Q&A: Musician Naomi Robin shares postgrad plans

Whether recording for record labels, interning for a music company that has managed such artists as the Shins or captivating a crowd from onstage with her band, Naomi and the Bandits, graduating fourth-year music history student Naomi Robin is showing no signs of slowing down, even as the doors of UCLA close behind her. As a folk-rock band, Naomi and the Bandits have been together for about a year, with Robin as the lead vocalist. Daily Bruin’s Ashley Vu spoke with Robin about her time as a student as well as what lies beyond UCLA for her and her band.

Daily Bruin: What is a memory that’s been significant to your life during your time at UCLA?

Naomi Robin: The first time I played at Kerckhoff Coffeehouse, it was just me and a girl and a piano. I transferred here from Santa Monica College, so when I got here, I didn’t have any friends. But after that night, I established myself as a musician within the music school community. People started reaching out to me, inviting me to music parties in the music scene, and that (event) solidified me as a UCLA artist. Beforehand, I was just some girl taking classes, and I never really immersed myself in the UCLA culture. But after that, I met so many people, and everyone was so supportive, and that’s how I ended up finding my band, most of whom go to UCLA.

DB: What are your plans beyond graduation, personally?

NR: I have three internships (this summer). I’m really excited for them; they’re for music management companies for some of my favorite bands. I’m also a host on an audiovisual podcast at a place called TradioV, and I just found out that I’m going to be the main host for (about) half of their episodes. I became the music producer for the show, so now I get to book all the artists and bands who come on.

DB: Can you elaborate more on your music management internships this summer?

NR: One of (the internships) is for ALT 98.7, and I’m going to be in the programming department, which is going to show me what it takes to be a host and show me how to program the songs and how they choose what’s on the air. Another (internship is with a) management company called Monotone, Inc., which is my favorite management company ever; they manage the Shins, Jack White and Danger Mouse, my favorite people.

DB: What about your band? What’s next for Naomi and the Bandits?

NR: We’re playing a couple shows at the Del Mar Fair (the San Diego County Fair), which is cool because Creedence Clearwater Revisited (formerly Creedence Clearwater Revival) is playing right after us one of those days we’re performing. Other than that, I found out that I’m going to need my tonsils out, so I’m not going to be able to sing; so we’re focusing on recording and then coming out with a few tracks. We’re working with a few labels right now, so we’re not going to be playing any of the live shows until the fall because of my tonsils and because I just really want to focus on recording.

DB: Are you allowed to talk about the labels you’ll be working with?

NR: I’m working with some amazing writers. We’re going to be putting tracks out, and we’re going to be working on a music video. It’s going to be pretty scandalous. (The song is) called “No Means Yes,” and the video’s going to be pretty raunchy; it’s not something that I normally do.

DB: Where do you see yourself in five years?

NR: (Either) one of two things: I’ll either be managing other bands or I’ll be touring. I’ll have my second album out, and I will have played many festivals. That is the goal.