Ricki Askin ’00: Bringing Music to Our Ears

 

For nearly 20 years, Ricki Askin ’00 has built teams and selected the melodies to meet such moments. As a music supervisor, she has worked with media giants including MTV and VICE Media.

Though she has spent most of her career in the music industry, Askin came to the profession without a formal music education. Instead, she developed her keen ear listening to the soundtrack of her youth.

“I lived in a home that valued music,” Askin says. “My parents were always playing music; classic rock remains one of my favorite genres because of that. Even as a communications major in college, I followed my passion for music by taking part in music committees and concert boards.”

In the early 2000s, music supervision was becoming recognized as a career path, thanks in part to popular TV shows like The O.C. and Grey’s Anatomy, which included current hits in their soundtracks and storytelling. It was exactly the kind of career Askin was looking for after she graduated from Muhlenberg College. 

She began her career selecting and licensing music for MTV programs. Askin then joined VICE Media, where she supervised the music for all six seasons of the Emmy-winning documentary series VICE. Most recently, Askin managed the team responsible for music-led brand partnerships at TikTok.

Today, Askin owns a consultancy that teams with major media organizations to help develop brands and stories through music and sound. 

“As a young person, I thought MTV was cool. Concerts were cool; song credits were cool. But that’s not what motivates me anymore,” she says. 

“Now I strive to give artists opportunities to make money doing what they love. As a woman in an industry that is historically male-dominated, I am also driven by naysayers. I’m aware that my leadership can encourage other women in this field.”

Askin credits Rivers with contributing significantly to her personal development. 

“I transferred in as a junior, so things could have turned out differently for me,” she says. “It’s  
hard to be 15, and I was getting lost at my previous school. When I came to Rivers, I was immediately welcomed by my peers and teachers. The small environment challenged me to show up and engage. My teachers took a strong interest in my well-being. I would not be who I am today if not for my time at Rivers.”

The music and media landscapes are continuously evolving, and the most important lesson Askin has learned in her career is the power of adaptability.

“I’ve come from a place of hard work and have learned that sometimes it is necessary to pivot,” she says. “To make it, you need to embrace change with a positive outlook.”