Story & Lesson Highlights with Markel Badallo of Hollywood

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Markel Badallo. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Markel, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Honestly? A more balanced life. I know that sounds simple, but it’s been one of the hardest things I’ve worked on. Since music is my passion, the lines between work and life get really blurry, I can easily lose myself in it for hours without realizing I’m neglecting other parts of my life. For the longest time, I was just overfocused on work because it never felt like work, you know?
But I’ve been putting real effort into investing time in myself, doing sports regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, things like that. It’s still a work in progress, and I definitely have a long way to go, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made. It’s one of those things nobody sees because it’s not a finished product or an achievement you can point to. It’s just me trying to show up for myself in ways I wasn’t before.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Markel Badallo, a music producer and engineer based in LA. I love working across different worlds, from commercial music to immersive sound design and music for video games. This last year has been incredible; I’ve been fortunate to work on a lot of successful Latin projects, but I’m really looking forward to opening my borders and diving into more music from Europe and expanding my video game work.

I’ve got a ton of projects in the making for next year that I can’t wait to share. I think what makes my profile a bit different is that I’m classically trained, but I grew up listening to Latin music, hip-hop, and rock. Then I learned music engineering and producing alongside classical composition, so the skill set ends up being this interesting mix of worlds that don’t usually overlap. Basically, I’m a nerd who can’t stick to just one lane and I love that about what I do.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Moving to America alone at an early age was probably the biggest one. It completely took me out of my comfort zone in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Then, after some years, I moved again — this time from the East Coast to the West Coast — and that brought its own set of challenges.
Going through all of that — the adventures, the struggles, being sick, dealing with loneliness, but also experiencing real successes — it really makes you appreciate what you have. When you’re forced to rebuild your life more than once, you start to see things differently. You get perspective on what’s truly important. It’s not always comfortable, but those experiences shaped how I see the world and what I value now.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yeah, of course. During the pandemic, I felt really tempted to just go back home and stay there. Being so far away when everything felt uncertain was incredibly hard. I’ve also had family problems that were really difficult to handle from a distance — you feel helpless when you can’t be there physically.
And then there are those moments when some of your closest friends decide to leave. That hits differently when you’re already far from home. Your friends become your family when you’re living abroad, so when they go, it can feel like you’re starting over again. There have definitely been moments where I questioned whether it was all worth it, whether I should just pack it up and go home. But somehow, I kept pushing through.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I want to build a musical bridge between back home and LA. Bringing European projects to America and then American artists to Europe — creating that exchange and being able to spend at least a quarter of the year there.
I believe that’s how I can give back to the community. Making both industries more diverse, exposing artists to different sounds and perspectives they wouldn’t normally encounter. It’s not something that’ll happen overnight, but it’s something I’m really committed to, no matter how long it takes. I think there’s so much potential when you connect these worlds that don’t always talk to each other, and I want to be part of making that happen.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing? 
Not trying to be the best version of myself and becoming a true pro at what I do — the kind of pro that has that top 1% skill level. To get there, you have to continuously keep learning no matter how good you are. Having an open mind and absorbing everything from the people around you who are better than you.
And for that, not having an ego is crucial. You need to surround yourself with people who are way better than you to be able to get to their level. If you let your ego get in the way, you close yourself off from growth. I’d regret not pushing myself to reach that level, not being humble enough to learn, or not putting myself in rooms where I’m the least experienced person. That’s where the real growth happens.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markelbadallo/

Image Credits
Markel Badallo