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Let’s get this out of the way: Aimee Flint is awesome.

Foreign Exchange came into town for a show they were doing at The Roxy.  I got my connects up and scheduled an interview with them.  We got to the hotel a little bit early and I waited with my homie Dez and the homie HillcityFoto, my camera guy for the day.  Aimee came down to apologize for running late, as Phonte and Nicolay were still in the middle of an interview (they were chatting it up with the homies LA Stereo TV).  As we sat in  the hotel bar Aimee and I chatted on the travails they were going through with the show, the lack of support from previous supporters, and all the behind the scenes  work they had to do.  It didn’t take long for me to realize, “I need to interview this woman.”  The passion with which she spoke about the group let me know she’s the type of person that should be highlighted.  The person who works on the business end of things, not because they have a hidden agenda, but because they genuinely believe in the music.  Aimee doesn’t talk about the group with just a removed voice of business.  She’s involved day in and day out and is passionate about it.  In many cases, even as she states, it’s not always easy to find passionate business people in music.  To many, being passionate is a fault, but I think it’s that passion that will be the saving grace for the music industry itself.

She’s titled as the Director of Operations for Foreign Exchange Music.  She’s more than a manager, but just slightly less than a company CEO or President.  She books all the shows, manages the contracts, handles the day to day accounting, and even sells CDs after the show is done.  She does what’s necessary to maintain the business ends and let the artists be creative.  Director of Operations and wife of Nicolay.  She has to be one of the most supportive women on the planet, and you can see it in this interview.

Shouts to HillcityFoto for the camerawork.

Pt 1: Business behind the scenes

- Operating an indie label

- Nicolay’s last job

- Major label issues

- Her role

The NEW Foreign Exchange Album, Authenticity, comes out next week. October 12th!

Be sure to peep the site and hear the new music!- http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com/

Connect:

Aimee Flint on Twitter

The Foreign Exchange on Twitter

Bonus:

If you didn’t know, The Foreign Exchange is a GRAMMY NOMINATED group.  But they hustle like they just came on the scene. Unfortunately, they lost their nomination to India Arie, but check  out the planned acceptance speech in this video, shot by the homie Anthony Valadez, with Aimee right there by Nicolay’s side.