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

Tori, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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?

When I was 15 years old I was a music fan who passionately shared music on my MySpace profile, attended local shows, and promoted music I loved. After seeing a few peers starting their own music blogs and gaining backstage access to shows and unique opportunities to ask their favorite artists anything they wanted, I took a chance and started one myself without any experience. My first interview was with a Disney Channel band called AllStar Weekend, who were kind enough to give me a chance. Any time I requested an interview with a big artist, it felt like a huge risk. And it was an ever bigger risk if the request was approved and I had to “fake it til I made it” and act like I knew how to conduct a professional interview. I found myself in the same room as Ariana Grande and Imagine Dragons and backstage at a Justin Bieber concert within the first two years of my blog. Without taking the risk of rejection to request these opportunities and reach for the stars as a naive teenager, I never would have gotten where I am now.

Tori, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a publicist at Atom Splitter PR, the rock and metal adjascent publicist company owned by Amy Sciarretto. I also host two video series for KNOTFEST.com.

I got into the music industry as a DIY music blogger when I was 14 years old in 2010. After garnering a following of 30K YouTube subscribers and amassing millions of views, I went on to create content for the Vans Warped Tour in 2015, 2016, and 2018 and freelancing for Alternative Press Magazine. Eventually I wanted a more stable job and to experience the industry from a new perspective while still utilizing my knowledge and experience in journalism, which led me to publicity. I interned for 1 year to learn the ropes with a trusted colleague and after 3 years of work, I found my way to my home at Atom Splitter PR where I work with bands like P.OD., Wage War, Skillet, Capstan, Make Them Suffer, Miss May I, and more. I also ended up connecting with KNOTFEST through my PR work, which landed me a femme-focused podcast called She’s With The Band and a long-form documentary series about live show production called Beyond The Breakdown.

My job in PR is to connect bands with journalists to help promote their releases and tell their stories. I mainly work with podcasts, blogs, magazines, online radio stations, and content creators.

What sets me apart in all of my work is that I am a fan first. I approach my job with integrity, conviction, and a genuine passion for the music I promote. I live and breath rock music 24/7 and I think that is evident in everything I do because I have a deep understanding of the significance and impact these artists are making in people’s lives (including mine).

Even in terms of my work with KNOTFEST, I do hours of research before every interview to make sure I am asking never-before-heard questions and thinking outside the box to find out information that fans of the artist would want to know.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Rejection is not a relfection of your abilities, worth, or potential for success. As a journalist and publicist, I have recieved as many rejections as approvals for interviews, been rejected for job opportunities, and rejected when I try to garner coverage for the bands I work with. These rejections are redirections towards ideas and possibilities that are meant for you. If it doesn’t work, it’s because it isn’t supposed to. In order to find the right fits, you have to keep searching after being told no.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Authenticity and genuine passion is imperative in the music industry. If your motives and demeanor stray from those qualities, people will see right through you and you won’t last. Music creation is such a personal experience for the artists, which means they want to work with people who will treat their work with just as much care, enthusiasm, and effort.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.KNOTFEST.com / www.atomsplitterpr.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/torikravitz + www.instagram.com/swtbpod
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/knotfest
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@swtbpod

Image Credits

None!