BIMM Berlin Students Land Nineteen95 Internships
Two BIMM Berlin Music Business students, Joel Shani and Inish Naess, have had the opportunity of a lifetime, scoring internships with Berlin-based top artist and event management company, Nineteen95 Entertainment Group.
The opening came about via BIMM’s enviable connections to the music industry, and students received an email explaining that interns were needed by the firm. Joel and Inish were both quick to seize their chance, and were separately invited in for a casual, chatty interview with one of the company’s founders, Reza Davoudi, before both being offered the internship.
During their time at Nineteen95, Joel and Inish worked across several different areas, including general A&Ring, working with the company’s creative department, helping to run a project for British band, Losers, and assisting in the organisation of showcase event DNA BLN, which stands for Discover New Artists Berlin and brings together different creative communities and musical genres.
Joel explains some of the tasks he performed:
“For the band Losers, I curated a plan for a street team and did some layouts for Google forms and more. For DNA BLN, 95s concert series, I did the most work, helping to organise and execute three events. Other than that, I brainstormed many ideas everyday to help the 95 team.”
Inish found the internship to be an amazing first step into employment in the music industry:
“Taking the opportunity to work for Nineteen95 management is probably one of the best decisions I have made so far in my career. The founders, Reza and Gigi, are both very inspiring and have a lot of experience in the music business. They have helped me in my professional development, as well as giving me the opportunity to meet wonderful and talented people in the music industry. The traineeship is very relatable to the modules in my Degree and has given me a much deeper insight into artist and event management. I loved working to make DNA BLN the best it could be and hope to be a part of it for a long time to come!”
Joel says he got to learn a lot about Berlin’s independent music scene, and the players involved in it, during his time at Nineteen95:
“Most of all, I gained knowledge about myself and about how the industry works. Working at 95 teaches you to be humble and professional in an otherwise wild music business. I learned that a specified work ethic helps to drive a company forward.”
Nineteen95 co-founder, Gisela ‘Gigi’ Sotomayor said the internships had been a huge success and loved being personally responsible for Inish’s professional development during her time with the company:
“Inish is one of those rare people who works very hard and diligently, but does so with a smile on her face. She’s always hungry to learn, is driven to understand how things work and is not afraid of taking initiative. I am certain that she is going to continue to do great and creative things in her future career.”
Joel’s commitment and hard work was also greatly appreciated throughout the company, with Reza stating:
“Joel has been one of the best interns we’ve had. Even though he’s still young, he’s very together and is also reliable. He’s always punctual and available when you need him; he’s the type of person that when you give him a mile, he runs twenty. What I like about Joel is the fact that he wants to try different challenges in the industry; he’s never afraid to take responsibility and will do his best to create the perfect result. He will go far in the industry if he keeps that attitude.”
Joel says that one of the best things about his internship was being a real part of the Nineteen95 team for an extended period of time:
“My favourite moments were the evenings when Reza and Gigi invited us to hang out with them. There were many times when the team attended industry events with other industry people, but the most enjoyable part of these was Reza and Gigi making us feel a true part of 95’s family.”
He goes on to offer these words of advice to fellow BIMM students based on his own experiences:
“Do every internship you can get your hands on. Always apply and even if the internship is not exactly what you’re after, you will always gain something. If you’re lucky, you will end up at a place like Nineteen95, where you are well treated and really learn something. But you’ll only find a place like this by constantly applying.”
