NYU ReMu Summer High School

When I said my goodbye for the very last time to New York, I left with a handful of baggage, a great mind filled with knowledge, and forever cherished memories that I was privileged enough to share with an amazing group of people. Little did I realize that I’ve found myself a family- people that I get to call ‘home’ after knowing them just for 4 weeks. They say the program lasts only for the summer, but I believe that we’re all here still doing it in our separate ways. The classroom was just a great way to know whose faces are going to be in the upcoming music industry, and I’m so relieved to know that the faith of it lies in good hands of talented musicians. I think all of us wouldn’t want to hear another farewell post, so I’ll finish this off with a thank you. Thank you to the faculty for doing their magic and bringing together a wonderful group of moguls fuelled with love and passion for music. Thank you for giving us hours of lecture saying how great of a manager/record label/publisher we are- and that all it takes is the courage to do it.

But most of all, thank YOU. I couldn’t have asked for better peers, better friends, or better brothers and sisters. As one always says, you are, “the best”.

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I truly cannot believe how fast this summer went by. It was such an amazing experience to be in a space with so many talented people who love music just as much as I do. This program has taught me so much and handed me a ton of skills to use in the industry. I am so grateful for that.

I am so excited to watch everyone in our Remu family grow as an artist, a business person, or whatever else one wants to be.

Clive gave me such a unique experience that would be impossible to find anywhere else. Unique peers, unique teachers, and a very unique curriculum. This school became my happy place.

Thank you to everyone involved with Remu for truly giving me the #bestsummerever

I cannot count the amount of times I have sat down to start this and walked away. I don’t even know how to articulate how much this past month has meant to me. I remember sitting and going through everybody’s welcome posts; I remember being so worried about building connections with everyone, and here we all are a month later like a family. 

Prior to SHS, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what my experience at Clive would be like. However, by the end of the first full day, the whole music world as I knew it had been turned upside down in the best way. This experience has really opened my eyes to everything I thought I knew, not only about music but about working hard in general. I was being exposed to so many new concepts at lightning speed and spent a lot of the first week feeling like I had to figure out how to catch up. Now I feel like it’s the best thing that could’ve happened, and I leave this program knowing that I either have the tools I need or knowing how to get to the tools I need. 

I am going to miss (and already do) SO much getting to go to Clive every day. The wonderful world created at 194 Mercer honestly feels like home to me. The amount of memories and stories I have that took place in that building alone are going to stay with me for the rest of my life. There is something about the energy of walking onto the 5th floor and knowing everyone around you is like-minded and creating. It’s a space where I felt like I could be experimental and free, a mindset I am working to keep as I begin try to create in the same way at home. 

To my ReMu family: There was never a moment where I felt like I couldn’t be myself or that I wasn’t welcome with you all. I didn’t even have time to be scared about making friends because within the first hour of being at NYU I had already found a best friend in Daniela, and within the first 24 strong connections with so many more. Thank you all for being so open and fun. Whether it be us all going to the movies and watching Gilbert wash his hands with butter, or Jamie listening to me randomly cry in the middle of the street, I never felt like I didn’t have a family while I was there. I am going to miss you all so much, but I know I will see you all again (I’m already planning to crash at your house during my visit to LA Lola). I will miss our late nights at Washington Square Park or cramming all of us into a tiny dorm room to listen to and create music, but I am so happy to keep all these memories from the past month with me. 

To Fuji Hill: I love you guys big time. Wouldn’t want to spend too many hours in a tiny edit suite with anyone else. Andrea: you literally always know how to make me laugh even when you didn’t mean to. I am going to miss having you around and finding places to eat while discussing everything in the world. I am so happy that we sat next to each other during Beautiful in the first week. Kat: You are actually one of the sweetest people I know. Fuji Hill would not have happened without you – thank you for keeping all of our crazy in check. I love your personality and your positive energy, even in times of stress (or lack of sleep). Thomas: Not even going to start with you on here, it would take up too much space. Feel the same as your farewell post.

To all the AMAZING TA’s: You all blow my mind with how awesome you are. Thank you so much for making us all feel like we could ask/say anything and creating such a fun and positive atmosphere. To Alan and Marat: You both are literal rockstars. Endless thank yous for everything you created and allowed me to experience this past month all thanks to your hard work and care. 

You all have my number – please don’t be afraid to hit me up at any time, for anything. I love all of you and can’t wait to see where we’re all going to go. 

Until next time <3

To be completely honest with you guys, I came into this program without crazy enthusiasm and the excitement to work with all the other 36 students. I didn’t know what to expect because of my shallow knowledge of music and I was intimidated by everyone’s different forms of talent in music. Before coming to the Clive summer Program, I used to be just a concert saxophonist with a brief knowledge of jazz. I have never really worked with other musicians other than a band and I haven’t even dreamed of being about to produce music and collabing with talented musicians. However, this program completely altered that. I got the opportunity to work with amazing instructors. Thank you so much Marat for giving me the simplest and best explanation of how a young starting musician like me should do and how the mastering and publishing side of the music industry share works,  for example, How we should never join a label, leverage, etc. These words and phrases are stuck in my head forever and thank you again for your knowledge. I completely had a new understanding of the whole industry. Thank you, Lauren, for teaching me about the music business, the essential part for a musician. From there I understood the deep knowledge of how different labels operate, different jobs available and their work, copyrighted music, etc. Thank you so much, Nicole, for teaching me production. This is the field that I came knowing nothing about and I’m the most eager to learn about. Your humorous and chill way of teaching really really made this whole field interesting and completely enthrall me. I loved producing and even till now, on the plane ride to Iceland, I’m still messing with logic and I love it. BUEYEKA!! And thank you for all the other instructors and guest speakers that gave me inspirations on my path of music. Without you guys, I would still be a directionless sax player. I deeply thank all the instructors for guiding me this path.

Furthermore, all the TAs are such wonderful people!!! I had so much fun with them and rather than looking at them as strict instructors, they are more like working partners that enlightens me with knowledge. They are like big brothers and sisters of mine in music. Bnzi (I’m sorry if I keep hugging you and asking you to dance for no reason), Jonah(Bumped into on the street it was so fun), Brett(Loved your fit everytime), Ethan(thank you for letting me record with Sam on the last day), Devin(it was so fun talking to you and thank you for helping me in production class), Claire(you're the kindest and most encouraging), Steph (thank you that one night when it’s late in the studio and helping me with logic), Muriel(thank you for organizing our final project group).

Finally, it was the wonderful memories I had with my friends and the awesome connections we made. I loved everyone, like really and I enjoyed working with everyone. I always had one wish was to make a song with everyone in the program by the end of the summer because I was so enthusiastic about working and creating with everyone, however, we just didn’t have time. The special memories I had with my friends every night in dorm rooms, just singing and doing random stuff and just simply memorable moments with everyone. Breaker, I remember going to Pho with you and just talking about stuff, jumping into the fountain right before Marat’s class, sprinting back to post-dinner chats after squeezing in a gym session with Max, etc. (I wouldn’t state all of them because there are just so many) All the little talks and conversations that I had with everyone really are engraved in my brain and this summer is one that I will never forget.

I really really really really enjoyed this whole 4 weeks and thank you for admitting me into this program and allowing me to experience this. There honestly couldn’t be a better way to spend another 4 weeks. #Bestsummerever

On the night when I was driving back to VA, all these memories flashed into my brain and my eyes started getting watery, I was trying to stay composed so that my parents wouldn’t see me. I think everyone feels the same.

NYU has become my norm after these 4 weeks, just waking up at 10.15 in the morning and sprinting to class that starts at 10.30 and facing a class 36 talented musicians really is what I’m used to. The positivity and loved I received from everyone is crazy and it made me feel uncomfortable leaving everyone.

I really hope everyone has a great rest of the summer and school year!!

I wish y’all the best

I wish I had known half of what I would experience and learn before coming to NYU. I came expecting to learn about producing, but what I learned only scratched the surface of that- I learned about real friendships, collaboration, experimenting as a musician, and the nature of this beautiful, complicated, and exciting industry we are all about to enter. Meeting so many individuals who have diverse backgrounds and musical interests was so humbling, and I feel more excited than ever to make this my life.

With that, there are many people I have to thank for making this experience what it was. To my classmates, thank you for teaching me about the beauty of differences and inspiring me with all of your incredible achievements. I look forward to seeing you on stages, billboards, and my TV soon. To Marat, Alan, the TAs, and all the wonderful coordinators of the program, thank you for dedicating so much of your time to give us a unique experience. It means the world to me, and I’m sure many of us, that you saw enough value to dedicate your efforts. To Fluoressence, I am incredibly grateful to have experienced the wide variety of skills you all possess, and all the fun we had in creating a product we were all proud of. I wouldn’t have it any different.

I don’t even know where to start. New York, the Clive program, and most importantly, all of you guys have changed absolutely everything that I thought I knew about myself. Like many have already said, last month was the best month of my life hands down. I’ve never been so lucky to be able to work and be friends with so many talented people all in one place. I’ve never felt more at home than when I was in New York with you guys. I’ve learned so much, not only about music but about myself. For example, because of you guys, I’ve decided that I want to pursue a music career, which is a big decision for me especially with the pressure from where I live.

I also wanted to say thank you to all the instructors and TA’s that made the program itself the most enjoyable as possible. Alan with his dance moves, Benzi doing an amazing job with mastering our song, and Devon staying past her hours just to have a conversation with me and to make sure I was okay. And a special thank you to Marat. We never ended up getting lunch together, but its all good. The amount of connections that you had were astounding, and you definitely allowed me to have experiences that I would’ve never even dreamed of, like going to Tidal HQ or having Bruno Mars’ tour manager come and talk to us. Most importantly, your willingness to take time out of your day to just talk to me about what I was worried about meant more to me than you could ever imagine.

To Fuji Hill: I couldn’t ask for a better group, honestly. The most amazing thing was the fact that we all had our role; we couldn’t do it without each other. Kat, thank you for just letting me complain to you about things that were on my mind. Like Devon said, your work behind the scenes and making everything go smoothly and come together was outstanding. You were always the most reliable and always made sure that we were organized and professional. Andrea, you are extremely talented and you have a great voice. Your proactiveness with all the social media ensured that everyone else could see the great work that we were doing together. Leah, you suck. But I still love you.

I can’t thank you guys enough for the amazing experience of working with the three of you.

Special thanks to Breaker for being in our video. I’ll never meet someone as charismatic and unique as you are.

I just want to start off by saying thank you to everyone I met in this program! You guys are all super talented and helped me realize that we’re all in this together. In these past 4 weeks, I’ve learned so much about myself as an artist and most importantly as a human that I feel I couldn’t have learned better anywhere else. I truly love you guys so much and I can’t wait to hear how you guys are doing! This has DEFINITELY… let me repeat myself… DEFINITELY been the best 4 weeks of my life collaborating with others, going on field trips, pulling all nighters, I mean the list goes on with all the things we did but I just want to thank everyone for letting me share this experience with you, I’ll never forget them. We’ll be in touch soon!

Love,

Being at Clive this summer has honestly been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I’ve been in denial for the past few days about how it’s all over now, but I’m so incredibly grateful for the time I was able to spend with you all. I don’t think I’ve ever been surrounded by such creative and talented people ever, you’re all amazing. As for the teachers, Marat, Nicole, and Lauren thank you thank you thank you. You each cared about your students journey and success in and out of class, while maintaining an awesome learning environment. It was here where I learned such an enormous amount about music business, culture, and production that I’m still trying processing it now. Overall, thank you all for being genuine instructors, giving us crazy experiences, and leaving us with invaluable lessons. 

 The TAs this summer made this experience one that is unforgettable. You’ve all given your best to us, and I think I’ve learnt as much from you all as I have from the regular classes. Your humor, kindness, and talent absolutely gave this summer another dimension. So, thank you all for always being the best TAs/humans ever. 

Writing this post feels surreal. I’ve been struggling to find the words to say so I’ll start by saying thank you.

Marat and Alan, thank you for coordinating what has indeed been the #bestsummerever. Each of you went out of your way to go above and beyond to deliver on your promise. With each guest speaker, field trip, and performance, I felt more and more connected with the industry. It’s often felt so out of reach for me, but you found a way to make us all feel like it’s sitting in the palm of our hands.. and it is! Knowing that has helped me build confidence to create unapologetically with intent to build LEVERAGE (hehe) and take the industry by storm.

TA’s, thank you SO MUCH!!! Each of you are so rad and unique! I’m so glad we were able to look to you for guidance. I especially appreciated all your gems of wisdom. ALSO can we just take a moment to acknowledge how hot y’all are!? We were posted up connsstantly. You all are the best of the best and I’m so grateful you were chosen to represent the demographic we have to look forward to at Clive.

RED ELEMENT, thank you for being the dream team!! You all possess so much talent and potential. Creating with you was gratifying. ALSO, I’ve definitely gained a lot of confidence to continue rapping in my music (shouts to Ethan for helping me with my flow).

All my SHS classmates, THANK YOU!!! I feel so blessed to have shared the same space as you. In our first jam time, it just clicked for me. It was the first time I had genuinely felt that I could appreciate everyone else’s abilities without criticizing my own. It was a total aha moment! No one’s shine takes away from my own... period. We’re each thriving in our own lanes in our own vehicle at our own pace and there’s no pressure to arrive to any particular destination first because each of our journeys are taking us in a unique direction! I love each and every one of you. So excited to continue watching you all thrive.

To Practice Room B/309, thank you for your authenticity. In you, I found family. Staying up until the crack of dawn sharing our stories helped me to see that vulnerability is not weak. In fact, it’s one of the bravest characteristics one could possess. You accept every part of me which has empowered me to do the same. In these four weeks, I’ve grown to embrace my quirks and isms. I love you birds, happy birthday! (iykyk)

Thank you ALL for the laughter, knowledge, and growth. It’s difficult parting ways with experiences and people who have become a special part of me, but I’ve come to realize that the connections we made will live beyond this program. Hope to see y’all in Clive next year! Keep poppin’ oOkkurRrRr !!!

Peace & blessings..

This program was not only the best summer ever, but probably the best month of my life. I feel like I found “my people” in a way I never have before, and constantly being around a group of passionate musicians was something I’d never experienced. Seeing how others create music expanded my horizons to different techniques and genres, and motivated me to keep honing my craft. And our classes really demystified the industry for me, and introduced me to careers in music I never knew existed. The program went by so fast, but at the same time it feels like I’ve known you all for my whole life. This entire experience was so incredibly life-changing, and writing this right now, I’m not really sure how to express everything I want to say. 

I’m going to remember this experience and all my ReMu friends for the rest of my life. I already miss you all so much, but I hope this is only a temporary goodbye.

I was not expecting this session to go by so quickly. It feels like yesterday we were just organizing our group projects. I miss you all so much! Even though we experienced the surface of the curriculum at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, I feel like my eyes have just been opened and there is still so much to learn and experience. The session has truly changed my life and without it, I would have not been able to expand my knowledge in what I am most passionate about which is music and the industry. Ever since I started performing at legit public venues when I was in middle school, my friends and family would ask that “now what?” question and now I know exactly how I am going to answer. At ReMu Summer HS, we learned so much about the different career positions involved in the music industry, and I discovered that I may want to become an artist manager or publicist after first walking in as a singer songwriter. Never in my life have I ever thought I’d be in a space filled with so many talented musicians, performers, producers, managers, publicists, A&R’s, distributors, curators, journalists, social media managers, and professors, and be able to communicate with them. Every single guest speaker, field trip, and post dinner chat made a huge impact on me as well as our classes. I now understand how to function Logic X, and how music distribution, labels, branding and so much more work. A massive thank you to Marat and Alan for organizing this program and to Lauren, Marat and Nicole for coming in and teaching us so amazingly. And thank you to Benzi, Devon, Murielle, Ethan, Claire, Brett, Jonah, and Steph for being there for us every step of the way in these 4 weeks. Words cannot describe how eternally grateful I am for having this opportunity to participate in the program. This is the first time I was able to sit in a room filled with so many talented creatives who are my age or older and I’ve learned so much from everyone. I was able to build strong relationships and work within this phenomenal group and I hope to do so again in the future. TO EVERYONE, please don’t ever stop doing what you’re doing no matter what comes in your way. I hope to see you guys again one day! 💜

I was really intimated on the first day because there was just so much talent that I thought I wasn’t worthy enough of being there but as time went on, I realized that there is no such thing and that I had friends that supported me no matter what my passion entailed. I can’t explain how much this experience has changed my life and my perspective on music. I am beyond grateful to have worked amongst the most talented artists in this program and I will cherish it forever. I just want to thank the amazing staff and TA’s for taking us to the most amazing field trips, having us meet the best guest speakers and giving us the most helpful advice on being a musician and a human being in life. 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, everyone, for everything!!