[Artist Alumni] : Astrid CHARNIER

28 November 2024 Portrait

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Astrid, who graduated from Rennes SB in 2014 (P22), took the MSc in Creative and Cultural Project Management, which she completed at the top of her class. During her studies, she became involved in the Descibel association as logistics manager, organising concerts in bars and other musical events. Her international career took her to Ferrara, Italy, for an academic exchange that enriched her experience. After school, she became a project manager for events, a job she dreamed of doing in the music industry. After failing to find a job in this sector, she moved on to other fields (education, health, engineering) before becoming a freelancer, with the desire to devote more time to music, a dream she had nurtured since childhood.

In 2020, during her imprisonment, she discovered DJing almost by accident, practising in a pizzeria when concerts were banned. Her passion quickly took a professional turn when she was asked by clients to host their events. This was the catalyst that allowed her to combine music and career: Astrid decided to become a full-time DJ. This career change gave her the freedom to develop her musical projects while simplifying her daily life. Today, she has left her complex event budgets behind to live her passion to the full. Alongside her work as a DJ, she is developing her artistic project PAM, which she has built up from scratch. It's a pop-electro project that recently took a new turn with the release of her first EP and the programming of a series of showcases.

Can you tell us about your job?

Today I'm a full-time DJ. I mix mainly for companies, at a wide range of events (cocktail parties, evening events, seminars, plenary sessions, product launches, influence evenings, etc.) and sometimes for private individuals. At the same time, I am developing my artistic project: PAM. I started almost from scratch (I had a few notions of music theory), I had to learn everything: writing, composing, singing, managing my image on social networks, understanding how the music industry works... It took me 3 years to find the confidence to make my project a reality (1st single, 1st concert).

What is you greatest achievement?

The release party for my first EP, Enfant terrible. It was on the 7th of November and I felt it was my first real concert, the most professional, the one where I best embodied my character. It was also the date when the most people came to see me. People were singing the words to my songs, it was really crazy. We also had a lot of technical problems with the first few songs, but I kept going and the audience didn't notice my panic. It was a really unique night.

How do you get involved in the Alumni network?

Become part of a supportive family network. Do yourself a favour with no strings attached. In my specific case, this allows me to present my profile to the communications departments of companies I am interested in, in order to find new opportunities for DJ sets (via alumni I contact on LinkedIn).

Tell us about an opportunity you had thanks to the school or the network?

I was lucky enough to mix at the Alumni Festival 2022 (an unlikely opportunity I would never have imagined a few years ago) and was subsequently booked by a P9 for her company's annual party because she loved my set.

What was your best encounter at Rennes School of Business?

Some of my best friends today.

What advice would you give to young graduates?

Trust yourself: we often know what we really want, even if it's sometimes hard to admit it. Anything is possible for those who dream, dare, work and never give up' (X. Dolan)