Lauren Reskin, or Lolo as she’s known to most, was born in Miami in June of ’82 and loved the city and the weather so much she never left. Music is in Lauren’s blood: her late grandmother Joan Field was a concert violinist who released records on Decca Telefunken and her late grandfather Alan Reskin originally opened Allegro Music House in 1961, making Lolo the second Reskin to open a music store in South Florida. Her father Charles is a Julliard graduate, professional trumpet player, and composer. It’s also worth mentioning that Lolo is the great-niece of Alan Freed, the (in)famous 1950’s radio DJ and music promoter who coined the phrase “rock and roll.”
During high school, Lolo convinced the local Virgin Megastore to hire her overenthusiastic 16-year-old self and it was all downhill from there. She spent the next six years selling music, DJing at and promoting club nights (Revolver, Plastik Fantastik, VICE/’80s Prom, Poplife, Roll Out, Circa Saturdays), working in college radio, and booking shows in preparation to give her hometown the thing it needed most–a real live, community-oriented, indie record store.
Since opening in March 2005, Sweat Records has become an institution in its own right, earning Knight Arts Challenge grants in 2009 and 2012 to further serve the local music community. Lolo also organizes an annual block party and music festival, celebrating the store’s anniversary and Record Store Day every April.
Lolo continues to be passionately involved in the local cultural landscape. She produces concerts, DJs at special events around town, is currently the Senior Music Programmer at Miami-based boutique background music provider Soundry.
In 2016 a guest appearance on South Florida PBS’ show Art Loft led to her being selected as a full time co-host of the program, which is now entering its 8th season.
Lolo has sat on the City of Miami Arts & Entertainment Council, was chosen for Class VII of the Miami Foundation’s Miami Fellows leadership program, and is an alumnus of Radical Partners’ Social Entrepreneurship Bootcamp. Lolo has also spent many years serving as Governor & Secretary on the Florida Chapter Board of the Recording Academy, and is a passionate supporter of the Miami Girls Rock Camp.
For news and upcoming events visit the Sweat blog and website at sweatrecordsmiami.com or follow Lolo on Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, and Discogs.
The beginning, age 16:
