OUR STAFF
OUR STAFF
Since the start of Off the Record, we have had the privilege of having a team of dedicated, passionate contributors from many different ways of life, countries, and backgrounds. To be a part of the OTR team means joining a community where friendship is the core of what we do. We love what we do, and who we surround ourselves with.
Sophia Delgado
Staff Writer + Photographer
Favorite Artist: LCD Soundsystem, Friko
Best Concert: LCD Soundsystem @ Aragon Ballroom
Sophia Delgado is a staff writer and photographer at Off The Record. As someone who enjoys listening to peoples' stories, she is currently studying journalism and urban planning. Based in Chicago, Sophia is an avid enjoyer of many music scenes, indulging in genres including indie, punk, house, techno, and folk (bluegrass banjo is her current favorite). On a normal day, you may find her exploring Chicago on a bike, making playlists with friends, taking plant clippings, or occasionally picking up some banjo skills.
Sullivan Jordan
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Abba
Best Concert: Taylor Swift in Lisbon
Sullivan Jordan is a filmmaker, writer, and journalist based out of Chicago, Illinois, but originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. While she has been writing for fun since childhood, her passion for storytelling grew when she discovered journalism and screenwriting. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Film and Television with a focus on screenwriting as well as a minor in Fashion Studies. In her free time, Sullivan also enjoys drawing, sewing, knitting, cooking, and traveling the world!
Mia Baric
Staff Photographer
Favorite Artist: Car Seat Headrest
Best Concert: Bikini Kill
Camera in hand since elementary school, Mia Baric has built her portfolio around the DIY music scene in New York City and Long Island, working with a diverse pool of bands from screamo to indie rock. With a style described as "up close, intimate, awkward, and a little uncomfortable", she utilizes bright colors and tackles a creative shoot in her backyard just as well as she takes on festival stages in Atlantic City. She is currently attending FIT in the BFA Photography & Related Media major.
Makenna Cordiano
Staff Writer + Photographer
Favorite Artist: Harry Styles
Best Concert: Bruno Mars
Makenna Cordiano is a LA-based photographer, graphic designer and videographer with a passion for capturing the energy of live music. After getting her BA in Cinema and Television at CSUN she has fully immersed herself in the creative industry of live music and entertainment. With a keen eye for detail to create compositions that tell a unique story through the lens to encapsulate the essence of LA’s music scene and beyond.
Siri Kodu
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Magdalena Bay
Best Concert: TV Girl
Siri Kodu is a Staff Writer at Off The Record, an online and print music publication covering the latest of indie, rock, and alternative music. Outside of writing about music, she enjoys playing guitar and creating silly songs with her friends. Her other hobbies include sitting in gardens, chess, and crosswording.
Yashavi Upasani
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Flipturn
Best Concert: Wallows
Yashavi Upasani is a journalist based out of Boston, Massachusetts, but is originally from Washington, D.C. She has worked as a music journalist for networks and publications, and served as a freelance journalist for local newspapers and non-profits. She has a strong interest in indie, up-and-coming rock bands, as well as any musician pushing the status quo via their work. Upasani is currently studying Journalism and Media and Screen Studies at Northeastern University.
Caroline McKenzie
Amesha Tiwari
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Twenty One Pilots
Best Concert: Twenty One Pilots
Amesha Tiwari is a Florida based journalist. She’s been going to concerts since she could remember and used her love for music and talking to people to start interviewing artists. She is about to graduate in December with a degree in Entertainment Management and is a touring production coordinator.
Mathew Aguinaga
Staff Photographer
Favorite Artist: No Pressure at Bottom Lounge
Best Concert: Vein.fm
Mathew Aguinaga is a photojournalist born and raised out of Chicago, Illinois. Being an avid live music fan, he eventually pursued concert photography as a way to get more involved with the artists and scene that he loves. Within a short amount of time, his interest has blossomed into a full blown passion. He hopes to truly immerse readers into the shows that he photographs, and create honest and remarkable work.
Lucy Curtis
Contributor
Favorite Artist: Glass Animals
Best Concert: Joe P
Lucy Curtis is a journalist based in the Cleveland, OH area. She currently works in communications and social media, but music has always been an integral part of her life and she is thrilled to be able to write about it. Her other hobbies include cooking, reading, and creative writing.
Sophia Bianco
Staff Photographer
Favorite Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
Best Concert: Harry Styles
Sophia Bianco is a photojournalist based out of St. Louis, Missouri. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Communication with minors in Digital Storytelling and Arts Entrepreneurship from the University of Missouri, and now pursues freelance photography full-time, specializing in concerts, portraits, and events. When she's not at a show or photoshoot, you'll probably find her at 7Brew ordering an iced mocha.
Tabita Bernardus
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Inhaler, Big Thief, 5 Seconds of Summer
Best Concert: The Japanese House
Tabita Bernardus is a music journalist based out of Los Angeles, California. Her love for music stemmed from endless hours of playing Guitar Hero as a child which carried into her fascination for live music as an adult. Having graduated with a degree in PR/Journalism, she combined her passion for writing with her music industry ambitions to create content for music enthusiasts alike.
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Men I Trust
Best Concert: Caroline Polachek at Bluebird Theater
Grace Moioli is a journalist based out of Denver, Colorado, where she frequents concerts of all kinds. Her fan-girl tendencies have translated nicely into a fulfilling hobby of writing about her favorite artists and trends in the local and broader music scenes.
Abra Richardson
Contributor
Favorite Artist: Jack White
Best Concert: Childish Gambino at Lolla 2018
Abra Richardson is a recent graduate from Columbia College Chicago and she is excited about the next chapter in her life. She is a photojournalist but also has experience with written, video and audio reporting. Working with Off The Record for a little less than a year, she loves hearing the team’s enthusiasm for artists, which inspires her to find new artists.
Dani Mierels
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Taylor Swift
Best Concert: The 1975
Dany Mireles is a writer for Off The Record, an online and print music publication that covers indie, rock and alternative music. With years of being a fan of the music industry, she has developed a keen eye to in depth analysis of lyrics and music.
Seay Howell
Senior Writer
Favorite Artist: Mink Mussel Creek and Lady Lamb
Best Concert: Greta Van Fleet
Seay Howell is a Nashvillian turned Brooklynite. When not attending concerts or cursing the fact she never learned how to properly type, Seay collects vintage clothing, obsesses over the Nashville Predators, and crouches on the sidewalk to capture photos of interesting graffiti and litter. You can find her on TikTok @seayhowell and Instagram @seayshanty
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Taylor Swift
Best Concert: Eras Tour and Bleachers
Caroline Mckenzie is a journalist based out of Philadelphia, PA. She graduated from The New School with a BA in Journalism and Design. Here, she developed her love for music journalism. After studying journalism since high school, she realized her desire to merge her writing skills with her love of music. Through her Managing Editor position on The New School’s newspaper and professional magazine work, she has developed all the necessary reporting skills to support her storytelling.
Grace Moioli
Suma Sesay
Staff Writer
Favorite Artist: Kendrick Lamar and The Strokes
Best Concert: Boygenius & Lana Del Rey @ All Things Go Fest 2023
Suma Sesay is a budding music journalist based out of Washington D.C. She is ecstatic to combine her passions for music and journalism as a staff writer for Off The Record Press. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science at Howard University. Her other hobbies include watching and creating films, attending concerts, and reading philosophy!
Staff Photographer
Favorite Artist: Paramore
Best Concert: Paramore
The Peyton Mott (she/they) is a multi-faceted experimental artist based between Toronto and Kansas City with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts in Photography/Integrated Digital Media with a minor in Music & Communication from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2023. She specializes in music photography, portraiture, and experimental art with a strong desire to continue learning and experimenting.
Peyton Mott