The university’s student-run record label, Rein Records, sees students get hands-on experience to immerse themselves in the music industry.

Since its establishment in 2020, the label has managed a total of ten talents across multiple genres ranging from indie-pop to alternative punk including Blayn and Ayminor.

Last month both Ayminor and Blayn released two respective projects, “Checkmate (Remix)” and “Have It All” a week apart.

Blayn, whose real name is Leonardo Blanco, is a Latino Electronic Dance Music (EDM) artist from Canada. Blanco has been with the label for roughly 2 years. Blanco is responsible for creating all of his own content, with the label being more involved in the promotion aspect of it. Blanco credits the label in helping him reach a wider audience through ideas such as creating a separate Instagram page for his music, as opposed to using his personal account.

“I think when I made my own artist page, that’s where I saw more traction, than just using a personal one, but that was because that was an idea presented to me by my team,” Blanco said. While his usual music is typically Latino EDM, Blanco hopes to expand into more genres, such as Afro house and other forms of ethnic music.

Ayminor, Janay Sylvester, who has already been a key member of Rein Records’ lineup, also recently released new music, with a remix of her song “Checkmate Me”, which originally released last October under the extended play (EP) “Tyme Control.” Following the release, she has been promoting it via social media platforms and through a recent performance at Space67Studios in Norwalk, which premiered yesterday on video-sharing platform, YouTube.

Benefits like these from having a team is part of what Rein Records’ new artists look forward to most. The label has been busy this year, helping two of their artists promote projects last month, and having signed two new artists, J0carti3r and Logan Pollak.

“Just having a team behind me is going to make a huge difference. This May 10 release (and the stuff I have coming after it) is definitely the best stuff I’ve put out. Being able to consult and rely on a team that I trust is awesome,” Pollak said.

Pollak signed with Rein Records on April 9 after the label reached out to him with the opportunity. Pollak’s debut under the label, is expected to release May 10 and his music is heavily inspired by Radiohead, jazz and rock.

J0carti3r, the label’s second new signee, is a rising R&B singer and rapper hailing from Bronx, N.Y. Having released music since 2022, the 20 year old made his debut under Rein Records on April 25, with a single titled “24Hrs.”

As Rein Records’ lineup grows, the organization becomes stronger and will help more university students get a good start on their own music industry careers.