Check Out Lindsey Nico Mann’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Nico Mann.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in Southern California into a large eclectic family of many cultures. I spent much of my childhood writing stories and poetry, dancing, making videos, writing songs and putting on shows for friends and family, making a mess with paint and dressing up in my mom’s vintage costume collection.

When I was 15, I started as an actress represented by a small boutique agency in Santa Monica, CA by accident. I was at this LA Fashion Week event interning for Michael Costello. I brought designs and paintings I had collected and photo copied (with permission) from my friends to pitch my first entrepreneurial idea which was a non-profit clothing line concept to anyone willing to listen in between dressing models. I really wanted to enter the entertainment industry with a humanitarian message. This guy there had an agency, and so he said to come to their office to audition. I was in Catholic school at the time and really wanted an excuse to leave so I asked my mom to drive me up to LA on a weekend, and then got represented for a few years which taught me a lot about submissions to projects, auditioning, pitching and performing under pressure. I started the LA commute as soon as I got my license. The school let me leave sometimes for auditions, and I made a slideshow for my parents to let me move up to LA (they didn’t let me). For my 16th birthday, I asked for lessons at this well known acting studio in Studio City, and so began my commuter career all while exploring my teenage artistic identity. I soon got into the music video world first as a dancer for a Jeremih music video and made a lot of friends who I have included in my videos and collaborated with since.

I moved to Boston to go to college. I started DJing a local radio show which exposed me to plenty of bands, shows, venues and basements which then led me to being a contributor for a popular music blog there. I shot photos for albums and shows which helped get me into the town’s venues for free where I got free drinks and inspiration. I got sent a lot of records and music from local artists and concert invites, so despite being pretty broke it worked out great. I would then occasionally write and perform in various projects and had a lot of fun.

I took some time off of college, moved back to LA and got my start as a producer after going to help on sets for free and asking to join the crews which at the time were mostly men, so I wanted to add some feminine energy. I started to intern for a small independent studio at the time near Downtown LA while simultaneously working at a PR company. I began collaborating with other producers on their music videos and they let me rise in the ranks after proving myself through a lot of hard work which led me to getting to pitch to video commissioners, labels and artists.

I started more seriously collaborating with other directors, including friends from childhood, college and people I would meet through the universe, which landed some awesome music video/visual projects with more renown artists like Major Lazer, Sylvan Esso, Silk City (Mark Ronson, Diplo, and collaborators like Dua Lipa, Goldlink, Desiigner, Daniel Merriweather), Alice Glass, Dillon Francis, G-Eazy, Justin Bieber, Sophie Meiers and many more which led me to start my own indie studio and collective 19HAUS. During COVID, I continued to collaborate when possible, support artists remotely, create my own musical project “Sister Void”, help friends with their start-ups, paint here and there, raise animals etc.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not always. I’ve encountered all the problems you can probably guess or think of. I am grateful for all the moments that developed my self-regulation under pressure, without them I would not be as intuitive, strong, and streamlined in my process.

Over the years, I shape shifted from every role imaginable to make a project see the light of day. It definitely requires being a renaissance person. There have been growing pains in this journey, and at times things moved really fast while at other times really slow, and at certain times I wanted to kinda crawl into a hole and be left alone after a loooong project completion.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My company is 19HAUS which is a multi-disciplinary creative production service, studio and collective that pushes for diverse talent to be masters of their craft while continuing to gain education in new skills and give back to the community. My entire ethos behind the work of 19HAUS is always be curious, explore your talents to nurture your creativity, be great at something that you love to do, but don’t let one title limit you from discovering hidden talents and new skills. Be a forever student of the universe and always be willing to learn from and teach others.

I myself am an artist more known as a director-producer in the film and music industry. I tell stories, shoot analog film and digital, edit, produce, write, and create content and visual campaigns for artists, brands, and editorial publications.

For fun, I like to try new things. I’ve made songs, I write with musicians, DJ and compose music. I occasionally host community workshops, masterclasses, private training sessions and college internships via 19HAUS. I have shot and co-directed for editorial, commercial content for brands, production designed music videos and a feature film, styled, movement coached/choreographed, styled and danced. If you hang around long enough you’re bound to get asked to do a lot of different roles.

I am proud of the direction I gave on Silk City’s first album release that won a Grammy for “Electricity” featuring Dua Lipa. This was a high point because my collaborator and I did the entire roll-out and made videos and content for every song on the record. There were consecutive opportunities where I was able to travel and work alongside co-directing old format style videos which led to working on the tour visuals which headlined Governor’s Ball, and shooting my first vinyl cover. Years ago I co-directed Major Lazer’s “Jump” video and it was the biggest video I had directed/produced at the time which really opened up a world of trust and opportunity for me. Directing, executive producing and shooting 16mm film for Sylvan Esso’s song “Echo Party” was a very proud moment for me. Additionally, I created an ambitious 3 album roll out of videos and visualizers with Sophie Meiers via Epitaph records that we created during the pandemic as well that was super independent and fun.

A little over a year ago, I did my first official launch of my production company 19HAUS
by throwing a 2 night gallery show in DTLA showcasing 25 artists, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, drag queens, DJs, and performed my own music live for the first time. I also started to get hired as a DJ last year professionally for the first time after playing some very fun rooms and ended 2024 by playing a solo 1.5 hour set for Shrek Rave at Webster Hall which was a huge moment for me! This has been a fun journey.

I then took a break on performing during 2025 following the LA fires to focus on mutual aid and writing new projects while also taking a personal year. I am excited for what is to come in 2026.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
Most of my family was originally from East LA after their parents immigrated and so it has a rich history for me that goes beyond the entertainment industry. True Angeleno pride is something that runs deep with a rooted and rich history that has also overcome so much hardship and pain. I love Los Angeles with a passion and that will never change. From the food, the international cultures and neighborhoods, the art and entertainment industry alongside so many entrepreneurs and an insane geographical backdrop with perfect weather, it’s always a comfort to get to explore the world and come back to LA. I love how many transient people I’ve met who pass through from so many cities and cultures growing up. What I like least is the traffic and the idea of coming to LA to “become a star” which can make it feel corny and cliquey sometimes.

Surround yourself with authentic, genuine and kind people and you will love your journey in LA.

Pricing:

• Project based

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lindseynicomann.com and www.19ha.us
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lindseynicomann and www.instagram.com/19haus

Image Credits
Shane McCauley
Daniel Topete
Maia Saavedra
Blake Wright
Daniel Topete
Naseem Eskandari