Every year for the past 21 years Five of Five Entertainment and California State University, Northridge, host a search for Artist of the Year and this year the winner is ScaryPoolParty.

Alejandro Aranda created ScaryPoolParty after attending a party and ultimately deciding to become a musician. The Pomona native was voted by the audience that attended the Artist of the Year showcase. During the performance, Aranda played songs that had deep meanings, for example, one song performed dealt with divorce. Although Aranda was nervous, the style of the performance created interactions with the audience including suggestions as to which songs Aranda should play for the last song.

“My experience was great,” Aranda said about the showcase. “The whole night ran smoothly and everyone was super nice.”

Aranda draws inspiration from several different artists such as John Martyn, Nine-Inch Nails and Dead can Dance. Aranda became inspired to create music when he saw a band called, Backtrack, and seeing that music can create powerful emotions that can change a person’s life.

For the past two years Aranda has been working on music and even though nerves set in during the showcase, the audience chose ScaryPoolParty. However, Aranda did not create music to become an artist. Instead, Aranda just began playing the guitar along with the piano out in the street and after work when in need to vent then, gained a passion for music.

“The amount of energy in the room was beyond amazing,” Aranda said. “It made me happy to know how music can change people.”

Since Aranda won Artist of the Year, Five of Five Entertainment will now devote its resources to expand the audience volume, increase public profile and can strengthen engagement, according to the website.

“I just hope I gain more passion from music,” Aranda said. “I hope to keep growing and learning until I get old,”

According to Zoe Galasso, assistant director of marketing, 38 students work with the Artist of the Year and use a variety of marketing tools. The first half of the year, Five of Five Entertainment and the students focus on finding the Artist of the Year and the second half focuses all the resources towards the one artist or group, said Galasso.

“There are four departments, Marketing, Production, A&R and Events,” Galasso said. “Each have specialized goals to help our artist grow and ultimately with the intention to be signed by a professional label company.”