Dime + Dog is the latest indie record label to hit the Philly scene and the brainchild of Mina Johnson, Sophie Griffiths , Catherine Stagliano, Halie Fox, and Agatha Zin. The team recently welcomed Ethan Carhuapoma to the team (after the interview was conducted) as lead Graphic Designer.

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Tell me a little about yourselves. Where are you from, how did you all meet, do you play an instrument or produce?

Mina: I grew up right outside of Los Angeles, moved to Philly last year to go to Drexel University, where I study music industry—thatʻs actually how we all met. The four of us (Mina, Agatha, Catherine, Halie) had Music Theory together—the bane of my existence—and all got really close.

Cat: Iʻm from south Jersey, also a sophomore at Drexel in the music industry program. I play eight different instruments, and Iʻm a DJ as well!

Agatha: I was born and raised here in, Philly. I met Sophie & Halie two years prior when we did the Drexel intensive program. I do some work in the subgenres of rock, I was the assistant stage manager for a rock festival in Jersey, I do some assistant work for Comatose, which is a Philly-based hardcore label, just random stuff!

Halie: I was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. I play the viola, a little piano, and I’m also a DJ like Cat. When I came to Drexel in the music industry program, I got much more interested in the business side of things, so I took up some marketing internships and fell in love with A&R.

Sophie: I was born & raised in Bucks County, PA, which is 45 minutes north of Philadelphia. Iʻve been a singer/songwriter my whole life so Iʻve always been focused on more of the creative portion of the music industry rather than the business side. I play viola, violin, piano, and sang all my life. In high school I got into production and audio production, Iʻm an assistant audio engineer at two studios outside of Philadelphia.

 

What services do you provide?

Cat: All of our services are exclusively provided to our signed talent. We do everything from marketing to publicity and helping out with production and entertainment community connections. We also have management services.

 

What was the exact moment something clicked in your heart or in your head and you knew you wanted to pursue a career in the music industry?

Agatha: for me, it was the euphoria I felt going to concerts. I love the idea that everyone was there for a collective reason—to see and enjoy the music that meant so much to them. Iʻve always wanted to work in live music which is where my interest in management comes from.

Sophie: being a performer growing up, I always knew I wanted to go into music. The older I got, I turned away from wanting to have a career in performing but wanted to be in the music industry in some facet. In 9th grade, my schoolʻs blues and funk band recorded an EP at a local studio and I just knew I wanted to do that and work behind the scenes.

Mina: I don’t know if I have a super-specific moment but growing up performing and writing it seemed natural. In high school, I decided I didnʻt want to perform for the rest of my life. When I started writing for magazines it sparked something in me to help other artists share their stories and music which turned into going into PR and marketing.

Halie: I also donʻt have a specific moment. I actually don’t think I made the decision until I was a senior in High school. Music was always my passion, but I was really big on sustainability in my lifestyle and I didnʻt think music could sustain me in the long run. Then I realized anything that would sustain me would just bore me and I couldnʻt spend my life doing something boring. So, I got off my high horse about sustainability and took up my passion.

 

What Juice would you be?

Sophie: That’s a really loaded question because I think Dime + Dog could be a juice and all of us, individually could be something different. I think for myself—damn—I want to be something really good but kind of mellow. I think I’m gonna go with apple juice because I think I’m likable like apple juice.

Cat: I feel like pomegranate juice because it's bitter but also sweet. I feel like if you know me, that’s me!

Agatha: for me, I probably wouldn’t be a juice, I would be nectar. Iʻve been drinking a lot of banana nectar—it's really good! It's like a polish thing. It's unexpected and good so I think that describes me.

Mina: I think Iʻm cranberry. I don’t know why! Thatʻs just whatʻs calling to me right now.

Halie: So, like, I can’t say I was expecting that question. I guess…I don’t know. I guess grapefruit. Grapefruit is pretty sweet & sour like me—depending on who youʻre talking to. Wait, actually prune juice. My grandmother likes prune juice and I love her so, prune juice, Iʻll go with that.

Sophie: I think we as a whole, as Dime + Dog, weʻre a smoothie.

Cat: Like fruit punch or a smoothie!

 

What album are you listening to right now?

Sophie: Let me just open my Spotify and see what Iʻve got here!

Agatha: Iʻm going to look at my records real quick and see what I have out.

Sophie: Iʻve been listening to a lot of ABBA. Iʻm just feeling it in the past week.

Mina: I was listening to the release of Fearless—amazing. I was also listening to After Laughter by Paramore, randomly again. Iʻm obsessed with that album, and I will always be obsessed with that album.

Cat: Iʻve been listening to Sasha Sloan, specifically her album Only Child.

Agatha: Iʻve been listening to a lot of Pageninetynine. Theyʻre like one of the first screamo bands, specifically the Document 7 album. Iʻve also been listening to a lot of LP—I love her.

Halie: Iʻve been listening to a lot of 90ʻs R&B and rap. Iʻve been in the Tupac/Biggie Smalls phase and Lauren Hill. My favorite Biggie Smalls album, to date, is… Life After Death. Best album. It is the best album I have ever listened to.

 

What has been the most challenging aspect of starting a label?

Agatha: I think one of the hardest things, we can all collectively agree on, was to have everyone on even ground. Coming to a single agreement, in the beginning, was hard but now weʻve learned how to talk it out.

Halie: It’s definitely a friendship-business thing, we were so used to being friends and then when we started the business it was like “oh my goodness why does she do this??” We had to overcome separating business and friendship.

Sophie: I think a difficult thing about starting was the fact that weʻre all women, young women, and people discredit us because of that. There is also an over saturation of young, indie artists it will be up to us to make our way through that crowd to be heard.

 

What was your first concert?

Sophie: Mine was the beloved, Taylor Swift. I was 13 and a huge stan of Taylor. In the past year since sheʻs been releasing the new stuff and her rereleases have rebuilt the passion, I had for her in me.

Mina: mine was also Taylor Swift—it was the Red tour at Staples Center. I still love that album! I still love Taylor Swift.

Cat: Mine was the Austin Mahone tour but that was when Shawn Mendes and Fifth Harmony were opening for him, and I was like 11.

Halie: My first concert was when I was nine. I went to see Hannah Montana with my dad! My first memorable concert that is engrained in my mind and I will remember for the rest of my life, however, was when I saw Beyonce, and she touched my hand—I didnʻt wash my hand for a few days after.

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~Reagan Thornley