Snoop Dogg’s ice cream brand Dr. Bombay has selected its first international taste-tester after a global search that drew 350,000 applications. The winner is Annabelle Traves, a professional violinist based in Dubai but born in Brisbane, Australia.
From Carnegie Hall to Ice Cream Testing
Traves secured the three-month remote position through a recruitment process managed by global HR platform Deel. She will earn approximately $30,000 US dollars (AU$42,650) for her work helping the American ice cream brand expand into new markets.
Before her unexpected turn toward frozen desserts, Traves built a reputation performing at prestigious venues including Amsterdam’s Het Concertgebouw, New York City’s Carnegie Hall, and the Sydney Opera House. In the pop and rock worlds, she has supported acts like Delta Goodrem, Bruce Springsteen, and Michael Buble on tour.
That musical background clearly played a role in her successful application. Traves submitted a violin cover of the hit song “Young, Wild, and Free” by Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and Bruno Mars to help her stand out from the crowd.
Read Also: Bakers Delight to open 40 new sites
“I never thought I had a shot, firstly,” Traves said. “But I definitely am the sort of person who, no matter if the odds aren’t looking very good, I’m just gonna give it a go anyway.”
A Remote Onboarding Process
Deel and Dr. Bombay reduced the initial pool of 350,000 applicants to 50 finalists, each of whom was interviewed by the platform. Ultimately, it was Snoop Dogg himself who delivered the news to Traves through a personalized video message.
Traves admitted she had initial concerns about eligibility given her location. “Snoop Dogg is obviously based in LA. I don’t have a visa for the States. I’m an Aussie living in Dubai. So I was kind of thinking, ‘Can I even apply for this?'”
Despite these concerns, Deel signed her up for the role within 48 hours. “I’ve never been part of an onboarding process like that,” she said.
Deel co-founder and CEO Alex Bouaziz highlighted the speed of the hiring process in a statement announcing Traves’ appointment. “Attracting, sifting through applications, hiring and onboarding talent for a challenge like this used to take months,” he noted. “Instead, we had Annabelle signed and ready to go just two days after she accepted the job.”
Read Also: Balance that keeps remote teams from burning out
Playing to Her Strengths
Traves credited her success to staying true to herself rather than pretending to have expertise she lacked. “One thing that has been really interesting across my international career as a violinist that applies to this completely unexpected thing with Snoop, is that you need to always play to your strengths,” she explained.
“It’s very important to do that. You can wait around for the opportunity to come, or you can really put yourself out there. And I think with the application, I had the choice of maybe trying to pretend that I knew lots about the intricacies of ice cream and how it’s made, or I could stick to my guns and do what I know I can do well.”
US food scientist and consultant Maya Warren, holder of the position ‘Ice Cream Scientist’ for Dr. Bombay, stated that the brand sought someone with a fresh perspective. Traves “shares our curiosity and excitement for discovering the flavours, traditions and experiences that make ice cream special around the world,” said Warren.
Traves is now looking forward to actually testing new flavours, taking inspiration from Dr. Bombay’s approach to nostalgic American desserts. “Lamington or pavlova, or something like that, could be really interesting to throw in the mix,” she said.