“I religiously listen to albums, not just singles or Spotify, like full discographies,” Baine said. “I taught myself how to play guitar and sing. There’s no formal education there; it’s just listening and trial and error. Music is a really big part of my life.”
That personal relationship with music now places Baine at the center of one of Flagler College’s newest creative initiatives. A student songwriter and acoustic guitarist, Baine is both the student president of First City Records and one of five artists selected for the label’s inaugural Artists of the Year program.
First City Records is a student-run record label housed within a one-credit experiential learning course that operates under the guidance of faculty advisor Dr. Yvan Kelly. For Baine, the program represents a rare opportunity to merge leadership, creativity, and collaboration while gaining firsthand experience in the music industry.
A Different Kind of Student Experience
First City Records was developed over several years by faculty advisor Dr. Yvan Kelly, who envisioned the program as an academic experience rather than a traditional student club.
Bringing that vision to life required more than coursework. It required resources. Those resources came through donor support from Carl Florez, whose decision to fund the student-run record label was driven by a lifelong passion for music and a desire to honor the legacy of his late son, Mike.
“It’s an academic class. It’s not a club,” Dr. Kelly said. “It’s a one-credit class, open to all majors, there’s no prerequisites. And the goal is to have experiential learning. A project for the students. So instead of just talking about what a record label does, we do it.”
The program launched as a two-semester initiative, with the fall semester focused on organization and artist auditions, and the spring centered on production, promotion, and release.
“What we’re going to do is we’re going to go down to Eclipse Recording Studio here in town,” Kelly said. “Each student is going to do one song, and then in the spring, we’re going to release an Extended Play (EP) of this compilation of songs. We’re going to do marketing and promotion, all those kinds of things, photo shoots, all the stuff that a label would do.”
Students are also responsible for registering songs with the Mechanical Licensing Collective, planning live events, and developing merchandise.
“So, it involves a combination of skills and talents that we think people from different majors can bring,” Kelly said. “We have the creative side, graphic design, web design, and photography. We’ve got the business side looking at copyrights, registrations, and royalties, and signing contracts. We have event planning and event management. A little bit of retail with merchandise.”
Kelly said the goal is to expose students to the behind-the-scenes work that happens long before music reaches an audience.
“Almost everybody listens to music, everybody enjoys music, but what has to go on before you get to hear that music?” Kelly said. “And that’s the part that they get to see and be involved in.”
Leading While Creating
As president of First City Records, Baine plays a central role in guiding the organization’s direction and ensuring its day-to-day operations run smoothly.
“So, my role as president is chairing the meetings and keeping the direction of the organization going,” Baine said. “I meet with Dr. Yvan Kelly every week and we talk about strategy, and during meetings I make sure everything’s moving in the right direction and people are in the right place within First City Records.”
That structure allows students to contribute to areas that best align with their strengths.
“If someone is really good at business, they’re on the business side,” Baine said. “If they have production skills, they’re in production. It depends on what they are either skilled at or passionate about.”
Balancing leadership with his own role as an artist requires intentional separation, something Baine said he prioritizes.
“I try to keep my role as president and my role as an artist separate,” Baine said. “Even with my own music, I want other people to be involved. I don’t want to be this overbearing presence.”
Becoming an Artist of the Year
Baine was selected as one of five Artists of the Year, alongside Shayla Nelson, Parada, Last Resort, and Anna Plum. Each artist will record one original song, culminating in a collaborative EP set for release this spring.
“It was an honor to be selected by my peers,” Baine said. “We haven’t done much recording yet, but I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want the song to be and playing it repeatedly.”
For Baine, releasing music through a record label carries personal significance.
“Music is a very personal thing,” Baine said. “Anyone who’s written a song knows that it’s a part of them. Allowing that to be distributed and made public is a big deal. Giving students the opportunity to share their music through an actual record label is huge.”
His sound is rooted in British classic rock traditions, shaped by years of listening and experimentation in his hometown of Ipswich, England.
“As a musician myself, it’s a kind of rock and roll, classic stuff,” Baine said. “I take a lot of inspiration from classic British rock. The Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Stone Roses, and also 90s rock bands like Oasis. All that sort of stuff.”
Looking Ahead
Beyond individual releases, Baine sees the inaugural group as a foundation for what the label can become.
“This inaugural group is a really good foundation,” Baine said. “We’ve got three solo artists and two bands, which shows future artists that you don’t have to be in a band or have a fully complete sound.”
The EP release will be paired with a live event, and one or more artists may have the opportunity to perform at Flagler Fest.
“One of us potentially performing at Flagler Fest is a real possibility,” Baine said. “Flagler Fest is a really big deal. We’d be opening for legit artists.”
Looking ahead, Baine hopes the label continues to expand its impact.
“Right now, we’re doing five artists on one EP, but in the future, we might focus on one special act and build them an EP over the course of a year,” Baine said. “Promote them around town and see what venues they can play.”
For Baine, the long-term value of First City Records lies in access and collaboration.
“Anyone with any interest in music can be involved,” Baine said. “If you’ve got production skills, event management skills, or musical talent, that’s what we want.”
As the program continues to evolve, Baine hopes students see First City Records as a place to contribute, create, and grow.
“We want students to bring their passion, help us out, and really be part of building this together,” he said.
