A job in the music industry may seem like a distant, unattainable goal. TunedIn, a student-run music club that produces live events, can make it seem like a real possibility. The club takes advantage of the thriving arts community that literally surrounds us in Los Angeles. While the music scene might seem exclusive, TunedIn’s primary goal is to create a sense of community, said Rozhina Akbari, the club’s president. The third-year film, television and digital media student joined TunedIn as a freshman, seeking her niche at such a large school. She stumbled upon the club’s Instagram account, which had just 1,000 followers at the time. After being hired for the media team, she found herself in a community of creatives that helped her feel at home.
“They truly were some of the people that made me really feel like UCLA was my place,” Akbari said.
Akbari went on to become president of what was once a small club of roughly 20 people, helping transform it into one of the most popular music clubs on campus. Their Instagram account now has over 6,000 followers. TunedIn offers interested students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with agents, artists and managers, as well as organizing events with major artists.
Coordinating with artists can be challenging, especially because the club is fully self-funded. The TunedIn team must work around touring dates, negotiate artists’ normal booking prices down to what is feasible for a student-run club, communicate with managers and source equipment. Akbari said these challenges add to the sense of collaboration and community effort.
For a platform of its size, the club has an unusually wide reach. They recently booked Dylan Brady – the producer and singer-songwriter who makes up one-half of 100 gecs, an electronic music duo with 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Last month, they hosted an impressive lineup of emerging DJs, including TECH G1RLS, CFCF and DJ Doecaine. Two UCLA students also performed, a unique opportunity as the show drew a large number of attendees, including influencer Tara Yummy. TunedIn has also booked the New York-based indie pop band Laundry Day, which has over 300,000 Spotify listeners and Aldn, a pioneer of the early underground digicore scene with more than 800,000 listeners.
Though Akbari is excited about booking bigger-name artists, some of the most rewarding moments have been more personal. She had been listening to the experimental electronic group ear all year before she was able to book them for a show alongside Otto Benson, Ceeso and Worldpeace DMT.
“We were able to curate a lineup that I felt was really special,” Akbari said. “To this day, I’ll see people posting videos of it on TikTok and I’m like, wait, that’s my show. That’s always the best.”
As they navigate their growing presence in the LA music scene, the club is still finding balance. With its network, TunedIn aims to produce bigger and more ambitious shows. But Akbari still wants to uphold the club’s main goal of keeping shows affordable – $10 maximum – and accessible for UCLA students seeking a creative outlet.
“At the end of the day, TunedIn is really about community and having a space for people who don’t want to go to the frats,” Akbari said. “And I’m really excited to just keep working with really talented students.”
TunedIn’s growing platform attracts both students interested in the music industry and artists hoping to connect with a college audience. The club has the potential to make a lasting impact on UCLA’s music community, not only through the star power of its shows but also through connection and community.
At one of TunedIn’s most highly anticipated shows, Copenhagen-based singer-songwriter, Fine, pulled Akbari aside at the end of the night.
“What you have here? It’s a family,” Fine said.
The moment captures what TunedIn hopes to accomplish at UCLA: building a community where music lovers can connect and find a sense of belonging.
