Hi, I’m Mandy.

This Substack exists due to my incurable need to curate and a relentless compulsion to share every musical obsession I have.

Let me introduce to you: 

I am originally from a tiny town in Northeast Germany. My journey took me to Berlin via Hamburg, eventually leading me to Los Angeles, where I live now.

In 2015, I joined Spotify in Germany as one of its first playlist editors. I stayed at the company for seven years, working on playlists like New Music Friday, Today’s Top Hits, and Pop Rising and music programs like EQUAL and Wrapped.

In 2023, I started my own business and now work as a music industry consultant specializing in DSP strategies and artist development. I de-mystify streaming platforms and support artists and labels in understanding the ever-changing music landscape.

Rare Originals is supposed to be a space for music discovery. I’m not a fan of music recommendations driven by algorithms that fail to recognize niche and emerging artists. Sharing music is something so personal. If you don’t want robots telling you what to listen to, you’ve come to the right place. I strive to give you hand-picked music recommendations, focusing on amplifying independent voices, especially those of underrepresented artists. Do I focus on a specific genre? Kind of. The music represented on RO will mostly fall into the following categories: (Alt) Pop, Indie/Alt, (Alt) R&B. It’s always going to be a mixed bag, and I’ll share whatever music I connect with.

This is my creative outlet, where I recommend great music to you and share my musings and observations about the music industry.

Where else to find me

My Website | Spotify | Instagram | LinkedIn

Listen to my Spotify Playlists