We recently connected with Anna Brinckmann and have shared our conversation below.

Anna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I learned how to run a record label, DJ, produce, and navigate business connections by immersing myself in the process. I am a hands-on learner, and I master crafts more quickly when I jump into them headfirst.

I learned to DJ at a club with friends in San Francisco. They put me behind the decks and told me which buttons to press. With their encouragement, I DJed at my first festival just three weeks later, still hardly knowing what I was doing but somehow making it through. This method of learning has stuck with me across multiple crafts. I learn much more quickly under pressure, and hands-on learning sticks in my mind in a way that reading, listening, or writing cannot.
I learned how to run a record label simply by starting one. I took notes on how to distribute through LabelWorx and spent countless hours at my desk learning how to use the website, upload releases, and handle various data entries to manage contracts and statements. It was tough to get going, but my motivation was so strong that the hours spent behind the computer with blurry eyes were all worth it.

I learned how to produce in a similar way. I tinkered around in my DAW until I eventually got used to it and learned how to use all my VSTs and plugins to achieve the outcomes I desired. I started songwriting before the age of ten, experimenting on the piano. Throughout high school, I learned the process of recording live instruments, arranging, and releasing songs. During the pandemic in 2020, I began my journey into house music production and started learning how to create the genres I had always listened to and wished I knew how to make. I combined the skills I taught myself as a child with lyrical songwriting and recording my own vocals with my new skill sets of being able to produce tech house, drum and bass and other new genres.
I wasn’t entirely self-taught; my parents enrolled me in classical piano training when I was five years old. This foundation helped me learn how to compose my own music, thanks to the music theory ingrained in my mind. Growing up, my parents also immersed me in their own music, which inspired me to write and create songs just like they did. While I took a few guitar and drum lessons here and there, I have always felt most comfortable on the piano. It has been my home base for writing music, and most of the songs I create today begin with me sitting down at the piano and playing to see what comes out.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Anna, pronounced (Ah-Nuh), and I entered the electronic music scene by producing tech house under a previous musical alias. My current artist name is Artsychoke which is a play off of my love for artichokes. I began playing shows and DJing in 2021, meeting many amazing people who welcomed me into their world. That same year, I started my first record label, “Artichokes Are Yellow,” with a former business partner. We launched the label on the ‘Dirtybird Records’ Twitch channel, which quickly gave us a loyal following.

Artichokes Are Yellow often raised questions about its name. I used to make up a new story each time as a joke, but the real reason we chose AAY is that my favorite flower is an artichoke and my favorite color is yellow.
As an owner of Artichokes Are Yellow, I managed distribution, signed tracks, handled social media, and worked closely with my artists as A&R. Running a record label became my passion and gave me a purpose to get out of bed every day. I felt like I had found my calling, and I became addicted to the work—even the tedious data entry.

In the summer of 2024, I said goodbye to my previous brand, Artichokes Are Yellow, and underwent a company merger. I merged all my old releases into my new label and brand, Quack Squawk Honk. This new label is a venture I started on my own with a team of one. While I enjoyed working with others on a team, I felt that, as a woman in the music industry, my work was often underrepresented and discredited. I wanted to create something new that was entirely my own. This way I could show other fem-presenting business owners that you can do everything on your own and you don’t need anyone else to accomplish the things you want to.

One person I’d like to mention is Hume Audio. I hired Hume as my new mastering engineer, and Hume has since become a loyal member of my community and an essential part of my business. Hume is an incredibly talented artist and engineer who has consistently helped me meet tight deadlines for mastering. So, if you listen to any of my releases on Quack Squawk Honk, know that the mastering is all done by Hume and I highly recommend their services.
Quack Squawk Honk is a label and brand inspired by my current hyper fixation on ducks. I maintain a Spotify playlist that I update every week with the latest electronic, tech house, dance, and left-field tracks. I often browse cute duck pictures on my phone and started posting them on my Instagram story. I posted every week what I thought songs in my playlist would look like as ducks. People really seemed to enjoy my duck-themed stories, so I renamed my weekly playlist to “Ducks Of The Week.”
When I announced that I was planning a new label and brand, the DMs started rolling in: “Please tell me this label is duck-themed!” After brainstorming a variety of names suggested by my friends and followers, I settled on the name ‘Quack Squawk Honk’.

Another key factor in developing this new brand was my connection with the record label Qwerk Records, run by two of my favorite people, Rodney Dinkles and Wooja. We’ve been discussing a joint DJ collective between my new label and theirs, and while brainstorming names, we quickly settled on “Qwerk and Quack” because it has such a nice ring to it. Once we decided on the collective name, I knew my label had to include “Quack” in the title.
We just launched our brand-new DJ collective in October 2024, and we plan to host Q&Q events that showcase all our artists’ upcoming shows and music. What I enjoy about running a collective is the community. In a collective we all uplift each other and help each other out with demo feedback, shows, labels and we all brainstorm ideas to showcase our individual brands together. We can’t wait to see what 2025 will bring for our shared brand.

As for Quack Squawk Honk, I began releasing music in October 2024 under this new label. My first release was with the talented artist and producer Gina Turner from New York. I also announced that my demo box is now open for new tracks this month. I accept a multitude of genres; while many releases on my previous label were considered “tech house,” I’m open to breakbeats, drum and bass, house, electronic dance, left-field bass, and more. My goal with this new label is to showcase my artists as producers and uplift everyone’s personal brand and inspirations for making music. I sign tracks by artists I believe have something unique about their music, brand, or project, and my aim is to get their incredible art seen by the world.

In addition to releasing music, Quack Squawk Honk also has its own radio show called “QSH Radio.” My good friend Azeria, also known as Ashley Bergquist, is the host of the show. Azeria is a DJ, vocalist, and artist from Fort Myers, Florida. We connected online through our shared experiences of running our own businesses and navigating the challenges of being women in the music industry. Azeria will be hosting monthly episodes featuring guest mixes from my artists, members of the collective, and other DJs associated with my brand. You can find the radio show as @qshradio on Instagram and other platforms.
One thing that sets my brand apart from other record labels is the inherent humor in how I present the label online. I firmly believe that music, as an art form, should be fun first. Having a quirky social media presence with a duck theme allows for tons of memes, light humor, and an openness to weird and silly art forms. I keep the serious side of business to myself; while I work diligently seven days a week, the way I present myself online is intentionally unserious and light-hearted.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In the summer of 2024, I went through a challenging period in running my business as I dealt with false copyright claims on my personal music. The unfortunate reality of being a small independent label and artist is that there’s little protection against big companies. Major platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Beatport will often take a cursory glance at a copyright claim and tell you to resolve it with the complainant, regardless of your attempts to get your music back online.

I remember providing Spotify with all the proof I could muster that I created my own song—everything from screen recordings showing how I made each sound in my DAW to lyrics saved in my notes app dating back years, and even contracts between myself and my label to demonstrate that I owned the rights. However, big companies typically won’t consider any of your proof unless you’re a well-known artist with millions of fans. Their default response is to advise you to get the complainant to retract their claim, which is often impossible if someone is motivated to falsely take down your music.
After several months, I was able to get my music back online, and I gained a wealth of knowledge about copyright infringement laws that I never knew I needed.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Buy Art.

There are countless ways to support other creatives, from purchasing a song on Beatport to buying a piece of art from a visual artist or a ticket to a play. The world would not be the same without art and music, as these forms of expression serve as therapy and an outlet for our personal experiences and emotions. One way I love to support other artists is by purchasing all the artwork for my releases on my label from graphic designers online. I gravitate toward art that tells a story or complements the music perfectly.

I also enjoy supporting my friends and artists by buying their music on Beatport or Bandcamp; every dollar helps, especially when purchases contribute to getting songs charted so that more people can discover them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://quacksquawkhonk.komi.io
• Instagram: @quacksquawkhonk , @artsychoke , @qwerkandquack and @qshradio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quacksquawkhonk
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@QuackSquawkHonk
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/quacksquawkhonk and https://soundcloud.com/artsychokemusic
• Other: Artsychoke Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ZrHR85iyOOGeFvYLSilGe?si=NGcDZEnxRLaFxOWyW4zw3Q&nd=1&dlsi=f35f60a2b5674cf8

  Quack Squawk Honk Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/31vrxejfcih6mwbytvhlpzhlkgla?si=0aa25d07a48447e3

Image Credits

Aaron Kuppin, Domoohh, (N/A), Kayla Healy, Dustin Shaneyfelt, Carlos Romero, (N/A), Alexander Hume