Today we’d like to introduce you to Louise Geri.
Hi Louise, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my female-oriented music blog as a hobby in high school. Despite the initial casual nature, the female-oriented theme was always present. I was intrigued by the feminist concept presented by the Nashville writer’s round Song Suffragettes. It gave me the thesis that in the music industry, men have power, but women have relevance. The only other inclination I needed to commit to this topic later on was my already female-centered music taste, and my avid passion for women’s rights. I liked that this focus would allow me to combine my passions and grow my thesis.
After starting at Belmont University, I wrote a couple of interview-based articles about rising Nashville musicians. People in the Belmont community noticed and began asking me to write about them too. I kept up the momentum and committed to breaking into music journalism. Less than a year later, I work with three publications and have attended an ever-growing list of concerts as a journalist.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey as a journalist has been quite smooth so far. I generally (possibly naively) think that most of my concerns, such as long-term financial instability or excessive repetition of similar stories, are avoidable if I maintain drive and creativity. The Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces” lyric, “Wide-eyed and grinning, she never tired” is the perspective I think is necessary in order to pull off a creative career.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
This spring I was involved in a project called “Sisters in Song”, a showcase at Nashville’s Exit/In that was presented by River & Row Management. The presenters were women, the performers were women, the whole media team (myself included) was female, and a large number of instrumentalists were women. I got to work with so many people I deeply respect. I’m proud of how the show splendidly displayed my commitment to my focus on women in music (a specialty that sets me apart as a journalist) and allowed me to highlight rising talent.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I avoid letting a fear of risk-taking control me. Fear is human, but it’s irrelevant to the task at hand and is therefore just something you must push through if you’re choosing to work in entertainment. It’s all in the line of duty, even if that’s easier said than done. I worry about misinterpreting an artist’s words and saying something misleading in an article. I worry, when approaching people to interview at venues for my fan-oriented “Girlhood, Live in Concert” series, that a concertgoer will think I’m disrupting their peace. But the consequences of these mistakes are ultimately dependent on how you react to the situation after it unfolds, not before. I’m early in my career, but my general code of conduct is to do my best, ask for clarification or permission when it’s possible and efficient, and be bold.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://louisegeri.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louise.geri/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-geri-09915735a/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@louisegerii
