I know there’s been a point previous to this in which I acknowledged how much I enjoy featuring other voices here on OTBEOTB. I suppose in a way, that’s what every post here is as anything I’ve ever written wasn’t possible without an inspiration. Usually musical, but inspirations just the same.
I also really appreciate getting to feature fellow writers inspired by similar musical voices; drawn down the same paths I’ve always felt the need to explore. Erica D’Aurora is one of the greatest friends my small writing niche here has ever had; she’s a fellow creator who recently launched her own PR agency called Gioia Communications. Creators helping creators get their messages heard, what’s not to love about that?
Anyway, Erica was recently kind enough to answer a couple of questions I had about her new endeavor as well as her background! To find out more, you’re gonna wanna head to her website at gioiacommunications.com and scope out her Instagram, which is @gioiacomm. Also, I had the chance to ask Erica a few questions about Gioia, her background, and more. Check it out below!
Now where did your love for music come from?
I feel like music is just an innate part of who I am honestly, like it was something that was just in me from day 1. It runs deep through my veins. But my mom’s side was also very musical, and we had multiple musicians in the family, including myself, so it was always a big part of our holiday gatherings and further cultivated that love for music within me.
Although I played three instruments when I was younger, piano was always my first love and it’s the one I stuck with the most. It captured my heart almost instantaneously thanks in large part to my elementary school music teacher. She would travel to all the classrooms with her music cart, her keyboard on top, and I was enamored by her playing as she taught us the basics of how to read music and led us in singing fun songs.

And what got you into the field of public relations?
I kind of just fell into PR after starting my music blog Musical Notes Global. I had wanted to work in the music industry for as long as I can remember; I just didn’t know how to make that happen or what exactly I wanted to do. Growing up, I had no idea about all the cool ways someone could get into the industry—I always thought the only way to go about it was to work at a big record label in a big city, but I wasn’t sure if that was the path for me. After I graduated from college, with a degree in English Literature, I still felt a bit lost about where I wanted to go in my career, yet I knew in my gut that I had to find my way into music, and that’s when I started the blog.
My dad is from Italy, and I listened to a lot of Italian pop as a kid (and I still do!) But of course, living in the United States, before the advent of streaming platforms, YouTube, and online retailers, it was incredibly difficult to get my hands on more of that music and to discover which new artists were trending over there. If you Googled subjects like “popular Italian songs,” you’d just get lists of the same 10 old songs that were classics but not current, and that wasn’t what I was looking for! By the time I started the blog in 2015, all that had luckily—and drastically—changed, and as I began to discover more and more awesome Italian artists, along with the new Latin artists I was discovering as I started learning Spanish, I wanted to create a platform where I could gather all the hot new music from all over the world, from Italy to Latin America to the United States and beyond, for other people who, like me, were curious about the incredible music that was coming out of other countries.
My blog was a passion project that I also hoped would help me find my way in the world, but it quickly turned into much, much more than I could have even imagined. Very early on, I started meeting people with all sorts of jobs in the industry, from publicists to managers to label owners to artists themselves. Being on the receiving end of so many pitches and press releases, it was PR that fascinated me the most, and it wasn’t long before I realized that it was in that field that I needed to be, because it would allow me to have a job that combined two of my greatest passions: music and writing.

Now does your heritage play a role in your love of music?
As an Italian-American who was raised with the music of Italy as such an important part of my life, it has been incredible to witness the extraordinary rise and popularity of Måneskin. I had been following them a bit before they competed at Sanremo and before they won Eurovision, and it makes me so proud to see them doing what they’re doing now, breaking down all kinds of barriers and just completely taking over the world. Their Grammy nomination this year is absolutely incredible!
And finally, tell me some more about your new endeavor Gioia Communications!
I just launched my own PR agency called Gioia Communications, and it almost feels surreal because it’s a dream I’ve had for a while now. I’ve always been entrepreneurial minded, so this next stage of my life feels like the right thing at the right time.
I carry my Italian roots with me always, even in business, so I wanted the name of my company to reflect that as well. In fact, the word “gioia” means “joy” in Italian. Music has always been one of my greatest and most profound joys, and I know many other people feel the same, so it just made sense to focus my agency on that feeling.
Similar to my approach with Musical Notes Global, at Gioia Communications, it is my goal to celebrate music and the people who create it, to uplift dynamic and unique voices, because it is those people who have woven the stunning tapestry that has served as a vital part of our culture worldwide. Music is such a powerful force, and it is important that both the medium and the people behind it continue to receive the respect and attention that they deserve.
Because I have such a passion for music from all over the world, of all styles and languages, I hope to support artists of all kinds. There is so much beauty in diversity, and it’s important for me to honor that every day through my work.
Website: gioiacommunications.com
IG: @gioiacomm

On The Back Edge Of The Beat 
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