Fashioning the Future With: Desarae Gabrielle
A coder and a music magazine founder, Desarae Gabrielle is cooler than cool. Desarae is a software engineer and the force behind Inspirer.life which she created in 2016. Inspirer, which you can get both digitally and in print at Barnes and Noble, reports on amazing female musicians. This must-read magazine and wickedly awesome website features both new artists as well as icons of rock and roll history. If you love music and female empowerment, you'll adore Inspirer. Check it out and be inspired!
Speaking of inspiring, Desarae is just that, as her rather rad resume reveals. Desarae previously reported the music circuit for YahooTV covering festivals as well as being a regular contributor. She's fluent in not only a bunch of coding languages but she also speaks French and Spanish. Desarae now works as a senior front-end engineer and has been a full stack developer and web developer in the past.
We love that Desarae's interests show you can have varying skillsets, goals, and talents; there's no reason to force yourself into one box! What can we say? Desarae Gabrielle rocks our socks!
What interested you first: music or coding?
I can honestly say they both coincided -- I started coding at 13 years old, mainly teaching myself the tricks of the trade to build fan sites for artists and entertainment figureheads; I’ve always had an affinity for music so it made sense that both realms would eventually intersect.
How did you get into coding?
I took dance lessons all my life, and when I decided to leave that hobby behind I picked up interest in coding. My uncle is a well-known security engineer in the tech world, so I feel he had a major influence in my foray into technology.
Can you talk a little bit about what it’s like being a Full Stack Developer?
I’m currently working as a senior front-end engineer, but in the past I’ve held full stack developer roles. I truly like being able to work on a feature in a well-rounded way; so full stack development can be very fulfilling if you have the right skillset. You need to be able to understand the entire infrastructure of your codebase to be a successful full stack dev; you are going to be in charge of making sure the feature/story you’re assigned to is scoped out from beginning to end, and all requirements are met. You’re kind of a one-woman/man show, which can be scary at times.
What is your favorite thing coding/web development?
I love that it is ever evolving. You can’t get stagnant in development, because things are constantly changing.
Are you, yourself, a musician?
I’ve taken a few piano classes in my time, and I can read music for it. But I definitely do not consider myself a musician in the slightest.
What inspired you to launch Inspirer?
Around three years ago I saw a need in the publishing space for a magazine that gave women the opportunity to speak their truths unfiltered, in turn, it allowed them to be in charge of their narrative without any spin for publicity. I was also working in a back-end position at the time and needed a creative outlet, I had no idea that in one short year Inspirer would land a publishing deal. I took the chance one day and sent the magazine to a circulator, which distributes popular magazines, and was offered the publishing contract within a week. Launching Inspirer taught me many lessons in business, and in personal relationships. It’s been a very life-altering journey.
What has been your favorite thing about showcasing female musicians?
Getting to know them! It’s amazing to talk to someone and figure out what makes them tick, why they are so passionate, and why they chose to turn poetry into song.
Who are some of your favorite musicians?
I’m a huge fan of the classic rock era, I’ve followed bands like Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Eagles, Heart and Blondie for ages. Artists like Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty have definitely impacted my life in big ways.
What’s your favorite music festival?
My favorite music festival so far -- that I’ve attended -- has been British Summer Time in Hyde Park in London. I traveled there in 2017 for the music festival and it was well worth the trip
Which musician has a fashion style you admire or particularly enjoy?
I believe my style kind of emulates a cross between Stevie Nicks (70’s era) and Lana Del Rey. But I do put my own spin on my outfits, but they are huge style inspirations. I basically mainly shop at Free People, Urban Outfitters, Reformation and Revolve.
What advice do you have for younger girls (middle and high school) who want to go into STEM?
Do not be afraid to ask for a mentor. The best thing I’ve ever done is ask questions when I don’t know something. There are SO many spaces for women in STEM; and I feel I’ve excelled in my career because of the female support system I’ve found in the tech space. Also, make sure to always have a side project to work on, it helps to keep yourself excited about creating while learning.
Do you have any favorite fictional musicians and/or coder characters in books/movies/other art forms?
My favorite fictional rock band is Stillwater from the film Almost Famous.
If you were a superhero, what would your go-to wearable tech device be?
Probably some type of device that would show me instantly what bugs are present in a website, kind of like a super powerful debugger.
Find Inspirer on the web, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Be sure to also follow Gabrielle on Instagram. She's a self-proclaimed "huge insta-story fan," and we know we will be on the lookout for her IG stories!