My Music. My Story. Emma Spitzig.

Words by Mikayla Bump

Current Butler junior Emma Spitzig talks about the importance of music and how she uses it to build connections between herself and the people around her in both her personal and professional life. 

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

I am a junior at Butler University studying marketing with minors in strategic communication and data science. I would like to take that into a data analytics role within a marketing company or at least a marketing department in the entertainment or clothing industry. I am involved in various clubs on campus, such as the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity, Butler’s Program Council, and the club curling team, which keeps me busy. And, I am also currently studying to be a personal trainer, which is a fun time. 

Moving into your interactions with music, what kind of music do you typically listen to?

I listen to country music most of the time because it is the style of music that I grew up listening to and am most familiar with. Besides that, I like to listen to current pop music, primarily when I work out because it is more entertaining and very upbeat which helps keep me motivated during my workout. 

Do you think there are opportunities for music and the work you are trying to do to intersect?

I mean, there definitely could be depending on the type of marketing analytics I go into. It could be analyzing different music choices for specific marketing campaigns and stuff like that. There is a place for music within marketing as a whole, like in commercials and advertisements, finding what types of music speak to different audiences, and knowing how to use music as a way to connect to consumers and their emotions.

How about on your path to become a personal trainer?

Certainly. It depends on who I would be working with because some people like to work out with music, and some don’t. As I said, I like to listen to my pump-up playlist when I work out because it’s upbeat music that is fun to listen to which helps to motivate me. So, part of my job would be to find what motivates the people I’m working with, and I think music plays a role in that. Especially if I were to work in a gym one day, or own a gym one day, just choosing the music to play over the speakers could have a significant impact on the motivation and success of everyone in the gym.

How has music influenced your life?

I would say just in how — I feel like in how you just perceive the world, you perceive it very much so in the type of music you that you enjoy, especially with all the different kinds of music, what you listen to can impact your mood and view on what’s happening. I listen to music throughout the day with my workout in the morning, walking to classes, doing homework in the afternoon, and right before I go to bed. With each task that I’m doing, I have a different playlist or genre that I’m listening to that puts me in the right mood for what needs to get done. I think music also really just brings people together, so going to concerts with friends or playing music out loud when on a run with my dad have helped me build relationships and find common ground between myself and the important people in my life.