Vinyl records are a classic way to enjoy and listen to your favorite music artists, but what happens if they get scratched, damaged or you are simply not feeling that sound anymore? Luckily, there are ways to get creative and stay groovy with these music mediums.
Amy Smedberg, the owner and artist behind Revyved Records, brings new life to old records with music-inspired custom artworks. She said she takes inspiration from her childhood love for the music and the far-out psychedelic designs of the 1960s.
“I've always been obsessed with the '60s and psychedelic arts. I remember in the fifth grade doing a project and teaching my class how to tie-dye, so it's always been part of me. And I'm a huge music fan, but never really got into collecting records,” Smedberg said. “My brother collects records, but I just saw a need for all of those old scratched-up ones like at Goodwill that you see to be repurposed.”
Smedberg's journey to starting her own business began during the COVID-19 pandemic when she started experimenting with acrylic paint pouring. One of her first times selling her art was at JerryFest 2021 in Five Points.
Since then, she has been actively selling and creating custom pieces through her Etsy shop, at the Soda City Market and at other live music events.
“I listen to a lot of older music, so it's cool to get to see what other people like and learn about new bands because I do a lot of custom work,” Smedberg said. “My process is acrylic pouring, so it's that very psychedelic-looking bright colors. But I will do specialized like lyrics or logos, band sayings and stuff to kind of make it their own.”
In addition to creating art through Revyved Records, Smedburg also teaches a section of University 101 at USC and worked as a client with a section of Public Relations Campaigns, an upper-level course in the College of Information and Communications. She said working at the university allows her to connect with students and give back to the community.
Amy Smedberg standing next to records inside of the Revyved Records booth at Soda City Market on March 16, 2024. Smedburg also teaches a section of U101 and worked as a client with the Public Relations Campaigns class in the College of Information and Communications.
“It's fun to meet students, and they'll ask, ‘Can you match my room or put this lyric on it for my favorite song?’’ Smedberg said. “I kind of get a pulse of what they're into and, you know, seeing pictures of their dorm rooms. This is a thing for the students, but I have customers who are like in their seventies, who still like feel very passionately about records and want to have one on their wall.”
Nick Perez, a recent USC graduate, worked with Smedberg as a client through the Public Relations Campaigns class.
Students in this class are assigned a client to design and implement a public relations strategy to increase the business's awareness, growth and brand loyalty. Perez said his team helped Revyved Records achieve this through social media and online strategies to increase engagement and interviewing customers at Soda City Market at Smedberg's booth.
"She put a lot of trust into us. She was like, 'Any ideas you have, I'll go with them,'" Perez said. "She made it (the class) a really enjoyable experience."
Throughout the campaign's creation during the semester, Perez also found that he and Smedberg had a mutual love for the Grateful Dead. He commissioned a record with his favorite Grateful Dead lyrics featured on one side.
"She really likes to make her records exactly as you imagine it in her in your head. She sent me many different samples of color schemes and designs before she put any stencils or anything on there," Perez said. "If you have a custom order from her, she will work with you to get it perfect."
In addition to custom works, Smedberg sells revived vinyls at her booth at Soda City Market and other local events. With a unique style and bright, captivating colors, it's hard not to be drawn in, recent customer Mattie Eckenrode said.
"What drew me in the first time was the colors she used and the number of bands and solo artists that I liked that she had records for," Eckenrode said. "I see so many jewelry stands and clothing stands at Soda City Market, but I have never seen another stand like hers."
Coming up, Revyved Records will be a featured artist in an installation at Good for the Sole Shoes & Accessories in Five Points. During the month of August, records will be displayed and available for sale in the shop as a part of its local artist highlight.
Starting a small business can come with challenges, but for Smedberg, building relationships and fostering a sense of community is just as important as financial success.
“I just think it's really neat because this little business has allowed me to connect with the community in different ways and it's really cool to see how tight-knit and supportive, especially the Five Points community is,” Smedberg said.
Smedberg said sharing your creations with the world can be difficult, but often, the perceived imperfections are what make the art special.
“I think that every creative person is going to have a healthy dose of self-doubt, but you can't listen to that because what you think may not be good or worthy, someone else is going to find to be super unique and special,” Smedberg said. “Even sometimes when I'll put a record on sale because there's like a little scratch, somebody would be like, ‘I love that it's imperfect.’ So just lean into putting yourself out there and seeing what happens.”