ACL JOURNEY
MUSIC FESTIVAL
Building My Future at Austin City Limits Festival With Teens Media Network
TMN Creator Aja Haywood at ACL Music Festival. Photo y Pablo Herrera for TMN.
This weekend, I get to experience Austin City Limits Music Festival with a press pass for the first time with TMN. For me, this isn’t just about being in the crowd. It’s a chance to step into the career I want to build: interviewing people, capturing moments, and telling the stories that make live music more than just sound.
AUSTIN, TX. By Aja Haywood
I can’t wait to see artists like Cage the Elephant, Role Model, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, and Phantogram. Each of them represents a different side of music. I want to capture their performances and explore the atmosphere that surrounds them. What does it feel like to stand in the middle of thousands of fans, all connected by one song? That’s the kind of experience I hope to write about and share.
What excites me most is the culture and connection I’ll find in Austin’s creative spaces. ACL is the heartbeat of this city, and I want to immerse myself in it. I hope to discover new genres of music, meet people who see the world differently, and let those experiences shape the way I create.
ACL is going to be loud, sweaty, and unforgettable! But for me, it’s more than a weekend of music. It’s an opportunity to grow, to connect, and to start building the future I’ve been working toward.
“This press accreditation feels like a stepping stone in my journey as a journalist and content creator. Every interview, every photo, every conversation with an artist or festivalgoer is practice in building the career I want — one where I bring stories to life and connect people through them.”
Hit play and join us
Visit our ACL YouTube playlist with 50+ videos — interviews and crowd moments — and follow along for exclusive ACL 2025 coverage and more. Every view helps us create real opportunities for the next generation of young creators.
Phoenix performing at ACL 2023. Photo: Nell Carroll/American-Statesman.
Thanks to Colectivo Piloto , our main sponsor, and to ACL Music Festival for supporting our educational mission and making this coverage possible.
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