How to make it as an upcoming – by Hannah Agami (upcoming sound engineer)

I got to know WILMs own Malle Kaas, by shadowing her on various different jobs. I got to see a variety of different ways to work as a sound engineer. I got to see the whole process from arriving at a venue to soundcheck and finally the show itself. By shadowing Malle I got a valuable outlook on what it means to be a sound engineer. It has definitely been my network that really got my career going.

Well strictly practical it’s been challenging to network and to get gigs. But on a more personal note I’ve also been struggling a lot with imposter syndrome and believing that I have what it takes to make it one day. And it’s of course also not a walk in the park to be a young woman in the industry. But I have been fortunate to meet a lot of kind and very skilled people along the way, that have taught me alot. 

My first gig was a bit chaotic, but I learned a valuable lesson in the sense that you never really know what you are going into. It was an easy job on paper, only a vocal soloist, and some tracks – but it turned out to be a bit more comprehensive. Learning a new setlist, all the different cues, a mixer that I hadn’t seen before and circus acrobats jumping around on stage. But luckily I managed to stay level headed, and to keep it together. I learned how important, simply taking three deep breaths can be.

The dream right now is to someday tour with a band, and to someday be FOH at a big festival. There’s definitely a very long way ahead, and it will be filled with both failure and success, but the important part is to keep on believing in my dream.