Check Out Mike Daley’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Daley.

Mike, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I think everything really started for me when I got kicked out of college. Up until that point, I was just toying around with producing on a cracked version of Fruity Loops. The real urgency to figure something out came when I had to leave U of A and get my life together. I moved back home with my parents in Chicago, started working on the floor of a stock exchange, and began researching engineering schools that could actually help me break into the industry. Full Sail was super expensive and a four-year commitment, but the Los Angeles Recording School was a nine-month program that guaranteed an internship—so my choice was clear. I was heading to Hollywood.

Fast forward nine months, and I didn’t have an internship lined up, which meant I couldn’t graduate. I started applying everywhere. I bombed my first interview—and thank God I did—because my second interview was with The Underdogs at an incredible studio down the street in Hollywood. I couldn’t have landed in a better situation.

My first few weeks on the job, I was picking up food for artists like Chris Brown, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake in between cleaning the studio and scrubbing bathrooms. I realized quickly that if I wanted to grow under The Underdogs, I had to outwork everyone. It sounds cliché, but I was the first one there and the last one to leave. I was clocking so many hours they eventually put me on salary.

It took me four years to go from being a runner to getting signed as a music producer, but I was constantly moving up—more responsibilities, raises, and promotions. I never felt like I was stuck. Once I got signed, I felt fully primed for what I’d been chasing all along. I started stacking up co-production credits—my first placement was with Chris Brown—while still running the studio as the “studio manager.” I was still the first one in and last one out, only now I was actually making the music instead of just watching it happen.

I was signed to The Underdogs for four years before I finally went out on my own, which was terrifying. I had spent eight years working in that studio where everything was set up for me to succeed—but I wanted more. I felt like I could compete with other producers in the industry.

While I was still signed, I went to Korea in 2013 and worked on some K-pop for the first time. That trip was incredible—we landed a few successful records and kept going back twice a year. I built strong relationships with the label out there, so when I went out on my own, getting back to Korea became the first big move I focused on.

I got flown out to another producers camp and ended up landing the single “1 of 1” for SHINee. That placement opened the door for me to start running my own camps and bringing in my own writers. My first camp as the lead producer, we made “BOSS” for NCT—and that really helped establish me as a hitmaker. I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since: more singles, more releases, more everything.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. I still remember someone telling me that people at McDonald’s were making more than I was when I was a runner. But one thing about people from Chicago—we’re going to find a way.

Outside of just living check to check for so long, the actual music part was something I always struggled with. I didn’t grow up playing a bunch of instruments, singing in choirs, or performing in church like a lot of my peers. I started producing at 20 years old, and I’ve been chasing people who started when they were five. That came with a lot of impostor syndrome. Between starting as an intern and eventually getting signed as a producer, I must’ve quit making music in my head a hundred times. I’d walk into the studio and see these guys producing at such a high level, and it just felt like I was never going to catch up.

At one point, I actually pivoted into management because I thought, okay, maybe I’m not the talent—but I know people, and I can help the talent. When some of those situations didn’t work out, I was kind of forced to bet on myself. And honestly, if any of those management plays had gone the way we planned, I don’t think I’d be producing music today.

One of the hardest things was shaking the image people had of me as “just” a runner or an assistant. It took time to get people to see me as a legitimate producer who could actually deliver hits. I think starting from the bottom—literally cleaning bathrooms and grabbing food—ended up being both my superpower and my kryptonite. It gave me the confidence that I’ve truly earned my spot. But at the same time, it made it hard for some people to see me as anything beyond the guy who kept the studio running.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At this point in my career, I’d say producing K-pop is what I specialize in. I think I have over 60 K-pop records out now. What got me there in the first place was working in the R&B and hip-hop space—artists like Chris Brown, Tamar Braxton, and Pink Sweat$, to Rockie Fresh, Rick Ross, and Wale. K-pop is such a melting pot of genres—sometimes all in one song—so you really have to know how to pull from different styles and make them blend. That’s something I’ve learned over the years from being around and studying some of the best producers in the game.

I think I’m probably most known for producing some of the bigger K-pop singles over the past decade—especially with artists like NCT and Stray Kids. Songs like “BOSS,” “Regular,” and “EASY” stand out as milestones for me.

What I’m most proud of, though, is starting from the bottom and building my name from scratch. Like I mentioned earlier, it took a long time but I don’t feel like I cut any corners getting to where I am.

And I think what sets me apart is the longevity. I produced my first K-pop single in 2013, and I’ve followed it up with more singles and placements every year since. It’s easy to have a good year in this industry—but you don’t see a lot of people have a good decade.

One more thing I’d add is doing good business. I try to take care of people in this industry. That matters—especially in a business that can sometimes feel like the wild west, where you really have to watch out for scammers and bad actors. Integrity goes a long way.

What matters most to you?
What matters most to me, honestly, is family. I’m super close with my own family, my wife’s family, my brother-in-law’s family, and even the families of my closest friends. Maybe it’s the impostor syndrome talking, but none of this—career, success, any of it—really means much to me without family around. Spending time with them is what keeps me grounded and keeps me going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://genius.com/artists/Mike-daley
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChiMike/
• Twitter: https://x.com/chimike_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikedaley23
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@chimike7210