Meet Alexandria Higgs | Business Owner | Music Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexandria Higgs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexandria, why did you pursue a creative career?

Music is my love language. Music has gotten me through so many life events good, bad, and ugly. I truly believe that music is a healer and a great communicator. You can always find that perfect song that matches the mood or feeling. If you need a good cry you know what song to play. If you’re trying to get hype, you know what song to play. Or if you trying to comminute your feelings to someone? You know exactly what to play.

I chose a career in music because music conveys things better than words. I have such a passion and respect for music and artists. It is a very delicate yet powerful thing to create. There’s a certain vulnerability that comes with creating music and I think it’s very beautiful. I love the rush of a great show, crafting sound in the studio, and I appreciate the pressure that it comes with. I started my company almost a year ago because I wanted to reshape how we view the music industry. My goal is to create an environment that is safe for black women and women of color to create and thrive in. I want to set the example for young black girls and show them that they can work in this industry in all capacities without making themselves small or lowering their voices.

What should our readers know about your business?

I am the owner and CEO of ALEX&RIA Consulting. I consult with established, emerging, and self-managed artists who are and in various stages of their careers ready to advance to the next level. . My goal is to place artists in rooms in which their talents will allow them to thrive. Offering in-depth action plans to yield monetary results and connecting artists with the appropriate industry personnel. I started my company almost a year ago, she will be one on October 13th! It has been smooth so far with a few hiccups along the way, but I am glad to be where I am and super excited for what’s to come. I got to where I am by networking, consistent social media content, and pitching myself to magazines and podcasts.

My company’s mission is what sets me apart from the rest. As a women-of-color-run agency, ALEX&RIA strives to cultivate a space for women to create freely and without boundaries. From managers to sound engineers, from agents to producers — women are a key component to the development of our artists and their success. In an industry built by men for men, we believe in emphasizing women’s comfort, safety, and ability to use their voices openly. When women in music thrive, the whole world benefits — and it is our responsibility to make sure they do.

I am most proud of the new E-Book that I just released titled, “Emerging Artist 101: Protecting Your Music. It is a short and sweet how-to guide on how to copyright, own masters, publishing, royalties, and sample clearing. I am proud of my E-book because I get to influence and help way more people than I would be by doing one on one consults. I have been working in the music industry for over 10 years in multiple capacities and I have successfully sold out several shows, multiple radio plays in Miami, and several interviews with national publications.

I’m really passionate about empowering black women and women of color in their musical careers. I want to teach them how to navigate such a treacherous industry from the very beginning so they don have to learn hard lessons from being screwed over. I want women to learn their value and how to leverage it.

The biggest lessons I have learned thus far are the importance of niching down and the art of letting go of perfectionism. When I first started my company I was managing artists as well as consulting. A the top of this year, I decided to scale down my company to solely consulting for now. I chose to scale down because I bit off more than I could chew. Managing and consulting demand two different levels of commitments and budgets. With Covid still on the rise and the uncertainty of it all, I thought it was best to focus on something I can do remote/ virtual and help artists build their careers on the back end. I fully intend on doing both at some point. I will return back to managing artists at a later time because that is where my main passion lies.

The second lesson is letting go of perfectionism. My sister has coined the phrase “The Billy Blanks Method.” This means, put yourself or your product out there, refine, and “perfect” as you go. When my sister came to visit me a few months ago, we started doing Tae Bo again after 20 years. Lol, She’s nuts! After a few days of doing working out, we noticed some mistakes, but Billy still put out his workout videos and continued to refine them. Now, 20+ years later he has made and continues to make his millions! The moral of the story is, don’t get wrapped up with every little detail or making something “perfect.” Perfect doesn’t exist and as long as you continue to refine it shows your audience your growth and how far you have come. We all love a good underdog story, am I right?

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

If my best friend came to town we would definitely be eating and drinking around the city.

Monday: Go to Bontical Gardens and get some cardio in. Then got to Emerald City Bagels for breakfast and chill for the day.

Tuesday: Head out of the city, pick up lunch at Heirloom Market BBQ, and chill by the river at Walton on the Chattahoochee. After that, we will pick up dinner at Tasa’s and head home.

Wednesday: Visit the High Museum, pop over to the Wine Shoe for some wine, and wrap up the evening at Full Commission for dinner and half-priced wine bottles.

Thursday: Attend a West Byrd show at St. James Live (gotta support my homie) Afterwards sip some cocktails at Jo Jo’s Beloved at Politan Row

Friday: Head over to West Midtown for dinner at Forza then go to Putshack

Saturday: Drag Bruch at Lips

Sunday: Bruch at Bulla

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

I would love to shout out my older sister Christine Job because she has been my biggest supporter and inspiration. She has been living in Spain for the last five years and has zero plans on moving back to the states. She created a podcast called “Flourish in the Foreign,” where she interviews black women across the globe that have left their old lives behind to live life on their terms. My sister and her podcast are all about not only living abroad but thriving abroad. She calls it “living a life of wellness.” Through the success of her podcast, she has launched her own business strategy business that helps black women and women of color move and launch successful businesses abroad.

When I started my company a year ago, my sister helped me clarify my business plan, build a strategy, and helped me set big picture goals. My sister embodies so much wisdom, she is always providing insightful and useful business advice that has positively impacted my company. I love that my sister challenges me to think bigger. She is the beacon that has been guiding me through my career journey and I couldn’t have done it without her.

Website: www.alexandriahiggs.com

Instagram: ar.consultingco

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-higgs/

Facebook: @alexandriaconsultingco

Other: Emerging Artist 101: Protecting Your Music https://alexandriaconsulting.gumroad.com/login