Coachella — Keith Montena

Client: US Weekly & Vinyl Drop · Role: Freelance Journalist & Founder

Campaign

Launch Vinyl Drop, my independent pop music platform, through real-time coverage of Coachella while contributing festival content for Us Weekly during Weekend 1.

Vinyl Drop

Goal 1

Establish a new independent pop music platform during one of the year's largest music festivals, creating coverage that stood apart from traditional festival reporting.

Approach

Prioritized artists based on fan demand, online conversation, and breakout potential throughout the weekend.
Focused coverage on defining set moments, surprise songs, and stan-specific moments rather than broad festival recaps.
Arrived early for key performances and secured the strongest vantage points for content capture throughout the weekend.

Result

10M+

views within Vinyl Drop's first month

Anchored by coverage of Sabrina Carpenter, Slayyyter, and FKA Twigs.

Us Weekly

Goal 2

Contributed social-first coverage surrounding Ariana Madix and Joe Jonas's surprise Weekend One appearance for Us Weekly and Aperol, capturing key moments from the activation.

Approach

Prepared production gear and interview setup before Ariana Madix's appearance, ensuring content met Us Weekly's editorial standards.
Coordinated with the Aperol brand team, Ariana Madix's team, and Us Weekly to align on production expectations, creative direction, and deliverables before filming.
Captured key moments from Ariana's appearance while balancing editorial storytelling with branded content objectives.

View Clip on Instagram ↗

Ariana Madix Instagram story shoutout for Us Weekly