Rebecca Robles wants to give students a “Backstage Pass” to the live music industry.

As assistant conductor for her high school choir and a former member of a punk band, Robles, a fourth-year music industry student, said she always knew she wanted to pursue music but had a hard time finding her path without the guidance of a college degree. Robles said she eventually made the decision, with a little encouragement from her boyfriend, to enroll in community college and transfer to UCLA. Robles said Backstage Pass, her senior year capstone project – which culminated in a live panel and networking event – was created to educate students on the different jobs in live music.

“I’ve always loved going to concerts, but I never knew the actual job roles that encompass that side of the music industry,” Robles said. “Coming back to school has just given me a lot of information that I didn’t know. It’s made me fall back in love with the music side of things.”

Robles said the lack of live-music-focused classes inspired her to showcase how students could enter the touring industry by hearing from the professionals behind some of the biggest artists and venues. She said the Backstage Pass live panel consisted of Creative Artists Agency agent Ryan Harlacher, Crypto.com Arena general manager Katie Pandolfo and the creative producer behind Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella headlining set, Dani Edgren. To help cultivate a welcoming environment, she had Smyle Coffee, Joyva and professor Josh Hallbauer sponsor the accompanying networking event, she added, which included food for 150 people, a six-foot-long charcuterie table and a live DJ.

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Daniel Moas – Robles’ boyfriend of four years – said Robles has a gentle and inclusive nature. He said he encouraged her to finish college and apply for internships. Moas added that Robles has the ability to take on any obstacle with grace. The music industry desperately needs more care and love, and she is more than capable of bringing that to it, he said.

“Most people would say, ‘You can’t do that. It’s such a cutthroat industry,’” Moas said. “She’s going to do it, and she’s going to be great at it. Everyone wants to work with her. I just know big things are going to come.”

Robles also served on the music committee for the UCLA bike-powered festival Coastalong, an event, she said, that was headlined by blues singer-songwriter KELS this year – an artist she selected because of her perfectly suited soulful vibe. Robles said Coastalong experienced hard rainfall during the April festival, but the attendees stayed to dance together despite the weather in what was a beautiful experience.

Second-year music industry student Michelle Ikejiani said she met Robles in December, when a fire alarm went off at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Because they were both planning to attend the Live at Lititz conference in Pennsylvania for touring industry networking, she said professor Stig Edgren took that opportunity to introduce them to one another. The pair eventually roomed together at the conference and have been inseparable ever since, she added. Ikejiani said Robles is a shining example of someone who cares about people on a human level, a quality that goes a long way in this industry.

“It can be hard to talk about my passions with someone who isn’t in the music industry or doesn’t necessarily understand the path I’m trying to go into,” Ikejiani said. “She’s someone I could talk about anything with.”

Director of music industry programs Tiffany Naiman said Robles immediately stood out to her at the transfer students open house because of the way she started asking questions. She added that Robles is the ideal music industry student because she is a high achiever with great follow-through. Naiman said the music industry program aims to develop future industry leaders, and Robles is undoubtedly destined to be one of them.

“Whether it’s booking or coordinating festivals or whatever it is, I know she’s going to really thrive in that sector of the industry,” Naiman said. “She’s a really great example of how to get it done and to really be kind, be open and follow through.”

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Robles said she hopes to see fans and artists bring real industry change when it comes to ticket prices and reselling. She added that she admires how Olivia Dean spoke out against Ticketmaster’s pricing and thinks it has inspired other artists to cap their ticket prices. It is important for concertgoers to support independently owned venues and smaller artists, she said, but it is also important that the industry makes it financially possible for people to do so.

After graduation, Robles said she sees herself working at either an agency, a concert venue or as a concert promoter. She added that the music industry program at UCLA has given her a well-rounded education to thrive in any of those paths.

“It’s never too late to start pursuing your dreams again,” Robles said. “No matter where you are, you can always pick up where you left off.”