With each cherry-picked artist, Elena Flauto is paving the way for a fruitful future in the music industry.

As president of the student-run record label Cherry Pop Records for the past two years, Flauto said the organization has created invaluable opportunities for students interested in all facets of the music industry, deepening her own passion for the business and its legal components. A founding member of the label in 2022, the fourth-year music industry and statistics and data science student said Cherry Pop enables artists to concentrate on their craft by taking on the marketing and business responsibilities. Drawing from her own background as an artist, Flauto said her experience on both the creative and business sides has significantly shaped the way she approaches her role at the label.

“The process of independently releasing a project has informed really all of my decisions now, because that is the perspective of almost all of the artists who we work with,” Flauto said. “It’s rare to be naturally suited to the expectations of artists now, which involves pumping out content constantly in addition to focusing on the craft.”

As part of Cherry Pop’s inaugural board, Flauto said her first year with the label focused on promoting the organization as a whole, which culminated in a single compilation album with five contributing artists. As the label grew in the following years, Flauto said Cherry Pop was able to focus more on the individualized needs of its artists and expand its roster to include artists across several genres. With success in the industry becoming intertwined with streaming metrics and artist branding, Flauto said her goal with Cherry Pop was to manage the logistical component for artists – an aspect she found challenging in her own musical endeavors.

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One of Flauto’s primary responsibilities while heading the label’s business and financial affairs department was to draft its recording agreement, which she said detailed Cherry Pop’s commitment to artists. In writing the agreement, Flauto said she was heavily influenced by her own artist background and advocated for artists to maintain ownership over their work.

Cherry Pop’s core mission is to support artists in bringing their artistic visions to life, founder and alumnus Aliah Gaoteote said. By managing promotion through cover art shoots, music videos and playlist placements, Gaoteote said the label helps artists avoid the challenges of navigating the industry’s evolving demands.

“My vision for it was basically to build a community with people at UCLA who wanted to explore careers in music industry,” Gaoteote said. “Since we have such a flourishing music scene at UCLA, combining those worlds and helping the artists who are there and giving them support that normal artists would get from a record label.”

Fostering a collaborative learning environment among student artists and members, Flauto said Cherry Pop functions as an independent record label and encourages members to explore many facets of the industry. Flauto’s hands-on experience with Cherry Pop’s business and legal department has influenced her own career aspirations, she said, as she plans to apply to law school in the fall. As the label has evolved over the past three years, Flauto said it has built a supportive and inclusive community that allows for contributions from a diverse range of perspectives into its artist marketing strategy.

“My hope in continuing it was this was a place to learn and try as much as possible,” Flauto said. “Everyone gets to have input on all the different activities, so that’s the culture that we try to foster and make sure that everyone is able to do anything.”

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Flauto’s interest in music stretches back to her childhood, as she said she grew up songwriting and producing her own music all through high school. Although she continues to make music independent of Cherry Pop, Flauto said her understanding of the industry’s pressures has shifted her focus away from performance, and she now views music as more of a creative outlet. First meeting Flauto at an a cappella audition, fourth-year physics student Fiona McDaniel said Flauto’s passion for music and rising artists is exemplified by her dedication to Cherry Pop’s growth throughout her college career.

“She just lives and breathes music so much that she always has the rhythm in her heart and in her body,” McDaniel said.

Reflecting on her time at Cherry Pop, Flauto said being part of a student-run organization has taught her the importance of learning by doing. She said her role as president has emphasized the importance of maintaining a multifaceted perspective, encouraging her to strengthen both her creative and legal knowledge. Emphasizing that success in the music industry often depends more on confidence than connections and technical expertise, Flauto said she encourages aspiring students to pursue their passions and seek out communities that support and reflect their ambitions.

“A key to the music business is just recognizing that you can do it yourself. That’s very much what has gotten me through many of my courses and my time at Cherry Pop,” Flauto said. “Knowing that it is possible to do your own thing and work in a way that is aligned with your goals – it is possible, and it was helpful to see that.”