Sarah Lewitinn
Sarah Lewitinn | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sarah Lewitinn February 3, 1980 New York City, U.S. |
| Other names | Ultragrrrl |
| Occupation(s) | Music Director Music journalist blogger |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse | |
| Website | Ultragrrrl.com |
Sarah Lewitinn (born February 3, 1980), also known by her nickname Ultragrrrl, is an American record producer, music critic, DJ, blogger, and music director for the Canadian fashion brand, Aritzia. She began her career as an assistant editor at Spin Magazine, and soon helped champion rock bands like My Chemical Romance and The Killers, which led to her starting her own record label, Stolen Transmission. In 2006, New York magazine named Lewitinn as one of the most "influential people in music", citing that "Like it or not, she has more power than any print music critic.".[1]
Biography
[edit]Lewitinn began her career as a teenager writing for the AOL-based ABC Kidz site before interning at Spin Magazine. After briefly working at the defunct Kurt Andersen-run Inside.com in 1999, Lewitinn was hired as an assistant to Michael Hirschorn at VH1. Lewitinn graduated with a degree in Advertising and Marketing from Fashion Institute of Technology in 2001.
In 2002, she was the first manager for both rock bands stellastarr*[2] and My Chemical Romance,[3] both prior to their first major record deals. Her blog, Ultragrrrl.com (launched in July 2003), further established her as a taste-maker in the New York indie rock scene, as did her early championing of the rock band The Killers before they were signed to Island Def Jam. She returned to Spin several months later, this time as an assistant editor with her own column, "Making out with Ultragrrrl."[4] In 2005, Lewitinn quit Spin to start her own record label, Stolen Transmission in partnership with Island Def Jam and Rob Stevenson, the Island Def Jam A&R executive responsible for signing The Killers as well as Fall Out Boy, Thrice, and The Bravery.
Lewitinn has published two books: "The Pocket DJ", and "Pocket Karaoke".
In January 2021, Lewitinn began dating Daniel Patterson, after meeting the same month on a dating app during the coronavirus pandemic. They were married in August 2022 and live together in Los Angeles, CA.
References
[edit]- ^ "The Most Influential People in Music". New York Magazine. May 3, 2006.
- ^ Romano, Tricia (March 6, 2007). "In Defense of Ultragrrrl". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (October 25, 2021). "How a Sucker Punch Fueled the Rise of My Chemical Romance". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Lewitinn, Sarah (August 14, 2004). "Making Out with Ultragrrrl: Ben Kweller". SPIN. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
External links
[edit]| Authority control databases: Artists |
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- 1980 births
- Living people
- American bloggers
- American DJs
- American music industry executives
- American people of Egyptian-Jewish descent
- Record producers from New York (state)
- American women record producers
- Egyptian Jews
- Nightlife in New York City
- People from Tenafly, New Jersey
- Fashion Institute of Technology alumni