Music offered Arsena Schroeder a way out from the lucrative path set before her. In college, she interned with financial firms and spent a summer on Capitol Hill, but she began to realize that the high-powered executive lifestyle was not her calling. She was the first in her family to finish an undergraduate degree, but after that point she abandoned the path everyone expected her to follow.
She dropped out of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program and stepped fully into her musicianship. Now nearly eight years in, the Charlotte singer-songwriter acknowledges that her time in the business world is a huge asset to her new career an independent musician. Since founding Dear Soul Music Company, Schroeder has helped other indie artists self-promote and navigate work-life balance. The message in her lyrics is clear and inspiring: prioritize your passions and refuse to be beholden to others’ expectations. Arsena Schroeder joins host Frank Stasio for conversation and to play music off her EP, which drops Friday, Dec.13, at thefree Unplugged+Live: Concert Series at The Hut in Pineville.
