On Friendship and Love for Music

When working on an album, I share many moments of vulnerability with an artist. They come to me with the music they’ve worked on for a long time, and often have songs about topics dear to their heart. Things can get quite personal. An album project last to over a year. During that time I get close to the other, and they get close to me.

To work the way I want to work, I create a space in which an artist can be totally vulnerable. It’s something I do in a myriad of ways. This means I open up to them too. As an effect, they can give their best and be their worst. This is not something that only the young or inexperienced artists need. When working with me, even Sevdaliza once told me she was so happy to finally be able to be vulnerable in the studio. Over the years I’ve found I can be quite porous - the advantage of that, is heaps of empathy and patience for everyone I work with.

What happens in the process, is that on a certain level, I fall a little bit in love with the artist, with their music and their playing. The music starts feeling like it is also my music. Even though I know it isn’t and working on it doesn’t change that. Feeling like this allows me to dive into the music and the story to the extent I need to do my work and to be who I need to be for the process. I’ve recently spoken about this to two artists I’ve been working with, Miriam Moczko and Francesca Lai. They are each from a very different background. I’ve worked with them on their albums for over a year and they have become very dear people to me. Both of them gave me back it is something they need just as much.

Miriam Moczko exploring the MS-20 synthesizer during a production session in my studio.