On Red Carpet for the Grammys
Waran-Perrero ’17 helps keep the stars aligned on music’s biggest night of the year.
Rather, Nadine Waran-Perrero ’17 was in Los Angeles in early February thanks to her role as the coordinator of student enrichment at the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University. Waran-Perrero is also an adjunct professor at the Nashville college.
“You name it in the entertainment industry, that’s what I do,” said Waran-Perrero, who moved to Music City in 2020.
One of her roles is to work with students in the university’s Service Corps. Twenty were selected to go to the Grammys, out of nearly 180 students in the program.
“We did extensive interviews with them,” said Waran-Perrero. “Some of them might have worked the Country Music Awards in Nashville, and we take that all into account as we make sure they can be presented to the industry. The Service Corps does talent escorting, chaperoning – they’re there to service the industry. At the Grammys, we did whatever their people needed. We’d show up and serve.”
“The Service Corps does talent escorting, chaperoning – they’re there to service the industry. At the Grammys, we did whatever their people needed. We’d show up and serve.” – Nadine Waran-Perrero
The group also staffed the Black Music Collective and the famous pre-Grammys gala thrown by record producer Clive Davis. On the red carpet, the students assisted crews from E! and Billboard, among others, helping to make sure that pitches for stories were being directed to the right people.
Brushes with fame
During the course of their responsibilities, there were several close encounters with household names in the music industry.
Such brushes with fame are part of her gig in Nashville, and among the top names in the business that she’s met through her position are renowned songwriter Ashley Gorley, Encanto soundtrack producer Mike Elizondo and Panic at the Disco collaborator Sam Hollander.
“They come in and help the students delve deeper, talking about their personal experiences in the industry,” said Waran-Perrero.
Her road to Nashville
Between Monmouth College – where one of her highlights was singing at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome during a Chorale trip – and Belmont, Waran-Perrero completed a two-year master’s degree in performing arts management at Columbia College in downtown Chicago.
“I knew I wanted to get into the business side of things, being on the supporting side of the artist. It was also during that time in Chicago that I realized I wanted to get into academics as a way to do that.” – Nadine Waran-Perrero
During that time, she managed artists, worked on events at the South by Southwest music festival, produced in-person and virtual events, and performed at showcases.
“I knew I wanted to get into the business side of things, being on the supporting side of the artist,” said Waran-Perrero. “It was also during that time in Chicago that I realized I wanted to get into academics as a way to do that.”
With a campus just off Music Row in Nashville, Belmont boasts “the future of the entertainment and music business lives here.”
“I’m teaching students, working with students,” said Waran-Perrero. “It’s a perfect fit.”
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