Meet Briana Boyd | Day to Day Manager at tmwrk & mental health advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Briana Boyd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Briana, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
The music industry can be pretty segregated. Despite us moving a way from “white music” vs “black”, “latin”, etc it’s still a bit built into the industry. I chose to start my career in rock and that choice seemed to lead me into very white spaces with all my jobs being almost exclusively white other than my time at Afropunk. I still feel a bit like a pioneer in the space. There’s not a lot of representation of black leaders in rock music and all it’s sub-genres.

I also find that a lot of companies and people chat about mentorship and social justice but often don’t take real action other than social media campaigns in either regard. It can be very competitive despite there being room for everyone to succeed.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I began my career at the age of 17. After completing classes for the day, I’d take the train into midtown where I interned for 2 years. Completely unpaid. I just wanted the experience and knew I wanted to pursue a career in music. I also started a music blog around this time where I’d interview touring artists and managed a small staff of photographers and writers. Once I decided I wanted to do something, I’d do it without hesitation and I’ve grown to really admire that aspect of my personality and work ethic.

There wasn’t another black woman working in the field for me to pull inspiration or guidance from. It was very isolating at times from a cultural standpoint but I never wavered from my goals. I’m proud of everything I’ve done because I had to be a BEAST. More organized, more put together, more tenacious and resourceful. I’m the first generation of kids in my family born in America. My father was a doctor and my mom is an attorney so there was a high bar for me to rise to. It was NOT easy and it still isn’t easy and I lost faith in my dream a couple times along the way.

I want the world to know that black women can be anything we want to be. I often fall under the “alt-black” category and I’ve struggled with that because again it separates rather than unifies. It makes me out to be exotic when in actuality I’m just a complex woman with many layers and thoughts just like anyone else. I don’t want to be put on a pedestal for being “different”. I just want a neutral place to stand. I want the world to know that caring for other people and the world is special and should be celebrated rather than suppressed. There’s no one stopping you except yourself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
-I love the Los Angeles State Historic Park! Having a picnic there, drinking a glass of wine, and listening to music is a favorite activity for me.

-Messhall Kitchen in Los Feliz! I have memories of going there on dates and taking friends there early on in my time of being in LA so it’s special to me.

-Monorom Cambodian Restaurant near me in Long Beach is a gem! Great service and food.

-Fish Bone. The people who work there are always friendly and there’s a few locations in the city. Amazing fried fish, southern style. A&J Seafood Shack also great in Long Beach.

-Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is so beautiful! Absolutely love hiking there. Right in the city but you get the feeling you’re on a day trip. There’s also some great scenic hikes in Malibu.

-LACMA and The Getty (just chilling outdoors there is great)

-Pann’s Restaurant brunch/breakfast is top tier. I think that’s in Ladera Heights.

-Antigua Bread in Highland Park. When I first moved to LA in the dead of the pandemic this was where I’d go and sit outside and have breakfast. It was always amazing and was one of the few outlets I had at that time. Amazing Guatemalan food.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to thank my boss Zoë Blilie for giving me the opportunity to reach a goal I’ve had since I was a teenager. I’ve had interviews at many different management companies throughout my career. Sometimes up to 4-5 interviews just to be told I’m not qualified or they went in another direction. I do believe that being intersectional has been a factor in some positions I’ve applied for and I was just about to stop pursuing wanting to be an artist manager because it seemed I just couldn’t get a seat at the table. I really appreciate her for being able to see me.

Website: https://linktr.ee/bigheartbri

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_brianapearl/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianapearlboyd/