Rock ‘n roll curating queen, Allison Hagendorf, is a multi-faceted force that spans across many areas of entertainment. From dreaming of gracing the screens of MTV to shaping the future of rock as the global head of rock at Spotify, Allison's trajectory embodies resilience, determination, and an unwavering dedication to her craft.

As the founder and host of her own show, “The Allison Hagendorf Show” she continues to champion the spirit of rock and roll, celebrating not only the music but also the human experiences that shape it. Her charismatic nature, attention to detail, and love for music has rippled through the community for over two decades.

Allison continues to break boundaries by spreading her genuine spirit in everything she pours herself into. Join me in this exclusive interview as Allison shares insights into the evolving landscape of rock music, her approach to curating guests for her show, and her dedication to inspiring others through her platform.

Just jumping in, how did your passion for doing what you do in rock music start and how did it develop?

You know, it's funny, I remember the day as a little girl…my mother, she grew up as a dancer, and she would tell me about American Bandstand. It was the show that she grew up watching, and I saw a rerun, and Dick Clark was the host. He was the one introducing this new artist to the fans on television, and I just thought that was the coolest thing, and from that moment on, I was like, I want to be Dick Clark.

How old do you think you were when that happened?

I was probably like six, like six or seven…little girls were like, I want to be a princess, and I was like, I want to be Dick Clark. I knew I was different early on. Even watching game shows I wanted to be Alex Trebek on Jeopardy or Pat Sajak. I didn't want to be Vanna White, I wanted to be Bob Barker.

So then, MTV became my life and I wanted to be an MTV VJ. It was specifically rock and alternative, and at this point, I had fallen in love with Nirvana and all the bands that would make me love rock.  And so I was like, okay, I want to be a VJ on MTV.  But that's kind of like saying I want to be a rockstar. It's such a grandiose thing to say. I actually went to school to be a doctor and graduated pre-med, but I just always had this feeling, I was supposed to be doing music. It's an inner knowing. It’s like this desire that you must fulfill.

I love that. In your opinion, how do you think the rock music landscape has evolved over the years, and what do you find most exciting happening right now?

I think what's really cool about the landscape now is that it's not so defined. I think it's always been a mission to celebrate rock: past, present and future. And in order to do that, you have to evolve the genre and you have to celebrate that evolution. Fans now don't always allow themselves to be defined or identified with a specific genre. They have access to everything. So that's why bands like Sleep Token, who I love, are really so popular because they're doing something so interesting. It's rock, it's metal, it's R&B, it's like pop, it's just so interesting. And it takes you on a journey.

It's constantly evolving. There are a lot more women, a lot more just different energies and textures and sounds. It's almost like the most rock and roll it's ever been. It's the epitome of amalgamation which is what rock and roll was to begin with.. Rock and roll is freedom. It's the freedom to express yourself. To not only think outside the box, but to just destroy the box. It’s about trailblazing. It’s about being a force. It’s about doing something that hasn’t been done before. And I like to support the music and the artists that are doing that.

Your understanding of the rock culture and your want to continue it to move it forward is incredibly inspiring. As the founder and host of your show, what inspired you to create the show?

Well, having the Allison Hagendorf show is what I've always wanted to do since I was a little girl. You know growing up I thought that I had to be on MTV and that's how my career started. I won college rep of the year and I was a Sony college rep. And as a reward, I was offered an assistant position at either Columbia or Epic Records. And I knew that Matt Pinfield (my MTV VJ hero) worked at Columbia Records…So I made my way and had a position created by HR and Matt to be Matt's assistant in addition to this other unrelated position.

I just fell in love with my role with Matt and fell in love with A&R and scouting unsigned talent and making records. So I kind of got a little sidetracked. I actually fell in love with helping artists, you know, whether that was at a record label or at Spotify. Being the global head of rock at Spotify was an amazing position. I got to help thousands and thousands of artists worldwide. And when I was at Spotify, I launched the show “Rock This with Allison Hagendorf.” I got that taste again of that feeling of sitting down with artists, hearing their stories, their journeys, their human moments. I was like, you know what, this is what I was supposed to do. And so I decided to leave Spotify to launch the Allison Hagendorf show.

How do you typically curate what guests to have on the show?

As far as the guests, it's not a genre show. In fact, not all my guests are musicians. We're all music fans. Music has played in our lives, no matter who you are. But, for me, it's the rock and roll spirit. I also love in my conversations really featuring the human moments. So we're actually celebrating the ordinary within the extraordinary, you know? I love that. And I think that's where the connection lies, because it's really cool to hear about someone's incredible accomplishments and accolades.It's inspiring to hear about the self-doubt, failures, detours, and misses that people experience along the way; it makes their success that much more inspiring.

What's one of your most memorable moments of somebody that was on your show that left an impact on you?

Keanu Reeves. It doesn't get cooler than Keanu Reeves. I'm not someone who's affected by “celebrity.” That's not in itself impressive to me. What's impressive to me are people who are at the top of their craft and are incredible human beings simultaneously. You can be both. And for those people who I've had the honor of sitting down with, whether it's Keanu Reeves or Nile Rodgers, you know, Sheryl Crow, people who, again, that's top of their craft and are also good people…who are gracious, are humble. To me, that is the most inspiring and rewarding part of what I do.

I know we touched on this before but being a woman in a male-dominated industry, what's something that helps you persevere through it?

I think that even though I love being a woman and I'm proud to be a woman, I think I've never really thought of myself in terms of gender. I've always thought to myself how I can be my personal best. How can I be the best human I can be and I think when you respect yourself others will respect you. It’s not about commanding it because that sounds aggressive. If you just love yourself and know your value then others will know it too. I think that's really really important.

I’m always sort of doing an outflow of love. I'm a lover and I always just love that human to human connection. Always my goal is like when I meet someone it's really just connecting as human beings in this moment and I think that when you establish that basic and primal rapport it just kind of solidifies a relationship right off the bat which has nothing to do with gender. It has to do with human connection.

That pouring out of universal love and self-love is something that really resonates with me. And it’s hard to talk about self-love without talking about discipline. When did fitness become such an important part of your life and how do you think it helps with everyday life?

I grew up dancing and then I fell in love with sports like lacrosse and field hockey. I also found in addition to it being an outlet for me and my energy, I just found it was a way to be your best physically and mentally. I love the camaraderie of fellow athletes, specifically fellow female athletes. I really loved that bond.  I found it to be extremely empowering very early on. I'm really into being a student and self-improvement.

I would always challenge myself and just try things I've never done before. So I'd be like okay I want to run the New York City Marathon. And then I picked up snowboarding. You know I just like to challenge myself.  I look at fitness and being active as just one of those ways to sort of keep yourself on your toes to be strong. It’s liberating for mental health and also it's a way I listen to music, you know, I can't wait to put on a certain song and workout. I plan on being Betty White and living to like 100 and still having martinis everyday.

If you could give any advice to your younger self, what would it be?

Trust the process. It's really not only trusting the process, but it's trusting  yourself. It's a combination of both because that calling that you have, that feeling that you have, you really have to trust it. It’s never going to be the path that you think it's going to go, it's never going to be on the terms that you want and it's never going to be on the timeline that you want. But it will happen when the planets are aligned and you're ready for it.

Also, you never stop working. When you have grandiose ambitions and dreams (which we should all have) and you are determined to see them through no one is going to work harder than for you. It's a commitment. It's like a life commitment but the key is to be in the moment which is sometimes very difficult to do because it's often very painful and it's very frustrating and you don't understand why things are happening or not happening yet. But it all does work out. Just be your best self. Be a good person. And trust that everything will work out as it's supposed to do.

You’re the coolest-even cooler than I’d imagine you to be. You have already made such an impact in the entertainment industry. Looking ahead, are there any projects that you're excited about or anything else you’d like to share?

I’m really committed to building the Allison Hagendorf show. I really love providing an opportunity for guests to share their stories and to be vulnerable with me. I like to provide a safe space, you know, and I hope that guests really open up and let go in those moments.

My goal beyond the show is definitely a book sharing some of my stories. I’m inspired by so many of the stories I get to hear from my guests. And I think that hopefully, I can help inspire other people by sharing some of mine.

It has been an absolute honor to delve into the world of Allison Hagendorf, a trailblazer whose passion for music and commitment to celebrating its essence continues to shine through. I could not be more grateful to have had the opportunity to sit down with Allison and for her generously sharing her wisdom and experiences. As she continues to pave the way for future generations, I am excited to see the growth of her ongoing projects, both on-screen and beyond.

INTERVIEW BY: RAE of rosecoloredworld

PHOTOGRAPHY: HEATHER KOEPP