Today we’d like to introduce you to Nacho Larraza.
Hi Nacho, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Although there was music playing most times while growing up in Madrid, no one in my family played instruments. So it all began when my little brother got Guitar Hero as a Christmas present, he didn’t use it as much but I got addicted. Not too long after, I got my first guitar at the age of 13 (2008). I spent the rest of my High School years learning songs (John Frusciante and Blink 182 were my main influences, and I guess they still are to this day), taking lessons and playing in multiple local bands. By the time I was 18 (2017) and the moment to chose a carrier path actually came, I decided, with my parent’s support, to move to Barcelona where I pursued further guitar studies at L’ Aula de Musica Moderna I Jazz. It was in Barcelona where I joined the band “Lancaster” with which I got to tour the UK for two times as well as to open for “All Time Low” and “Panic! at The Disco”. During my time with the band, I learned professionalism, brand identity and I also got my first experiences in professional recording studios. Without really knowing what I was doing, I produced our latest single, “Dig Me Up” and by that time my interest for writing, producing and recording songs was growing fast.
The opportunity to continue my studies at Berklee College Of Music came my way (2017) and so I spent the next three years learning Music Production and Engineering as well as fighting to get my credits transferred from my previous school to this new one (I lost that fight…). During my time in Berklee, I got the chance to precisely find the path of what I wanted to do and to develop the skillset that would allow me to move down that path. I made amazing friends and connections that allowed me to collaborate and expand my boundaries as a creative. By May 2020, I graduated from Berklee, and by August I moved into my friend Luca’s couch in Los Angeles. Two weeks later, I got recommended to be an audio Engineer for multi-platinum artist and songwriter Raja Kumari (author of songs like “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy, “Change Your Life” by Iggy Azalea any many more for artists such as Knife Party, 5th Harmony, Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.) I have been recording all her vocals since then and I’m now also contributing heavily in the music production side of the project. Throughout the Berklee years and recent months, I’ve worked with amazing artists like Tristan Simone, Aseem, Bade, Agoney, MarkL and most importantly for me lullaboy.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think my biggest obstacle or challenge was to learn to deal and live with uncertainty. At the early stages of my carrier (I guess earliest stages, I think I’m pretty early in my carrier still, hahah) I would always stress and overthink about the future and how I was going to be making a sustainable living with what I was doing. The truth is that obviously, I could not know. The only thing I could do is keep going and hope for the best, and that was challenging for the insecure kid I used to be (still am, just not as much though). Now looking back at some moments and seeing that pattern of uncertainty and positive outcome repeat calms me down and has allowed me to not try to control that outcome as much, but rather do my best and put myself in the hands of life, pretty philosophic, but in the end, at least for me, most of the best things that have happened in my life, I was not in control of so…
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I guess my work is producing and engineering music, which to me, they’re both different sides of one same task which is to capture a feeling into music as vividly as possible. Whether it is recording a great vocal performance, choosing instruments or parts, or mixing a record it all comes down to the same question to me, is this you are doing and the way you are doing it helping enhance the artistic expression and intention of this piece of music? I’d like to think that my job is to keep that question upfront and to make the right choices so the answer is yes.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Send an email! [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nacholarraza/
