Editing Sarah Lewitinn

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}

{{Infobox person
| name               = Sarah Lewitinn
| image              = 
| caption            = 
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1980|02|03|mf=yes}}
| birth_place        = New York City, U.S.
| other_names        = Ultragrrrl
| birth_name         = Sarah Lewitinn
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| occupation         = Music Director <br> [[Music journalism|Music journalist]]<br> blogger
| years_active       = 1995–present
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Daniel Patterson (chef)|Daniel Patterson]]|2022}}
| children           = 
| website            = [http://www.ultragrrrl.com Ultragrrrl.com]
}}

'''Sarah Lewitinn''' (born February 3, 1980), also known by her nickname '''Ultragrrrl''', is an American record producer, music critic, DJ, blogger, and music director for the Canadian fashion brand, Aritzia. She began her career as an assistant [[editing|editor]] at ''[[Spin Magazine]]'', and soon helped champion rock bands like [[My Chemical Romance]] and [[The Killers]], which led to her starting her own record label, Stolen Transmission. In 2006, ''[[New York Magazine|New York]]'' magazine named Lewitinn as one of the most "influential people in music", citing that "Like it or not, she has more power than any print music critic.".<ref name="Influential">{{cite web|url=http://www.nymag.com/news/features/influentials/16905/|title=The Most Influential People in Music|date=May 3, 2006 |publisher=New York Magazine}}</ref>

==Biography==
Born in New York City to [[History of the Jews in Egypt|Egyptian-Jewish]] parents, Lewitinn was raised and educated in [[Tenafly, New Jersey]].<ref>Anderman, Jaon. [http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2006/11/05/power_trio/ "Power Tri: Meet three examples of a new breed of record company talent hunter. In a downsized, downloading industry, they need more than good ears to put out great music."], ''[[The Boston Globe]]'', November 5, 2006. Accessed May 28, 2009.</ref> She began her career as a teenager writing for the [[AOL]]-based [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] Kidz site before interning at Spin Magazine. It was at that time she received the moniker of "Ultragrrrl", by which she continues to be known. After briefly working at the defunct [[Kurt Andersen]]-run [[Inside.com]] in 1999, Lewitinn was hired as an assistant to Michael Hirschorn at [[VH1]]. Lewitinn graduated with a degree in Advertising and Marketing from [[Fashion Institute of Technology]] in 2001.

In 2002, she was the first manager for both rock bands [[stellastarr*]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Tricia |date=2007-03-06 |title=In Defense of Ultragrrrl |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2007/03/06/in-defense-of-ultragrrrl/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=The Village Voice}}</ref> and [[My Chemical Romance]],<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=2021-10-25 |title=How a Sucker Punch Fueled the Rise of My Chemical Romance |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/my-chemical-romance-rise-book-excerpt-sellout-dan-ozzi-1247331/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> both prior to their first major record deals. Her blog, Ultragrrrl.com (launched in July 2003), further established her as a taste-maker in the New York indie rock scene, as did her early championing of the rock band [[The Killers]] before they were signed to [[Island Def Jam]]. She returned to Spin several months later, this time as an assistant editor with her own column, "Making out with Ultragrrrl."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewitinn |first=Sarah |date=2004-08-14 |title=Making Out with Ultragrrrl: Ben Kweller |url=https://www.spin.com/2004/08/making-out-ultragrrrl-ben-kweller/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=SPIN |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2005, Lewitinn quit Spin to start her own record label, [[Stolen Transmission]] in partnership with Island Def Jam and [[Rob Stevenson]], the Island Def Jam [[A&R]] executive responsible for signing [[The Killers]] as well as [[Fall Out Boy]], [[Thrice]], and [[The Bravery]]. Bands which were signed or had releases by Stolen Transmission include [[Oohlas|The Oohlas]], [[The Horrors]], [[Playradioplay|PlayRadioPlay!]], [[Monty Are I]], [[Permanent ME]], [[Schoolyard Heroes]], The Photo Atlas, [[Innerpartysystem]], and Bright Light Fever. Though Stolen Transmission severed its official relationship with Island Def Jam in December 2007,<ref>[http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=51047542] {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Lewitinn edited IDJ's parent company [[Universal Music Group]]'s short-lived website, Dance Hall.

In January 2008, Lewitinn, along with Stevenson, launched [http://forthewinmedia.com For The Win! Media], an Internet marketing company focused on promoting bands and Web sites. Clients have included [[Pet Shop Boys]], [[Lady Sovereign]], [[The Verve]] and [[The Futureheads]] as well as the film "[[Anvil! The Story of Anvil]]". However, in August 2008, Stevenson was named president of [[EMI]]'s [[Virgin records|Virgin US]] label. In November 2008, Lewitinn became a featured presenter and on-air talent for [[Fuse TV|FUSE]]'s show "Fuse On Tour" where she presents "The Ultragrrrl Report". Lewitinn left for The Win! Media in 2009 and is now a member of the Digital Strategy Team at the [[public relations]] firm [[Edelman (firm)|Edelman]].<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://twitter.com/ultragrrrl/status/7969542748 |title=Twitter / ultragrrrl: For those asking, I'm part |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2010-01-19 |accessdate=2014-08-08}}</ref> Sarah provided a lot of smart counsel at Edelman but she was often criticized for throwing around the F bomb and not being "office trained."

Lewitinn is also a DJ and, along with New York-based publicist Karen Ruttner, threw a weekly party also called "Stolen Transmission" at various locations on [[Manhattan|Manhattan's]] [[Lower East Side]], including [[Pete Wentz|Pete Wentz's]] bar, Angels & Kings.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=BrooklynVegan|title=Ultragrrrl laid off, Stolen Transmission 'indie' again |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/ultragrrrl-laid/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=BrooklynVegan |date=December 3, 2007 |language=en}}</ref> The Stolen Transmission party won two [[PAPER Magazine|Paper Magazine]] Nightlife Awards for People's Choice Best Party in 2005 and 2006 and Lewitinn herself won People's Choice for Best Deejay those two years as well. In October 2009, Lewitinn went on tour as the backing DJ for [[Grammy]]-nominated [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] singer-songwriter [[Melanie Fiona]].<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://ultragrrrl.blogspot.com/2009/10/im-going-on-tour.html |title=Ultragrrrl: I'M GOING ON TOUR! |publisher=Ultragrrrl.blogspot.com |date=2009-10-18 |accessdate=2014-08-08}}</ref> Lewitinn also joined the 9th annual Independent Music Awards judging panel to assist independent musicians' careers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/imajudges2010.asp |title=2010 Judges |publisher=Independent Music Awards |accessdate=2014-08-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001005627/http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/imajudges2010.asp |archivedate=October 1, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref>

Lewitinn has published two books, both released by Simon Spotlight, a division of [[Simon & Schuster]]. Her first was "[https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-DJ-Sarah-Lewitinn/dp/1416907238 The Pocket DJ]", a guide to "building the best music library", divided into "Essential Genres" the best music of certain eras and genres, "Essential Artists" a list of musicians who are important to pop culture or have "a profound influence on music" including such diverse artists as [[Eminem]], [[The Beatles]], [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], [[Björk]] and [[Queen (band)|Queen]], "Celebrity Playlists", recommended music from DJs, musicians and others and "Other Playlists", a list of various situations with recommended songs for them, ranging from pool parties to playlists for going back to school. Her second book, "[https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Karaoke-Sarah-Lewitinn/dp/1416950907/ Pocket Karaoke]" featured karaoke song lists, including those contributed by [[Simon Le Bon]] of [[Duran Duran]] and [[Mikey Way]] of My Chemical Romance.

In January 2021, Lewitinn began a romantic partnership with the world-renowned chef, [[Daniel Patterson (chef)|Daniel Patterson]], after meeting the same month on a dating app during the [[coronavirus pandemic]]. They were married in August 2022, in [[Copenhagen]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zola Weddings |url=https://www.zola.com/wedding/lewitinnpattersonwedding |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=www.zola.com}}</ref> and live together in [[Los Angeles, CA]].

==In popular culture==
The character Natalie "Motorrrju" Levine from [[Marc Spitz]]'s 2006 novel ''Too Much, Too Late'', was based on Sarah "Ultragrrrl" Lewitinn.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heater |first=Brian |date=2014-06-03 |title=Record producer/DJ Sarah "Ultragrrrl" Lewitinn [RiYL 55] |url=https://boingboing.net/2014/06/03/record-producerdj-sarah-ul.html |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Boing Boing |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://ultragrrrl.com Ultragrrrl.com]
*[http://www.stolentransmission.com/ Stolen Transmission]
*[http://www.forthewinmedia.com/ For The Win! Media]
*[http://media.www.dailycampus.com/media/storage/paper340/news/2004/04/07/Focus/Spin-Editor.Reveals.What.Makes.Her.Work.Turns-653771.shtml The Daily Campus: "Spin Editor Reveals What Makes Her World Turn"]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewitinn, Sarah}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American bloggers]]
[[Category:American DJs]]
[[Category:American music industry executives]]
[[Category:American people of Egyptian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Record producers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:American women record producers]]
[[Category:Egyptian Jews]]
[[Category:Nightlife in New York City]]
[[Category:People from Tenafly, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Fashion Institute of Technology alumni]]