Lecture: Emily White, Author and Founder of #iVoted Festival

Please respect that the discussions in this lecture series are off-the-record, with a no social media policy.

This week’s Rezak lecture with Emily White lets us check in on at least one aspect of the business we’ve yet to cover: activism. White founded and runs the #iVoted Festival, which works to bridge the gap between the percentage of millennials who attend live music events (63%) and the percentage of 18-29 year olds who vote (35%). We will dive in on the opportunities and challenges facing this year’s event. But White offers many other facets of experience within the business. Career stops include tour and artist management, experience that she has parlayed into the publication of two successful books: “Interning 101” and “How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams,” which is also the title of White’s podcast. Much to discuss in Rezak!

 Come prepared.

Read about the #iVoted Festival.

Click through some of the links in Emily’s interactive bio.

Listen to her podcast.

After witnessing slim margins in the 2016 U.S. Election, White was inspired to get out the vote. The result was a new initiative called #iVoted, in which over 150 venues in 37 states let fans -who showed a selfie from outside of their polling place – in on election night 2018. The movement pivoted in 2020 due to the pandemic and created the largest digital concert in history, which took place on election night 2020. Over 450 artists participated in #iVoted Festival 2020, all booked per the data of the top streaming artists in key swing states whose margins are often decided by the size of a concert venue. Artists including Billie Eilish, Trey Anastasio of Phish, Playboi Carti, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Maggie Rogers, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, Living Colour, Young the Giant and countless more. The #iVoted team quickly followed up by creating #iVoted Festival Georgia for the 2021 special elections that determined control of the U.S. Senate. #iVoted is currently building #iVoted Festival 2022 as we speak, with full coverage on announcements to-date via Variety.

In 2017, White released her debut book “Interning 101,” a how-to guide for interns in modern business. The book is based on the “intern manifesto” handbook created by White. “How to Build a Sustainable Music Career & Collect All Revenue Streams” is her second book.