November 2022

Ms. Kim Galdamez is an experienced creative in multiple aspects of the music industry, including bookings, promotions, and DJing.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet Ms. Kim and found that we share a mutual love for live music events and concerts. The contagious concert energy and being surrounded by an audience who loves the music just as much as we do, builds connections and an unsurpassed sense of joy.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do?

I currently work at ‘Ground Control Touring’, a booking agency that mostly represents indie rock artists. Within the company is a team of agents that represent different artists. I work on contracts, track ticket sales, and act as a liaison between venues and the artists we represent. The artist roster varies in room size - we have artists who play at the Hollywood Bowl, and also those that play in smaller rooms.

As the owner of ‘Born for Burning’, I also do my own personal bookings, promotion, and deals. I work more with underground metal artists, and we share the responsibility and the costs of each production.

I have also been a DJ for a while. It’s always fun to bring my friends with me to gigs or have them DJ with me!

What specific skills would you need for this line of work?

I am very project oriented: Here's my to-do list, let’s get this done. If you can get through school, and if you're diligent about staying organized, turning in assignments and keeping up with deadlines, you’re pretty set.

At the core, it's this: Can you communicate effectively, and be clear and concise? Do you have the ability to build and maintain relationships (everything is pretty connected!). Lastly, you should bring your own creativity into what you do.

Who were your biggest female-identifying musicians growing up?

The first female-identifying creatives I got exposure to were the musicians themselves. I’ve always admired all these women that can get on stage and just crush it. I think it’s incredibly brave and creative. People say things like, “Women are involved in music now”. Women always have been.

Growing up, I knew there were women in the industry, representing bands, tour managing and working with record companies. But I think accessibility and connecting with them was harder, because the internet wasn’t where it is now. People weren't really shining a light on them.

A lot of male musicians that I looked up to were also very empowering. I think that is really big - it's good to recognize those who are supporting us and opening doors.

What is your favorite part of being in the music industry?

I started going to live shows when I was in high school. I liked metal and punk, and I started going to local gigs. From an early age, I was really into the logistics of shows. I wondered, “How do you put this together”? “What does it take to put on a show”? There are so many details that create the big picture of a performance, and it's incredible to me what people can put together.

For a lot of folks, shows are like their outlet. You see recordings that you love come to life. There are people around you who equally love what’s playing. It builds a sense of community, particularly in smaller shows. You see its impact; you see people connect and make friends. When I started going to shows as a teenager, I met a lot of new people that I’m still friends with today!

Finally, what is one piece of advice you would give to a female-identifying creative in the industry?

Early in my career I felt like I had to mimic the styles I saw, which kind of is a disservice to ourselves. If you’re following a specific trend as a businessperson, that's fair and it makes sense. But you need to bring in your own personality and style and it's important to be genuine to what you like. You have to let your own interests and personality shine.

I learned a lot from stepping into a place humbly - knowing that I don’t know everything there is to know here, but I have an open mind and I am willing to learn. You have to ask questions and take leaps. How will you know if you don’t try?

It’s also very important that you enjoy what you do. Soothing my soul and enjoying my work is important to me. Going through the motions is certainly not the way I want to live my life. How do you do the things you love and take care of yourself - it’s finding that balance.