ABOUT THE FOUNDER
My Story
Christine Elise is a lifelong vocalist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, writer, and public speaker. Born and raised just outside of NYC in Stamford, CT, Christine began singing, dancing, and acting at a young age, and formally became introduced to the recording industry at just 14 years old. She went on to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music with a vocal scholarship, and studied with some of the best in the business while recording original music, providing vocals for session work and famous artists, and headlining venues as a solo performer around the New England area. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Music Business & Management, Christine returned to the NYC area for an opportunity to work at Sony Music Entertainment label, Columbia Records. There, she did digital marketing for Beyonce, Adele, Foster the People, J Cole, Tyler the Creator, and more. After taking a special interest in A&R and artist development, Christine decided it was time to try her hand at entrepreneurship and shift away from the corporate workplace.
In early 2012, she launched her first business, The Pop Music Academy, where she offered music education and artist development services to aspiring musicians around the region. From there, the business quickly grew with the addition of a commercial recording studio (Stamford Recording Studio) and boutique record label (Elise Music Group). After many years of organizing charity concerts featuring her clients and students, Christine was inspired to start her own nonprofit to help those in need in her community through the healing power of music. 501(c)(3) Hope in Harmony, Inc was founded in 2015, and has gone on to develop weekly programs in the inner cities delivering invaluable music education and therapeutic services through partnerships with local and national charities like the Boys & Girls Club and YMCA.
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In 2019, Christine restructured her companies and formed Lock City Music Group, with a special focus on giving music-makers the tools and education they need to understand and thrive in the new music business. Today, she still owns and operates 100% of her company as a proud female and minority business owner, and continues to work as a vocalist herself, is an author for a variety of music business publications, and can also be found speaking on many panels as an expert on entrepreneurship and the music industry. She maintains longtime memberships with the Recording Academy (The Grammys), American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers, and the Berklee Alumni Association.
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When not working, Christine enjoys spending quality time with her husband and (soon-to-be) three young daughters at her home in Connecticut. Always one for balance, you can usually find her reading a hard-copy book on something she's deeply passionate about, or indulging in the Real Housewives or any installment of the Jurassic Park movie franchise with a gluten-free snack in hand. She loves volleyball, mixed martial arts, a strong cup of coffee, and will likely kick your ass at a round of skeet shooting if given the chance.
Some Quick Facts
Business Ventures
Lock City Music Group (current)
Hope in Harmony, Inc. (current)
Elise Music Group (past)
Stamford Recording Studio (past)
The Pop Music Academy (past)
Professional Affiliations
The Recording Academy
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
The Berklee Alumni Association
Education
Berklee College of Music
BM in Music Business & Management, with a concentration in Entrepreneurship