Haylee Mitchell's Professional Fan journey

Left to Right, Greta Van Den Brink (See previous articles), Morgan Ellis (818 publicity), Haylee Mitchell Photo Source: @Hayleemitchell on Insta

Haylee Mitchell is a name many of you will recognise. in her own words: She is a third-year (and final-year) student at AUT studying a Bachelor of Communication Studies, majoring in Public Relations with minors in Advertising and Brand Creativity and Marketing and Alongside her studies, has been interning in publicity at 818 Entertainment since July 2025 and also creates social media content for Universal Music. We had the privallege of asking some questions about her creative journey!

Do you remember the moment you first realised this was the industry you wanted to work in?

I think I knew from a very young age that I wanted to work in music in some capacity, although I wasn’t always sure what that would look like. In my final year of high school, I ran a community radio show with one of my peers and loved being able to promote emerging artists through the airwaves. When I started university, I discovered a passion for seeing projects through from start to finish, which is what first sparked my interest in publicity. I’ve always been a live music

enthusiast, so being able to combine my love of music with my interest in publicity is genuinely a dream!

Were you a fan first?

Absolutely! I honestly think I’m a fan first, human second. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t a fan of something, and I’m so grateful to be someone who feels so passionately about the things I love.

Did your love of music or pop culture ever feel like “just a hobby” before it became part of your career?

I’ve always promoted the artists and music I love, often without even realising it. Whether it was through TikToks or fan pages (and yes, I’ll admit that I may have had a fan page for Ruel back in the day, sue me!), it was something I was naturally doing long before I stepped into the music industry professionally.

When did you start seeing fandom as something that could actually lead somewhere professionally?

I genuinely had no idea that being a fangirl could be a career until I came across Addison Briann (@addison.brianne on TikTok), a content creator based in Los Angeles. She describes herself as “not your average fangirl” and has built a platform around creating content within the pop culture space. Seeing the opportunities she was able to create for herself was incredibly inspiring and really fuelled my own passion.

I also think Universal Music provides amazing opportunities for fans like me to turn our passion into something more. I genuinely have to pinch myself when I’m asked to create content about some of my favourite artists. Take Role Model, for example. I flew to Australia to see him for the first time in February, and now I get opportunities to create content about his music. That’s something I never could have imagined a few years ago.

The heart of this project is showing that being a fan has layers. What do you think people misunderstand about fans?

The stereotype that fans are “crazy” and “stalkerish” is so tired. While that can be true in some cases, it’s far from the reality for most fans. At the end of the day, fans are what keep projects alive. Without fans, there are no ticket sales, no merch sales, and no audience. They truly are the heart and soul of an artist’s career.

A few months ago, I saw a video of Louis Tomlinson talking about fans that really resonated with me. He said that more fans should work in the music industry because they “live and breathe these projects”. He also acknowledged that the relationship between an artist and their fans is a mutual one, and that he wouldn’t be able to do what he does without their support. I think it’s a really beautiful thing for an artist at his scale to recognise and openly acknowledge.

Do you think fandom teaches skills that are useful in creative industries?

I think a lot of the skills you develop as a fan, particularly on social media, are incredibly valuable in creative industries. We live in an age where an artist’s career can completely skyrocket through trends, viral moments, and online communities, and fans are often the first people to recognise what is resonating.

Fans are so immersed in these spaces that they have a strong understanding of internet culture, audience behaviour, and what gets people talking. That kind of insight is incredibly valuable in industries like music, publicity, and marketing.

Even when I’m working on a project or creating content, I always come back to the question: if I were a fan, what would I want to see? More often than not, I am the target audience, so I trust that instinct. I’ve found that the content created from that perspective often performs the best because it feels genuine and is rooted in what fans actually want to engage with.

What fan skills do you think transfer into the industry?

Like I mentioned before, I think one of the biggest transferable skills is understanding how quickly things move online. That kind of knowledge is incredibly valuable in an industry that moves as fast as music and entertainment.

Many young people are told that being passionate about music is unrealistic. What would you say to them?

Never let someone yuck your yum! Your passion is your passion, and that’s something really special. Some of the best opportunities in my life have come from following the things I genuinely care about, and I think there’s a lot of value in leaning into what excites you rather than dismissing it as unrealistic.

This might be a random example, but I’ve always found writing long essays a bit of a struggle, especially when the topic doesn’t interest me. Last semester, I had the opportunity to write a report on music, specifically Spotify Wrapped, and I was completely locked in. It really showed me how much better work we produce when we’re genuinely passionate about the subject matter. And not to brag, but I did end up getting an A+ on that report!

Have you ever had a full-circle moment where your younger fan self would not believe where you are now?

Oh my gosh, all the time! The other weekend I looked after the photographer pit on behalf of 818 at Te Wehi’s show at Auckland Town Hall and I was absolutely pinching myself being in front of the barricade, as there have been countless times where I have been leaning on that same barricade standing in the front row seeing some of my favourite artists perform.

I also had the incredible opportunity, through Universal Music, to interview Drax Project last year. Not to expose myself too much, but I burst into tears almost immediately afterwards because I’ve been a fan of Drax Project since the very beginning. It was such a surreal moment and really reminded me how special it is to be able to work on projects that connect with things I genuinely love.

For a teenager or young adult who loves music and wants to work in the industry, where should they start?

I think the most important thing you can do is simply show up. Whether that’s creating content on your own socials about the music you love, getting involved behind the scenes, or even just going to gigs and putting yourself out there, those small steps can lead to opportunities you never expected. Everyone starts from scratch and those small steps can lead to super unexpected opportunities.

How important is networking, and how can people do it without feeling fake or awkward?

I used to be super reserved, and the thought of networking was really daunting to me. But when I’m in spaces like concerts or music events, I’ve realised that it’s just a room full of people who share a similar passion to me in some way, and most of them were probably in my position at some point too.

Honestly, I love having conversations with like-minded people, and I’ve learnt that sometimes networking is simply just building genuine connections and talking to people who are as passionate about the industry as you are.

What makes someone memorable in this industry for the right reasons?

Like I mentioned before, I think consistently showing up is so important. It demonstrates your enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and genuine passion, which are all incredibly valuable qualities to have in the music industry.

Finally, what does being a “professional fan” mean to you?

I actually really like this term, because I don’t think being a fan and being a professional have to exist separately. To me, being a “professional fan” means being able to take that passion, excitement, and knowledge, and channel it into something creative and meaningful.