Elaine Huang founded Neon Owl, a music community and artist collective with a deep focus on philanthropy. Since its inception in March 2015, Neon Owl has covered everything, from sharing stories to showcasing talent to sparking meaningful conversations while supporting charities worldwide. In late 2017, Elaine also launched Open Door Sessions, a series of events curated to bring the music community together while helping artists get discovered, heard, and signed. Since then, Open Door Sessions has expanded to cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Las Vegas, Denver, and Atlanta, as well as holding a steady presence in the virtual space spanning its impact for artists and creatives around the world. Neon Owl has also partnered with festivals like Groove Cruise and clubs across the states to bring the community together to connect, create, and collaborate.

 

Elaine speaks to 6AM about a decade of building a purpose-driven movement that empowers artists, fosters genuine community, and redefines success in electronic music through impact over hype.

 

Looking back at the last 10 years, what was the defining moment that made you realize Neon Owl was more than just a platform; that it was becoming a true movement within the electronic music community?

I always knew that we were looking to create something special and disrupt the industry. But it was definitely a desire, and something that took a while to feel like it stuck and actually was making an impact beyond ways that we could see immediately. 

After the first year or so, we started getting messages and stories from our attendees about how it impacted their careers and gave them connections and opportunities that they never thought they could get on their own. That was very special. Some of our more established industry friends who came on as speakers also found a lot of talent through our events, which I was also very happy about. However, it wasn’t until those same people told us how our events allowed for them to meet and connect with people that also created partnerships, collaborations and opportunities that we knew the community had become a movement. 

Speakers also told us that the mental health talks they participated in made them not only feel like they were opening up the dialogue, but that it made them feel more seen and heard as well. In the last couple of years, we have seen other brands launch events that follow the same ethos of bringing the music community together and fostering support along with collaboration. That’s when I knew that Neon Owl and Open Door Sessions had gone beyond just what we do and what we curate. It has inspired other people to go forward with a similar mission, which not only makes the industry but the world a better place.

 

You’ve been deeply intentional about merging music with purpose; what were some of the hardest challenges you've faced in balancing artistry, community-building, and philanthropy in an industry that often prioritizes hype over substance?

MONEY and CLOUT. We never did things with the intention of making money to begin with, which I’m proud of. However, with time we realized that in order to make a bigger difference, expand our impact as well as reach, money and resources were needed. Due to the trust of the community and what we had built and offered, money did finally manage to come in, but it was in a slow and authentic way. In hindsight, I should have probably had more of a business plan, since money is just a form of energy and allows for us to do more of what we intend with it - in which case ours was to make a bigger impact. 

CLOUT - we never went chasing trends of the thing that was going to give us the maximum number of views, followers, and reach. We were never about posting memes, hot girls, or meaningless content. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of those things, but it just wasn’t the path we decided to go down. Everything we put out and curated was very intentional, which can be harder to grow a following or gain momentum on social media. In the beginning, I felt very cringy about posting about the fundraising we did for causes, because it felt braggy and I often just wanted to do good. However, the power of social media allows causes to reach so many more people, which in turn could generate so much more awareness, money and support. Oftentimes we get told that people heard about us from a friend, and that they wish they had known about us sooner. 

For the longest time, we also didn’t post a lot of the wins that were accomplished by the people who came through our events. But if we did leverage the power of social media, perhaps that would have inspired more artists to come attend our events sooner and potentially achieve success quicker or found their home or tribe of people. It may have even reached some amazing speakers who were passionate about giving back to the community sooner. I don’t regret not posting things for clicks or followers, but I do wish we posted more content about what we did so that the mission would have spread further sooner. We didn’t leverage the power of social media as much as we could have, but we realized it's not too late to still share in an honest and authentic way that is not for hype, but substance. 

 

What’s a win or milestone — big or small — that you feel hasn’t been widely recognized but meant everything to you personally or spiritually?

There has been one win that happened slowly over time that I haven’t publicized much, but have shared with those close to me. I’m a first generation Chinese American. My parents are very traditional and they expected to have children that would follow in their desires of what the American Dream meant to them. That includes a good job, good income, ideally in a prestigious field. So when I left my 6 figure income job and turned down the junior partner position to build Neon Owl, they were appalled. They simply did not understand why I would do such a thing, nor did they understand what this music industry, let alone make sense of my mission. For years, there was a lot of strain on our relationship, and they continuously pleaded for me to quit Neon Owl to get a real job again. It wasn’t until right around a couple years ago that my parents realized the impact of what my brother Ray and I were doing had on people, specifically artists with a dream. 

It was a really challenging time when my dad ended up in the ICU unexpectedly back in early 2023. Both my parents were surprised to see that quite a few people who visited and supported us during that time were artists who were a part of the Neon Owl community. Kyu (truekolors) specifically came and took shifts at the ICU multiple weekends, as we wanted to have him on watch 24/7. I think both parents were in disbelief that someone we had known for such a short period of time, and someone that was not blood family would support in ways greater than our own relatives would. They thought he was a gift sent from heaven. They also then realized that whatever we were doing or building, that it had led to relationships like these, so that it must have been important work. My dad wasn’t able to talk, so I wasn’t able to hear it from his mouth. But something in the way he looked and in his demeanor showed me that he knew, and that it all made sense to him. It felt like I had gotten the approval that I had always wanted from my parents about choosing the path I did. So that in itself was a very big personal win.

 

Mental health, burnout, and staying aligned with values are real topics for anyone building in music — what practices or mindsets have kept you grounded during your toughest moments with Neon Owl?

I unfortunately don’t have the best philosophy or solutions to upkeep the best mental health or avoiding burnout. I’ve unfortunately dealt with mental health battles as well as burnout more often than I would like to admit. There is a notion that I had made up about myself that others expect me to have it all together, since I am the face of Neon Owl and the one making things happen. I think that’s also what's wrong with this industry, and the reason why we have lost so many people. It’s a really tough space to be in, where oftentimes things are made to look good and put together. 

I would say that when I have a really tough time, I always try to talk to people. Whether it's speaking to those closest to me, or other industry friends that I feel have been on a similar boat, I try not to keep all my burdens hidden and unspoken. Speaking it out loud doesn’t necessarily lead to resolution, but it lifts a weight off of your chest that feels lighter, even if it's for the time being. Some days when I feel like I just really need an off day, I convince myself (or others convince me) to take it. 

 

Over the years, you've connected with a wide spectrum of artists and fans — can you share a story or moment when you truly felt the power of community come full circle because of the work you’ve done through Neon Owl?

There have been more moments that I can count, from our  multiple charity fundraisers to our twitch stream for Ukraine that raised over $12,000. I think that recently, it’s been fulfilling to hear that the community has helped connect people in ways that I never saw the direct impact of. For a long time, I thought that our events impacted smaller artists and people looking to break through the music industry. There was always value found in our guest speakers coming to share their knowledge and offer their time and resources helping the next wave of artists get signed and booked. 

However, in the more recent years I’ve had many speakers tell me that they love coming to Open Door Sessions, even if they weren’t speaking on the panel. Linney thanked me one time for making her international tour with MaRLo happen, and at first I had no idea what she was talking about. Turns out that it was from one of the very early Open Door Sessions (over 7 years ago) that MaRLo discovered Triode, who ended up bringing Linney on for a track collaboration. That was how they ended up meeting, and years later on tour all over Asia and Australia. I didn’t put 2 and 2 together until she told me the story in person at a LA Open Door Sessions. 

Then another recent time, my friend Connor aka LUMBERJVCK also gave us a big shout out on social media about how our events are not to miss because of the community and movers and shakers that come through. Over ramen one day, he told us about how he got booked for a festival by 6AM founder Jia himself for EIF (Electric Island Festival) all the way in Guam because they linked up on the same panel during a previous ODS. To know that our events are not just connecting up and comers but our own industry peers to create magic is a beautiful and rewarding feeling.

 

If you had to pass down one piece of hard-earned wisdom to the next wave of community builders or artists trying to create change in this space, what would that be?

Be genuine and always come from a place of adding value first. I’m not sure if that counts as one or two things, but I believe that they go hand in hand. You cannot go into a relationship with an agenda of “alright I’m going to do this thing for this person because the outcome I want is this” That is very transactional and oftentimes people can stiff out any disingenuous intentions. However, if you are always authentic at your core and genuinely care about getting to know someone, their passion, their project, and their mission… you can come from a place of service. There are ways to add value, no matter your follower count, time, or resources. 

If you aren’t a big DJ with a ton of followers, simple likes and engagement on social media is much appreciated. Offering to volunteer at events or contributing with a skillset you have can be valuable to many. Showing up early to a show for the opener does not cost you anything extra, and you might even get to network with some people running the events, or the next supporters at your show. You don’t go into each relationship asking what you can get out of it, but your interest, service, and contribution will not go by unnoticed. It’s the longer term relationships and consistency in showing up that generates synergy, collaborations, and opportunities. This approach has gotten me and Neon Owl a lot of amazing allies and partnerships, and how we intend on continuing to grow the community.

 

If the Elaine of 10 years ago could see where you are now, what do you think she’d say — and what would you say back to her today?

You are onto something. Don’t let what others say discourage you. When you’re out to do something different, oftentimes very few will understand. It doesn’t mean that you have to do it alone. Build relationships with people who share your vision for what they want to create in both the music industry and in the world, and don’t be so stubborn to go it alone. Keep asking questions, no one is going to think you’re stupid for asking - you are so green! 

As you are already aware, you’re going to get a ton of NO’s but get through those NO’s ASAP so that you can start seeing the fruits of your labor. Eventually people will catch on if you just hang tight to your vision and don’t steer from your why. Don’t be afraid to accept help and resources if it’s offered to you. 

As a woman, an Asian woman, and someone with imposter syndrome, you’re going to want to overdo and over accomplish and overachieve before you ever ask for anything or feel worthy of receiving a helping hand. FC*K that SH!T because you have the best intentions, so if others want to offer you resources and money to help carry out your vision, do not reject it due to your own self limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome! You will go farther if you don’t try to do it alone and you will go faster if you don’t try to control every little thing to perfection. There is no such thing as perfection, just progress. I’m proud of you, even on the days that you are not sure of yourself and where you’re headed. Just keep going. 

 

Looking ahead, what’s next for Neon Owl — not just in terms of projects, but in the bigger picture of what you hope to shift or create in electronic music culture over the next 3-5 years?

We have done things for purpose over profits since day one. We have been focused on the artist's journey, and serving them first. As we launch Neon Owl Records in July, we intend on carrying out that same intention towards the community and artists we build through there. We want everything we do and create in the music industry to be inclusive, not measured by clout or trends, but something that has lasting impact and a feeling of belonging that doesn’t fade. Whether that’s allowing artists to be authentically themselves and not just progressing depending on what numbers they can hit or how much money they can invest into their projects, we’d like to bring them closer to their fans (both current and future) through art that is genuine to them. 

As we grow the community, its impact, and help break artists and brands, we hope to continue to inspire others to do the same and create a difference in their communities big or small. Only building culture through strong values that are backed by growing communities will create lasting change that will continue to progress not just the music industry, but the movements we choose to support through the power of music. I’ve always envisioned that the artists we discover and support through their journeys from day one will want to come back and pay it forward. We have seen that happen in many cases already with many artists. 

I envision tracks and albums being released that go towards supporting specific causes that are close to the hearts of artists and our community. I see a big charity festival where we can tie in animal adoption as a big activation that everyone can be a part of. Although the details of “HOW” haven't always been clear to achieve the next big thing, I believe that the “WHY” will get us there. It has brought us here so far in the past 10 years.

 

Connect with Neon Owl: Website | Discord | Facebook | Instagram 

Connect with Elaine: Instagram