Perseverance in the Face of Discouragement: The Realities of Working in the Music Industry with Larisha Paul
Music journalism is an evolving field, adapting to the changes of modern technology and the demands of listeners. I spoke with freelance writer Larisha Paul about her experiences being an entertainment and art culture journalist, and her journey in finding a place in the world of music.
Paul has written for major publications such as RollingStone, Billboard, and MTV News. She earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from NYU, where she faced some reality checks in relation to her career paths.
Similar to a lot of comments I’ve received during my first semester at Emerson, Paul shares, “NYU’s journalism department is very news-driven… It was hard to try to carve out this entertainment niche for myself, when no one else around me was trying to do that.”
Paul burnt herself out during undergrad trying to write consistently while attending all of her classes, and earning internships in the summer. By then, Paul began to associate the feeling of burnout with writing.
“I feel like our generation has this problem of feeling like we’re out of time because we see so much of what everyone else is doing,” Paul explains, “I would tell my past self to learn how to enjoy writing for the sake of writing, not for the sake of getting ahead.”
As a young adult, a lot of validation comes from our professors because we’re spending so much on our degrees. So when they say things like, “Entertainment journalism isn’t real journalism,” we internalize it. Paul explained, “There’s a reason why these publications exist. There’s a reason why people read this. Fans read this.”
Personally, I’ve had pitches considered to be “solely aspirational” when choosing to write about an artist, because my professors believed there was no aspect of newsworthiness or scholarly rigor. Journalism students are often told that being a writer doesn’t require going to school, but being able to analyze data and identify news stories is a skill that’s taught. But how prioritized is objectivity nowadays in big name publications anyway?
Older writers often discourage younger, up-and-coming writers to stray away from joining the industry and being a part of the community that turns out entertainment news.
Paul responds, “This is because y’all [older writers] were trying to write clickbait articles, trying to get zinger quotes out of people instead of talking to them about their music.”
With her roots in fan culture, Paul was fueled by her passions for music, artists and bands, and used that to pursue a career in writing about it.
While some may be skeptical of young writers that are heavily ingrained in certain fandoms, Paul argues, “You want to make sure you’re in a position where people can’t deny that you know what you’re doing… I need to make sure that people know this matters… Because you already have that basic knowledge and you have that skill set.”
Writers participating in fan culture sets them ahead of those already working in the field, because of the hands-on experience that comes along with social media presence, following trends, and having this arcane set of knowledge.
Growing up, a lot of the self-doubt I had rested in the idea that you can’t be good at something just because you like it. It’s assumed that you can’t produce good writing because you can’t separate yourself from the already established opinions you have. I shared some of these concerns with Paul during our conversation, to which she responded, “If you have something that you’re passionate about, that industry is better off with you in it.”
“A lot of people in this industry have imposter syndrome…None of the White men in this industry have that,” says Paul. She encourages the work of young women in this industry, especially young POC women.
In 2019, the music journalism industry was recorded to be 51.3% male and 41.8% female, with the age average being 45.5 years old. The compounding effects of having the social disadvantage with all of the pressures of digital media sets up an inadequate foundation of support for young, POC, female writers. “There are a lot of people who got where they are because of the privilege that comes with their identity. So they don’t have to be good,” Paul restates.
Larisha Paul is a role model for young writers looking for their place in the industry that has set countless obstacles in front of them. My conversation with her made me realize how much of a battle – internal and external – trying to make your way in the journalism industry is. In her words, “No one has ever stopped writing about it… Fan culture is getting bigger by the day,” so I encourage young writers, like myself, to do it justice.