Sarah Lewitinn
| Sarah Lewitinn | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Sarah Lewitinn February 3, 1980 New York City, United States |
| Occupation | Music Director Music journalist blogger |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Website | Ultragrrrl.com |
Sarah Lewitinn (born February 3, 1980), also known by her nickname Ultragrrrl, is an Egyptian-American record producer, music critic, DJ, blogger, and music director for the Canadian fashion brand, Aritzia. She began her career as an assistant editor at Spin Magazine, and soon helped champion rock bands like My Chemical Romance and The Killers, which led to her starting her own record label, Stolen Transmission. In 2006, New York magazine named Lewitinn as one of the most "influential people in music", citing that "Like it or not, she has more power than any print music critic.".
Born in New York City to Egyptian-Jewish parents, Lewitinn was raised and educated in Tenafly, New Jersey. She began her career as a teenager writing for the AOL-based ABC Kidz site before interning at Spin Magazine. It was at that time she received the moniker of "Ultragrrrl", by which she continues to be known. After briefly working at the defunct Kurt Andersen-run Inside.com in 1999, Lewitinn was hired as an assistant to Michael Hirschorn at VH1. Lewitinn graduated with a degree in Advertising and Marketing from Fashion Institute of Technology in 2001.
In 2002, she was the first manager for both rock bands stellastarr* and My Chemical Romance, both prior to their first major record deals. Her blog, Ultragrrrl.com (launched in July 2003), further established her as a taste-maker in the New York indie rock scene, as did her early championing of the rock band The Killers before they were signed to Island Def Jam. She returned to Spin several months later, this time as an assistant editor with her own column. In 2005, Lewitinn quit Spin to start her own record label, Stolen Transmission in partnership with Island Def Jam and Rob Stevenson, the Island Def Jam A&R executive responsible for signing The Killers as well as Fall Out Boy, Thrice, and The Bravery. Bands which were signed or had releases by Stolen Transmission include The Oohlas, The Horrors, PlayRadioPlay!, Monty Are I, Permanent ME, Schoolyard Heroes, The Photo Atlas, Innerpartysystem, and Bright Light Fever. Though Stolen Transmission severed its official relationship with Island Def Jam in December 2007, Lewitinn edited IDJ's parent company Universal Music Group's short-lived website, Dance Hall.
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