in the shift toward short form content. I immersed myself in the world of short form content, studying social campaigns I was seeing, studying the patterns of music blogs and influencer campaigns. As I began contemplating next steps, I knew I wanted my next step to be in the digital world. And then I got reached out to by a recruiter at Atlantic Records for a digital marketing position. After several rounds of interviews, I was offered the job and took my creative background and passion for internet culture to become a Digital Marketing Manager for R&b and Hip Hop acts at Atlantic. This was a risk for me stepping onto a new team new label with new artists. But I was ready for my next challenge and to dive myself into the world of digital.
This became the busiest, most exciting time of my career. I was working on artists like Cordae and KAMAUU, developing fan engagement campaigns, crafting online narratives, distributing content to support and tell artist’s stories. About ten months in I was put in position to lead the digital for Kehlani’s album “Crash” which became one of the most exciting and challenging moments in my career, as I was extremely motivated to showcase my work ethic and passion for supporting artists and their music. I dedicated myself to making sure the rollout was seen everywhere online, working with music blogs and influencers to create organic discussion and interest in what was to come. “After Hours” our leading single became Kehlani’s biggest week solo debut in the US with more than 4M streams within the first week. I was so proud and excited to be a part of this team. I put all my efforts in developing influencer marketing campaigns and dance campaigns to continue pushing the song leading into the album. We even hosted real life dance classes to teach to viral dance which was one of the most rewarding experiences getting to see in real life connect and feel the energy of the song. The weeks leading up to and after the release of “Crash” Kehalnis fourth studio album were a whirlwind as it was my job to make sure the videos were uploaded, every social campaign was constantly ongoing as I was continuously on the internet leaning into and amplifying the discussion around the release. Months of continuously coming up with creative ways to promote the release on social media utilizing music blogs, influencers, fan pages, fan activations. When it came time to release, the most rewarding part was seeing fan’s at the release parties and pop up events and their passion for the music and Kehlani. It felt so rewarding to work on the project, and shortly there after, we were told ANOTHER mixtape was to come shortly after “While We Wait 2” where the work continued. “Crash” ended up getting nominated for a Grammy. As a girl from the Midwest, dreaming of a career in the music industry sometimes felt like a distant dream. But to be able to say now that I led the digital strategy for a Grammy-nominated album and single for an artist as talented and authentic as Kehlani is truly a full-circle moment and a profound honor. I’m so grateful for the journey that brought me here.
During my time here I was also able to work with the extremely intellectual and intentional rapper Cordae, helping to prep for his upcoming album by releasing singles. The release of “Saturday Mornings” featuring Lil Wayne was something I will never forget as the online conversation blew up around this song. I put all my efforts into working with Cordae’s manager to activate social campaigns, create online discourse and reaction to support the song.
I use this story as my “risk” because truthfully, everything for me felt like a leap of faith. A leap of faith growing up in the Midwest going into one of the most scariest industries in an intimidating city Los Angeles. A risk taking my passion for music and applying it to a real life job working at one of the most iconic and historic labels Capitol Records. A risk moving into digital and shortly becoming a digital lead for amazing talented artists. For the past 6 years I’ve continued to trust myself to take leaps of faith, and put myself in environments to grow and do impactful work.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am from the St. Louis suburbs. My sophomore year, I switched my major from becoming a therapist to following my passionate for music by declaring my journalism major. I decided to do everything I could on campus to get myself involved in that way. Seriously, I found every music club and organization and threw myself in the fire. I started with KCOU, Mizzou’s student-run radio station. I interned at The Blue Note. I did everything I could to stay involved with music. I published a concept called “Vibe Gallery” where I began curating music, stories and visuals online.
I took it a step further by creating my own Music marketing department at a Student run marketing agency, so I could create opportunities for myself and others to get music industry reflective experience. I lead a team of students and recruited local artists to work with us. This is what I believe helped to get me noticed by Capitol Records.
What sets me apart is I am truly passionate about music and storytelling. My background in journalism gave me the values of journalist, and my passion for music gave me the drive and understanding of how to connect the fan to artist. I am most proud of my work on Kehlani’s albums Crash and While We Wait to, and my work with Cordae putting on singles that led to his latest album. I can now say I worked on a Grammy nominated album (Crash).
After years of music industry experience, I want to take my passion and industry insight to help artists with their music rollouts and to improve their digital presence. I love helping shape stories online through content distribution, influencer marketing, digital strategy, and creative content. I am also planing to return to my roots by re launching Vibe Gallery to curate music posts to share things I love and support good music and talent as a way for me to continually stay connected to my roots and love for music – as a fan.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
It might sound corny, but at the heart of my creative journey is a mission to support artists who lead with their values and authenticity artists whose music has the power to change lives. I believe music can shift perspectives, empower people, and completely transform how someone sees the world. I know this because it’s what music did for me. That kind of impact is what drives everything I do.
My goal is to amplify music that gives you chills, the kind you replay over and over, the kind that makes you feel seen and not alone. I want to help create moments of connection between artists and fans, and to build an online presence for music that deserves to be heard. Whether it’s through content distribution, storytelling, short-form creative, or influencer collaboration, my work is rooted in giving artists a platform and a path to reach the people who need their music the most.
At the core, my mission is to tell stories authentically and support artists who are grounded in their truth because I believe that’s where the most powerful, life-changing music comes from.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Honestly, what’s funny is that I’ve spent so much time pouring into other people’s social media presence that I’ve kind of neglected my own. I rarely posted my work, as I often was so immersed in my roster’s social media. that’s something I’m working onlearning to take my own advice. When it comes to building a social media presence, especially for someone in a role like mine, I’d say: just start sharing. Post the things you love, the projects you’ve worked on, and most importantly, be yourself. That might sound cliché, but you really can’t fake something long-term. Authenticity always wins.
The same goes for artists: stay rooted in who you are. Don’t be afraid to share parts of yourself that go beyond the music. Platforms like TikTok are perfect for that. We’re in a time where fans connect with people because of their values, their personality, and their story. Sometimes, someone discovers an artist through a simple storytime or a funny video, and suddenly, the music hits differently—it becomes personal.
But with that said, there’s a side of the internet that thrives on negativity. Once you start building an audience, it’s almost inevitable that criticism will come. It happens to everyone. That part of social media can be tough, especially for artists and creators. My advice is to expect it—but don’t let it change you. It’s a test of how grounded you are in your identity and purpose. Stay true to yourself, because that’s what makes people connect with you in the first place.
Another important piece of advice, especially for artists or anyone building a digital presence…is to outsource. The internet can be overwhelming, and managing every aspect of your online identity alone just isn’t sustainable. Having a team that can support you, help shape your narrative, post consistently, and even protect your peace online is invaluable. You need people around you who are committed to telling the truth and amplifying what makes you you.
That’s where I come in. One of the most rewarding parts of my work in digital marketing is content distribution, sharing the stories that matter, the ones that remind people why they fell in love with a song in the first place. I specialize in creating and distributing content that highlights fan reactions, emotional connections, and the deeper meaning behind the music. I’m passionate about helping artists build a presence that reflects who they are and reaches the people who need to hear them.
If you’re looking for someone who truly understands how to translate authenticity into impact, and who lives to connect music with the people it’s meant to reach, that’s exactly what I do and why I do it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alainacurranworkportfolio.my.canva.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alainacurran/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alainacurran/
- Other: Please note I am working on building out my website currently. The link I shared to the Canva website is being worked on currently.
I have other links I can share later
Image Credits
https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/kehlani-after-hours-music-video-1235674644/