Molly DeWolf Swenson

Molly DeWolf Swenson is an American entrepreneur, musician and Emmy-winning film producer. She is best known for being Co-Founder of LA-based media company RYOT which was acquired in 2016 by HuffPost / AOL (now Oath, Inc, a subsidiary of Verizon) and a contestant on Season 10 of American Idol while she was interning at The White House under President Barack Obama.[1]

Early life

DeWolf Swenson was born in Seattle, Washington to a doctor mother and a dancer father. She attended public high school Garfield High School and continued her education at Harvard, where she graduated with honors in 2010.[2] While in college, she was music director of the Harvard Opportunes, Harvard's oldest co-ed a cappella group, and co-founded the Women's Club Volleyball team.[3]

Career

From 2010 to 2011, DeWolf Swenson's worked in the Presidential Personnel Office at the White House, headhunting political appointees under President Barack Obama.[4] It was during her internship that she auditioned for American Idol, where she was considered an early top contender.[5] After American Idol, she was hired by Global Philanthropy Group[6] where she worked for celebrities like Shakira, Kobe Bryant and Ben Stiller on philanthropic strategy.[7] It was through Ben Stiller than she met Bryn Mooser and David Darg and co-founded RYOT in 2012, where they launched the company from a garage in Venice.[8] After becoming a prolific documentary, virtual reality and 360 video production studio, RYOT was acquired by HuffPost / AOL in April 2016.[9]

DeWolf Swenson was a producer on the Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated documentary short Body Team 12, now on HBO.

Variety broke the news that DeWolf Swenson was departing RYOT at the end of 2017, shortly after the magazine announced that she had become a Venture Partner in 3Rodeo, an entrepreneur-run seed fund.[10][11] [12] The publication also broke the news that in March 2018 that she was tapped to join Live Nation's Maverick as its first-ever "Chief Impact Officer."[13]

Music

Known by the stage name Molly DeWolf, she auditioned in Milwaukee in 2010 for Season 10 of American Idol, making it past Hollywood Week to the final Las Vegas round.[14]

On December 8, 2017, after a Los Angeles show opening for Kimbra, she released the first single from her debut album, 8 Seconds.[15] It has achieved critical acclaim across music publications and within the first week, earned a spot on the popular Spotify-curated "Indie Pop" playlist.[16] [17]

Filmography

Year Title Distributor Format Credit
2014 Mitimetallica Short Documentary Associate Producer
2014 Positive Short Documentary Associate Producer
2015 Gardeners of Eden Pivot (Participant Media) Feature Documentary Associate Producer
2015 Body Team 12 HBO Short Documentary Coordinating Producer
2016 Virtually Mike and Nora Hulu Virtual Reality Series Executive Producer
2016 The Big Picture: News in VR Hulu Virtual Reality Series Producer
2017 Fear Us Women Verizon go90 Short Documentary Associate Producer
2018 Door No. 1 Hulu Virtual Reality Series Executive Producer
2018 On Her Shoulders Feature Documentary

References

  1. ↑ Jacobson, Lynn (January 26, 2011). "Seattle native Molly DeWolf Swenson: From intern to 'Idol'". The Seattle Times.
  2. ↑ "Crimson Idol?". Harvard Magazine. February 11, 2011.
  3. ↑ Saint Louise, Elodie (November 10, 2015). "Opportunes Pop Champagne to 35 Years". Harvard Crimson.
  4. ↑ "Who Is Ian Somerhalder's New Lady, Molly Swenson?". Perez Hilton. April 21, 2014.
  5. ↑ Melisurgo, Len (January 27, 2011). "'American Idol' recap: Milwaukee auditions heavy on wackiness, also on talent". NJ.com.
  6. ↑ Colapinto, John (March 26, 2012). "Looking Good". The New Yorker.
  7. ↑ Hart, Alan (December 1, 2016). "There's A RYOT Going On, And The Ringleader Is CMO Molly Swenson". CMO.com.
  8. ↑ Tripp, Robbie (April 17, 2017). "4 Tips For Success From One of Silicon Beach's Most Creative Companies". Entrepreneur Magazine.
  9. ↑ Marshall, Jack (April 20, 2016). "Verizon's AOL Buys Virtual Reality Video Specialist RYOT". The Wall Street Journal.
  10. ↑ Roettgers, Janko (November 29, 2017). "RYOT Co-Founder Molly DeWolf Swenson Is Leaving Verizon's Oath". Variety Magazine.
  11. ↑ "Former Hulu exec Noah Heller launches new venture fund to focus on LA tech". Tech Crunch. November 27, 2011.
  12. ↑ Roettgers, Janko (November 27, 2017). "Departing Hulu VR VP Noah Heller Launches L.A. Tech Fund 3Rodeo". Variety Magazine.
  13. ↑ Spangler, Todd (March 15, 2018). "Live Nation's Maverick Taps RYOT Co-Founder Molly DeWolf Swenson for New Role". Variety Magazine.
  14. ↑ "'AMERICAN IDOL' RECAP: THE TOP 24 BEGIN TO EMERGE FROM SIN CITY". MTV. February 24, 2011.
  15. ↑ "KIMBRA AND MOLLY DEWOLF SHOWCASE NEW MUSIC AT AN INTIMATE PERFORMANCE AT THE WINSTON HOUSE". Grimy Goods. December 5, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Molly DeWolf releases brooding debut pop single "8 Seconds"". Earmilk. December 10, 2017.
  17. ↑ "molly dewolf talks "8 seconds," freddy mercury's influence". Imperfect Fifth. December 8, 2017.
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