Headliner USA 26

SoundOn is TikTok’s all-in one platform for music creators

Paul Watson CEO

Keith Watson Chairman

Rian Zoll-Kahn COO

Alice Gustafson Editor-in-Chief

Adam Protz Deputy Editor

Liz Wilkinson Content and Communications Manager

Rick Dickerson Reviews Editor

Marc Henshall Head of Digital

Grace Mcguigan

Artist Relations Manager

Rae Gray Head of Design

Remember a time before Chat GPT, or when you could watch a video without wondering if it’s AI-generated? It’s getting harder by the day, although perhaps it’s only something one pays attention to once it can assist you in taking that pesky thought process out of a task, or when it threatens your own livelihood. The music industry is no exception.

Artists, including Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John, have warned of devastating consequences for the creative sector if AI companies are allowed to scrape artists’ work without permission or compensation, while producer Timbaland has gone the other way. October saw the producer’s AI-generated artist, TaTa, launch her first music video. Thankfully for those still making music with a pulse, the song and video are as hollow and uninspired as they come, yet this feels like it’s just the opening act for AI-made “musicians.”

With any technology, naturally, boundaries will be explored, but at what cost? With AI artists, there are no songwriters to pay, no makeup or wardrobe team is required, no studio time needs to be booked, there’s no need for a manager, and no transport is needed to ferry them to shows. TaTa is the perfect investment for a label: an artist that requires no media training, never sleeps, eats, objects, ages, has any expenses, time off, or mental health

considerations. Sure, AI saves time, but if the industry embraces a world of virtual performers and algorithmic creativity, what are the ramifications for the music industry and all the people whose livelihoods depend on it?

Taking her own shortcut this month was Taylor Swift, whose The Life of a Showgirl album shot to its inevitable no.1 spot, which became the fastestselling album in history, moving over 4 million album-equivalent units in its first week, including 3.4 million pure sales. Impressive? Certainly. But releasing 34 versions of the same album in one week to achieve this raised eyebrows. This wasn’t just marketing, it was economics with a glitter gloss, turning fan devotion into a finely calibrated revenue stream, and a masterclass in how pop turns emotion into profit. Genius? Yes, but leaving even the most diehard Swifties questioning why loyalty comes at such a high price.

Over in the DJ world, this month’s cover sees superstar DJ James Hype open up about his early days of DJing, his futuristic SYNC live show, his continued success with new single Waterfalls, and his excitement about the new CDJ-3000X from AlphaTheta.

In film sound, Filipe Messeder takes us behind the scenes of the no.1 box office hit Weapons, which is available on VOD or Blu-Ray just in time for Halloween. From terrorizing

audiences in Dolby Atmos to sharing his favorite sonic moments in key scenes – including *that* ending –he also reveals the story behind the film’s uniquely unsettling soundscape device, nicknamed ‘the Rumbler’.

Elsewhere, Mae Stephens opens up about ADHD, going viral with If We Ever Broke Up, and giving intrusive thoughts a tiny voice in her new single, while composer Andrei Irimia reveals the resistance he’s had to overcome in the Romanian classical music scene.

Headliner also recently returned to champion the best up-and-coming talent the UK has to offer at Pub In The Park festival, while over in the studio world, Sean Genockey discusses going from touring with Moke in the ‘90s to producing Ronnie Wood’s new album.

Plus, we bring you the latest in live sound, emerging artists, pro audio, immersive audio, production sound, and more. Here’s hoping Halloween is the only thing that gives you chills this month, not the future of creativity itself…

Alice Gustafson Editor-in-Chief

By Adam Protz

By Alice Gustafson

By Adam Protz

64 COMPOSER

Andrei Irimia on the Romanian classical music scene and Obsidian

70 DRUMMER-TURNED-ENGINEER ROSS ROTHERO-BOURGE ON HIS GO-TO MICS

74 PALAIS DES BEAUX-ARTS INSTALLS L-ACOUSTICS L-ISA HYPERREAL SOUND SYSTEM

78 AUDIO FIT FOR AN EXTREME SPORTS FESTIVAL

80 DIVING INTO THE AUDIO MIX FOR INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING COMPETITION

84 HOTEL MONSUAU RAISES THE ROOF WITH REVAMPED SOUND AND LIGHTING

86 LARGEST HINDU TEMPLE IN U.S GETS UNIFIED COMMS

88 LECTROSONICS GETS TO WORK ON MEXICO’S THE OFFICE REMAKE

92 DIGICO’S SMALLEST MIXER MAKES BIG IMPACT WITH ED SHEERAN

96 INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Jonas Brothers’ former engineer on what executives can learn about leadership

THE ELDEST DAUGHTER

GATLIN

After leaving her deeply religious home state of Florida, Gatlin discovered herself as an alternative pop and Americana artist when relocating to Nashville, and then Los Angeles. After the huge success of singles such as What If I Love You, it’s all been building up to the release of her debut album, The Eldest Daughter, which deals with coming out, depression, and finding herself away from her religious upbringing. And with Taylor Swift’s recent album announcement, she learned that not only were they dropping records on the same day, but that the new Swift LP has a track called Eldest Daughter. She speaks to Headliner about her mixed emotions about that coincidence, and how her complicated relationship with her home state is the beating heart of her first album.

For an artist who has only been releasing music since 2019, it’s highly impressive that Gatlin was recently named Spotify’s GLOW Spotlight Artist for the month of September, showing what a rising star she is as an LGBTQ artist. This achievement was put up in big lights on a Times Square billboard in New York, only reiterating that Gatlin is one to watch. Her 2019 debut single was Maniac, which she followed with her debut EP Sugarcoated, which was far more

successful than your average first EP would ever aspire to be.

It’s essentially impossible to interview Gatlin and not have Florida come up. Despite moving to Nashville and then L.A. to pursue music, besides just being easier places to live as a gay person, her home state is still with her, whether it’s processing old things from her childhood, or a sense of place and home remaining a huge part of her lyrics and songwriting.

“Going back and writing my first album about who I am and where I come from, I have been able to realize and process a lot of complicated emotions with it,” she says, with her sentences ending in trademark L.A. vocal fry. “It’s definitely a right-wing political state to grow up in. But it’s also just weird. Florida makes a lot of headlines for being quite odd. I also have so much appreciation for my childhood and the way I grew up. It was fun getting to write about and process so much of where I grew up and why I am the way that I am.”

Reading the lyrics of one of her new singles, Jesus Christ and Country Clubs, it’s perhaps surprising to learn that Gatlin was raised in a religious household. “I really dove into Evangelical Christianity and found a lot of comfort in it at first, because it’s just an automatic belonging. There was a lot of Christian music and worship music when I was young. By the time I got into high school, I was

counting down the days until I could leave. I was feeling like the black sheep of the family then. High school is rough for a lot of people, though.”

Her first release in 2019, Maniac, shows an artist who was already so accomplished in her songwriting, lyrics, and finding a sound. It’s alternative pop that simultaneously shows the melancholy in Gatlin’s lyric writing and music, but still has the delight of listening to a pop song.

“It was my sophomore year of college,” she recalls. “I was a songwriting major in school, and just wrote the song and put it out. Then, I was in a class learning about music publishing, and I had told everyone that I had a song coming out. That evening, my professor was driving and heard it on the local radio. The local national radio had played it, and I think that was such a cool moment for a first song to come out.

“It felt very encouraging, and I thought, ‘Okay, maybe this is the right path, and I’m getting encouragement from this community.’”

A year later came Gatlin’s debut, sixtrack EP, Sugarcoated. It achieved the kind of streaming numbers that most artists take years and a series of EPs and albums to achieve.

Tracks like Talking To Myself see her unique blend of pop, hints of Americana and country, pop-rock, and modern production.

“People keep going back to these songs and are getting hyper-fixated with them,” she says. “I’ve even noticed now, a lot of people who have familiarity with me and my name, it is Sugar Coated that really brought them in and made them feel seen. I think people just go back to those songs again and again.”

She also noticed this was the first time she became connected to a certain Taylor Swift, at least algorithmically, on this occasion. It was the song What If I Love You? which stands out with streaming, and that was just the Spotify algorithm. We’ve never really found an exact explanation why, but anytime Taylor Swift would put out new music, that song would play after her new music, algorithmically. It’s so random, weird, unexplainable, and quite insane luck that no one could have created it; the algorithm just made it happen.”

Gatlin’s 2025 was heralded by the first single from The Eldest Daughter, If She Was A Boy. It’s a feel-good bop, with synth drums underpinning laidback guitars, a groovy bassline, and Gatlin’s subtle yet powerful vocal delivery.

In terms of choosing this as the song to launch the album campaign, she says, “It felt like a good reintroduction after a while of not putting out new music. This album feels like a new

era and a new version of me. This track is one of the poppiest, if not the poppiest, so it felt like a good bridge from my older music into more of the Americana rock, indie-leaning stuff. It felt light because a lot of the other tracks are lyrically very heavy topics. I actually wrote If She Was A Boy with a UK writer and producer, and we made it in London, which was really fun.”

Mentioning the heavier topics on the album nicely tees up Jesus Christ and Country Clubs, which deals with her Floridian upbringing.

Sonically, the tone is certainly darker, which is just as well, as she sings “I’d rather be out on the road left for dead than down there.”

“I had started processing everything after I moved to Nashville,” she recalls. “I was realizing who I am and realizing I was queer, and that I don’t have the same political or religious beliefs that I was raised with. That was really hard for the people I grew

up with to come to terms with. There was a lot of anger and pushback. So I wrote this song a little more out of anger, and the realization that I wasn’t going to fit into this way of thinking that people wanted me to. And it’s funny that it came out during this administration in America, because it’s really going against what’s happening in America right now: the type of Christianity you see within MAGA, and the hypocrisy of hate in the name of religion –I want no part of it..”

The Eldest Daughter dropped In October, and, like every other major event in the world that day, was overshadowed by the release of another album, The Life of a Showgirl by billionaire superstar Taylor Swift. And while Gatlin has inadvertently managed to jump on the algorithm coattails of the world’s most famous musician previously, she initially had mixed feelings, especially when she learned Swift even had a song on her album called Eldest Daughter. But she eventually came round to embrace the positives.

“WHAT IF I LOVE YOU HAD THE SPOTIFY ALGORITHM LOOKING OUT FOR ME AND FED IT TO SWIFTIES.”

“I was slightly conflicted at first,” she says. “I think a lot of artists find a lot of worth in their individuality. Initially, I was worried that my album wouldn’t be able to stand on its own and would always have this kismet connection to Taylor. What If I Love You had the Spotify algorithm looking out for me and fed it to Swifties. I’m forever grateful for that. After the initial shock, I shifted my perspective. This is someone I have been a lifelong fan of and who I heavily respect. I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic a few years ago, where she talks about ideas being alive and artists just being the vessels. I take this as a sign that I am sometimes tapped into whatever energy whirlpool that Taylor Swift is

in. Hayley Williams released a solo project recently and mentioned being an eldest daughter in her lyrics. It’s a year for the eldest daughters, and if I get to be a small part of that, then that’s pretty fucking sick.”

Bearing in mind Gatlin’s journey of self-discovery in both her personal and artistic life, she is the perfect person to ask what the phrase Play Out Loud means to her. “I would say to be loud about who you are and be proud of who you are. With this album and my music, it’s me proclaiming who I am as a person and what I believe in. And being loud and proud about that and sharing what I’ve made.”

The Eldest Daughter is out now — go and give it a listen to make a small dent in the numbers of the slightly more famous popstar who dropped her album on the same day.

“If you wanted to start with just one song, I’d say to start with If She Was A Boy,” Gatlin concludes. “It’s a light one to enter my little music world. And then if you like that, you can dive a little deeper.”

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ON GOING FROM WIRRAL

HIS DJING EVOLUTION TOMORROWLAND AND NIGHTCLUBS TO

James Hype is a superstar DJ in every sense: he plays an average of 130 globetrotting live sets per year, for example, performing in Ibiza, where he has a residency, and then immediately flying out to Las Vegas. He has over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, and on that platform, his track, Ferrari, is approaching one billion streams. Hype speaks to Headliner about his voracious early days of getting into DJing, his futuristic SYNC live show, his continued success with new single Waterfalls, and his excitement about the new CDJ-3000X from AlphaTheta.

Hype is a brave artist name to opt for when starting out, but it would be difficult to argue that he hasn’t earned it now. He was born James Marsland in 1989, coinciding with the late stages of acid house. Growing up in the Wirral, Merseyside, he would often ditch school and get the bus to Liverpool to hang around record shops specializing in dance music. As this passion blossomed, he secured a fake ID at 16 years old, so that he could be physically part of the city’s club music scene and keep a close eye on the DJs, whether they be residents or on tour. Before long, he was performing DJ sets himself in the North West of the UK, with Funky Box in Liverpool and Aura Bar in the Wirral being among the first venues to take a chance on the young Hype.

On that note of the insatiable appetite for dance music he developed from a young age, he begins the conversation by saying, “When I was in school, everyone listened to rock bands, me included. Then my dad brought home this bootleg CD of the top 100 albums. On it, I found The Prodigy and a drum and bass compilation. That was the first electronic music I became obsessed with, and it opened my eyes to a world beyond

what my school friends were into.

“As a kid, I didn’t even know what a DJ was. Nobody around me was into it. But I skated, and sometimes DJs played at skate parks. I thought it was amazing, I actually believed they were creating music in real time. That’s what drew me in. At 15, I begged my parents for decks, and they got me a cheap set from eBay. From then on, I was mixing whatever records I could find.”

Hype was frequenting nightclubs long before he ever touched a set of decks at one, and he found that he enjoyed playing in Liverpool’s nightclubs in particular. “They were the best because they had the best music – piano house, funky house, even tech house. That was my musical education. When I turned 18, I started hustling for paid gigs. I took mix CDs to clubs, and one manager gave me a trial. I still felt young, but I didn’t feel out of place because I already knew the scene. I played Tuesday nights at an afterhours club, then joined a DJ agency that booked me around the north. That’s how I built connections with managers and experienced new cities. I played everything: house parties, student nights, even R&B and

hip-hop clubs. Eventually, I realized I had to refine my sound so people knew what I stood for.”

Getting that solid foundation on the northern DJ circuit was one thing, but many would point to his collaboration with Craig David on the 2018 single No Drama as a significant breakthrough. “My manager and I had talked about working with him, but I wasn’t sure it would happen,” he recalls. “So I just DM’d him on Instagram. He replied straight away, said he loved the track, and wanted to do it. Hearing it from him made it real.”

In case it’s not already obvious, Hype has a natural entrepreneurial flair in his approach to his music and career, which is a powerful asset for him as the marketing side of music encroaches increasingly into a musician’s time nowadays. He set up his own label, Stereotype, in 2020, to give him firmer control of his own releases and, fascinatingly, more flexibility with songs he could play in his DJ sets. The inspiration came from his YouTube live sets during the pandemic, and when lockdown halted his in-person bookings.

“HOW COULD WE TRANSLATE HITTING BUTTONS ON A DECK TO SOMEONE STANDING 200 METRES AWAY AT THE BACK OF THE ROOM? LINKING MY CDJS TO THE LED PANELS WAS THE SOLUTION.”

“On YouTube, I was mostly playing other people’s music,” he says. “And they got the royalties. I realized if I could put out music from artists I loved, I could play it, promote it, and we’d all benefit. The best part has been creative freedom. I can make tracks designed for my DJ sets and release them straight away. Working with Major Lazer through Stereo Hype was a dream. I’ve loved them for years.”

After many incredible moments in his career, he had a similar experience to many fellow huge artists, with it all crystallising when witnessing a crowd en masse turning up to see him perform for the first time. For Hype, it was his first time at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas.

“My first EDC was unforgettable,” he reflects. “I had an early set and thought nobody would turn up. But as soon as I hit play, thousands came running toward the stage. Within 20 minutes, there were 50,000 people. That’s when I realized something special was happening.”

In terms of EDM bangers, his latest single, Waterfalls, brings all the fuzzy lead lines, singalong verses and choruses, and glitchy vocals that you could hope for from the genre. On working with fellow producer Bobby Harvey, he shares that Harvey had been sending him songs for years. “I have always respected his consistency. One day, he sent me a track from Ibiza, and I knew it had something special. I took the parts, added my touch, and it became Waterfalls.”

Another recent project was bringing a fresh and contemporary take on a dance music classic. And it’s a remix that will bring fond memories for any fans of the

Edgar Wright British sitcom Spaced – namely the episode in which Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and the cast are roped into a trippy night of clubbing. The hilarious depiction of UK ‘90s clubbing and those seemingly deep and heartfelt conversations that ensue when it’s time for a water break was soundtracked with Let Me Show You by Camisra. It’s a timeless track from that pivotal period of electronic music to get your limbs gyrating to. And for Hype, it was a case of giving it a more contemporary sheen for his live sets.

“That track was massive in Liverpool when I was growing up,” he remembers. “I played it at Creamfields, and because I was in the North West, I felt like I should play some of those records that were so magical when I started going out. Clips went viral, and then Camisra reached out. I didn’t want to change it too much, just update it sonically for 2025 and make it hit like a modern record.”

Hype then talks Headliner through SYNC, his futuristic DJ concept he’s been creating and unveiling since his time in Ibiza in June. “A lot of artists have amazing visuals. I wanted to translate what I do on the decks into something the whole room could see. How could we translate hitting buttons on a deck to someone standing 200 metres away at the back of the room? Linking my CDJs to the LED panels was the solution.

“I was watching someone who designs game shows on YouTube –don’t ask me why – and it gave me a light bulb moment where I realized maybe we could get the CDJs to link to the LEDs. I went away and spoke to my production manager. We tested it, it worked, and we’ve been running it all summer in Ibiza. It’s just the beginning.”

Hype is one of the artists at the forefront of EDM and, similar to the likes of Fred Again, is bringing a lot of attention to the art of live DJing, while also dispelling the myth that DJs are just hitting play and pretending to adjust faders that aren’t actually doing anything.

Watch any of his recent Instagram videos, and the physicality and passion of it are clear to see.

“When I was 15, I got my first decks.

One of my first tricks was mixing a Notorious B.I.G. a cappella over The Whispers’ And the Beat Goes On instrumental. I went to HMV and bought these two records and got the two tunes in time with each other. For me, that’s what DJing is: creating something greater than the sum of its parts. Every day when I go on social media, and I see people do what I do…some of it is honestly incredible. It feels like there is a whole culture of people doing this style of DJing emerging.”

On the ignorance and scepticism around what DJs do on stage (perhaps fuelled by certain celebrities doing DJ sets with less skill, to put it kindly), he says, “I understand where the ignorance comes from. When you see a guitarist play, it’s easy to see what they do. The word ‘DJ’ means so many things: radio DJs, wedding DJs,

selectors, performers. That’s where the ignorance comes from. But I don’t focus on that. I just try to push the craft further.”

Hype loves to honor the legacy of Pioneer DJ’s classic CDJ-2000NXS2 by still using it in his sets. But with the new AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X, he is excited about some of the upgrades on offer.

“I’m excited about the bigger screen, gate cue functions, and smart cue,” he says. “The improved processing opens up creative possibilities, too. Being able to set hot cues anytime, extend breakdowns, or take spinbacks further is really exciting. Cloud direct play also sounds amazing, though I’d worry about internet reliability at clubs. USB-C is a welcome upgrade, too.”

“A lot of people have seen videos of me doing tricks with the cue button, which will play the song and then stop. With the addition of the gate cue on the CDJ-3000x, the hot cue will also do the same thing. I’ve already spent time playing around with the CDJ-3000X, so I figured out a few different ways I can use the smart cue in different ways than I was doing before.”

Hype is also a big fan of being able to set a hot cue at any point in a track: “There’s been a couple of times where I have wanted to extend the breakdown so I can drop the a

cappella in, and that’s the perfect way to keep taking the track back to the point where I want to bring it from.” And on the fact that you can now play any track from your tracks stored in the cloud using cloud direct play, he says, “I’d like to use it; however, for the time being, I don’t know if I could rely on the internet in clubs around the world. But I think it would be so cool!”

November sees this superstar DJ performing two big UK shows, first in London, followed by a special charity show at Bristol Beacon to raise money for the homeless.

This is before the bright lights of Las Vegas call him back in December. And who knows? Next year might see him set a new record for himself with 140 shows.

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TOURING WITH MOKE TO PRODUCING RONNIE WOOD

SEAN GENOCKEY

British producer, songwriter, guitarist, and engineer Sean Genockey has lived every side of the rock ’n’ roll life. In the late ’90s, he was on the road with his band Moke, tearing through the UK, Europe, and the US alongside The Black Crowes, Goo Goo Dolls, and Spacehog. The London-formed four-piece carved out a loyal following before calling time on their run, but for Genockey, it was only the beginning. Trading life on the tour bus for life behind the console, he reinvented himself as one of Britain’s most versatile producers and engineers. From his base at Metropolis Studios, Genockey now works across generations, bringing his rock instincts to rising acts like NewDad, while also collaborating with bona fide legends like Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones.

“My first real foray into the rock and roll world of big tours was when I joined Moke in South London – it was so great,” Genockey reflects. He’s speaking to Headliner not from Metropolis, where he can usually be found, but from his home studio, which is where he mixes and tweaks anything he’s working on.

“I never thought I’d finish mixing the way I do now, but it’s an absolute

game changer,” he admits, explaining that until about 18 months ago, he was a “hardcore analog hybrid guy”, meaning that if he wanted to make changes, he’d have to trek back into the studio, much to the amusement of his fellow, digital-embracing producers. “I found myself sometimes going there to make tiny little changes, and I had all my peers ridiculing me for my vintage Pro Tools setup,” he laughs. “Things have moved so far

in the last few years; I really had to dig in and find a way to recreate my sound on the computer. It’s opened up a whole world of being able to come back and just do a tiny little change, take the dog for a walk, then come back to it. It means I can work on multiple projects at the same time, which is the nature of where things have gone.”

But we digress. Back to touring with Moke for three years and headlining their own tour in the US: “What was amazing there was, we went to the US as fairly accomplished musicians and we felt really confident about our live show, and we’d made a record,” he adds. “But we went over there, and the level of musicianship out there was so incredible, so we really had to up our game. They were all good at everything – everyone sang backups,” he stresses. “You’d go to any little bar in Austin or anywhere in the country, and everyone would sing backing vocals really well, and everyone would play really well. So we were like, ‘Whoa!’ We got to play every kind of show, from 20,000 stadiums to playing to four people in a room.”

Genockey produced the band’s debut album, and was later joined by Dave Eringa (Idlewild, Ash, Manic Street Preachers) to help finish and mix it. The second record saw him co-producing with Paul Stacey (Minuteman, Oasis, Chris Robinson), and mixing alongside legendary engineer Bob Clearmountain (Bob Dylan, Free, Big Country) and Gil Norton (Foo

Fighters, Pixies, Feeder).

“I worked with Dave Eringa for three years as his engineer, and I haven’t looked back since,” he says, elaborating on transitioning from a performing musician to becoming a producer and engineer. “I didn’t want to tour like that anymore,” he shares. “I’d had such a great experience in the studio and loved producing, but I felt my engineering skills were still a bit homegrown.

“My goal was to be able to go into a room with a band on my own and come out with a finished record. The people I aspired to – the Glyn Johns, the Nigel Godrichs, the Joe Walshes of the world – I admired that they could go in with a band and turn out a record that was mixed and finished. That’s an incredible skill.

“I could also see the way the record industry was going, with budgets tightening and corners being cut,” he points out. “So early on, I aimed to set up a small recording studio of my own, somewhere I could have a finishing room and focus on getting the sound I heard in my head. Thank goodness I did.”

This led to him working extensively with Eringa and Stacey, as well as producing and engineering for US mixer Tim Palmer (U2, Moke) and working with Clearmountain and Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, Pixies, Feeder).

“Those three years with Dave were incredible,” he smiles. “He really roasted me! I learned so much doing that, and learned so much looking over Paul Stacey’s shoulder while he made the second record. It was such an amazing insight into making records, because these are really incredible, illustrious people.

“Dave had been producing records for a long time when I started engineering with Paul, and we were still on tape, so I got to see the crossover from tape into digital, so I’ve learned both worlds, which has been an amazing skill set to have. It was a great time for music in the ‘90s and early 2000s. It was a really progressive time for recording and music, and analog was still great.”

Tucked away in the creative hub of London’s Metropolis Studios, ReKognition Sound is where you’ll usually find Genockey these days. Co-founded with long-time collaborator Jesse Wood (son of Ronnie Wood), ReKognition Sound doubles as the headquarters for their label of the same name. Positioned right next to Metropolis Studio B –where Genockey often handles live tracking – the room is designed as a precision mixing and finishing suite, where every detail can be sculpted to perfection. From here, Genockey has shaped records for a diverse roster of artists, including NewDad, The Futureheads, Jasmine Rodgers, Scott Matthews, Jace Everett, and, yes, Ronnie Wood, often working alongside heavyweight mixers like Craig Silvey. Genockey reveals what it’s like to work with The Rolling Stones legend:

“I’ve known Ronnie for a long time,” he says. “He’s guested on a few things I’ve worked on – there’s a band called Seafoam Green, and we had him come in to play a B-Bender Tele on a couple of tracks. There’s always been a good rapport between us in the studio.”

Wood later approached his son and Genockey about producing his recently released double vinyl and double CD compilation, Fearless: Anthology 1965-2025. The anthology album features key tracks from Wood’s seven solo studio albums to date, and four brand new recordings. “Working with Ronnie is the total opposite of working with NewDad,” he explains, comparing the rock and roll veteran with the up and coming Irish indie rock band. “It’s old-school, onetake energy. You have to be completely ready before he even walks in. Headphones are rarely used, so you need to

be able to monitor in the room but still keep some control –mainly to stop his guitar from spilling onto everything. He’ll come in, plug in, step up to the vocal mic, and want to run the track within 10 minutes.

“As an engineering gig, it’s brilliant – it’s flying by the seat of your pants,” he laughs “Everything’s got to be ready and dialed in. He’s not interested in how you’re doing it; he just wants it to sound great. I tend to avoid big loud amps in the room, so what I did was set up a little combo that sounded cool with his pedals, then ran a line out to an ISO booth with a couple of big amps. That way, I could blend in the bigger sound without it swamping the drums. Sure enough, we ended up cutting all the tracks with no headphones. Then he’d do a guitar solo in the control room, run back out, and punch in a vocal take. You’re keeping so much of the live floor performance – it’s like making two clay pots at once,” he laughs. “The energy is unreal. And you have to remember, he’s worked with the absolute best studios, engineers, and producers in the world. My job is simply to give Ronnie a guitar sound that makes his eyes light up. When he stands there, playing a solo in front of the speakers, you’re instantly reminded why he’s Ronnie Wood.”

Genockey recently upgraded the studio with a pair of Genelec 8351B three-way coaxial monitors. The room is used for everything from vocals, guitar overdubs, and mixing. “Those are the things that take a lot of time, and you can’t really justify spending extra weeks on them in big studios anymore,” he notes, citing the room’s versatility as another tick in the box.

“A GREAT SOUND SHOULD CARRY THROUGH TO THE MIX. THESE DAYS, YOU END UP WITH A MESS THAT HAS TO BE FIXED LATER.”

“The control room sounds unbelievable on the big Genelecs,” he shares. “Once you learn a room, the whole engineering process becomes more transparent, easier, and faster. Engineering is about transparency for the artist – great sound should just work, and that should carry through to the mix. These days, it’s clear that a lot of engineering isn’t approached that way. You end up with a mess that has to be fixed later. There should be a return to the idea that the multitrack itself represents exactly what you want it to sound like, and that comes down to good recording and a good room. That’s why being at Metropolis makes such a difference: you’re not fighting the tone of the room, your recording decisions, or the monitoring. When those three things are fighting each other, the whole process becomes incredibly frustrating.”

He explains why he opted for the 8351Bs in particular: “I’d always been aware of Genelecs from working at Metropolis. I remember when I was working on the Roger Daltrey record with Dave Eringa – Roger’s guitarist had the Genelecs in Studio B, the grey 8351As – and I thought they sounded amazing.”

Fast forward to moving into Metropolis, and Genockey was curious to learn more about the 8351Bs. Did they have more power, for instance? “Loads more!” he says. “Plus, they’ve got this incredible system that scans the room and adjusts the DSP within the speakers to give you a flatter response. That’s a huge advancement in speaker

technology. “The more I think about it, the more I realize how critical monitoring is in a control room,” he considers. “It’s the most important thing. My room at Metropolis is also designed as a proper guitar room. You walk in, and there are amps, guitars, basses, acoustics, so you need monitors that can handle big, loud rock guitars. If you’ve got someone like Ronnie Wood in the room, you can’t be running NS10s, it just doesn’t work! Same with someone like Rich Robinson from The Black Crowes; those speakers just wouldn’t cut it for that kind of session.”

He reveals how speaker accuracy plays a crucial part in his decision-making during a mix or production session, allowing him to work faster or more confidently. “Now I’ve got a setup where I can sit down and know exactly what’s going on,” he nods. “The translation between Studio B and my room is impeccable, because it’s the same system and footprint. What Genelec is doing now is the biggest advancement in speaker design we’ve seen in a long time. They’re really fantastic – everything translates incredibly well. I can do the heavy lifting in my room on the Genelecs, then bring things home and work on my smaller monitors or headphones, making tiny adjustments without having to trek all the way to West London just to turn a tambourine up half a dB.”

Words by ALICEGUST A F NOS

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

EMEI

From jazz nights in New Jersey to viral hits on TikTok, Emei’s journey has been anything but ordinary. Born to first-generation Chinese immigrants, she grew up on her godfather’s jazz records and endless loops of West Side Story, sparking her early love of music. While still at Yale, her breakout single Late To The Party went viral, racking up millions of streams and views. Following the success of last year’s highly anticipated EP, RABBITHOLE, the L.A.-based rising star returned this year with the singles Talk Talk Talk, Stereo, and Crazy Stupid Love. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the EP takes listeners on a whirlwind journey through love, friendship, mental health, and the twists and turns of young adulthood.

Balancing viral fame, touring, and meticulous studio work, Emei is building a musical world that’s entirely her own –and she’s only just getting started.

In this interview, she reflects on going viral at college, why Chappell Roan reminded her that cracking the music industry is a marathon, not a sprint, and reveals why she tells her reflection that she’s Beyoncé.

I was growing up, he was always telling me, “You’ve got to go and listen to these jazz bands” – that was the big thing. I also remember we had a CD of West Side Story in my dad’s car – for some reason, it was the only one we had. So any time we went anywhere, it was always West Side Story. My parents are both immigrants from China, so it’s not as if they had a huge collection of music or anything. For me, it was very much about whatever was there. What are your early memories of music as a child in terms of what you were drawn to?

I went to a lot of local jazz nights around New Jersey, where I grew up. My godfather, who I’m very close to, used to be in a jazz band, and when

Onto more recent artists that have had an impact on you, what was on your Spotify Wrapped last year?

Chappell Roan, which is crazy, because I’ve been listening to her for about two or three years now.

Back then, she was a small up-andcoming artist around L.A., and I went to one of her shows about three years ago, kind of by accident. There were only about 20 people there, all singing along to Pink Pony Club, and I remember thinking, “Wow, this is good; this deserves so much more attention”, and here we are! That’s been very satisfying to watch. That’s inspiring because it reminds you that success takes time. We forget that you have to keep grinding, putting out music you love, even if it’s not getting huge attention. One day, a song might blow up, and suddenly everyone’s listening to the rest of your music and realizing how good it is. That’s why Chappell is so big now –the rest of her music is just that good.

It’s hard to remember sometimes that this is a marathon – you can’t expect things to happen overnight. I know this is just the beginning – a little taste of what’s ahead. There’s still so much further to go. As long as I keep making music I’m proud of and stay consistent, it’ll all work itself out. I just have to keep moving forward. It’s hard to remember sometimes, especially with TikTok, because everything feels so important: every song, every release feels like, “If this one flops, my career’s over”. But that’s not even slightly true.

You attracted initial attention from your Late To The Party single while you were in your senior year at Yale. This went viral, gaining 5.5 million streams on music platforms and 9.5 million views on TikTok and Instagram Reels. When did you notice it was going viral?

It’s so funny because since then, I’ve got used to posting and having things do well, and it doesn’t feel anything like the first time. The first time was Late To The Party. There was this one video where I was singing in a basement at Yale, just for my closest friends – about 20 people – and they already knew the song

because I’d been teasing it on TikTok for literally two months. All the views were around 500, just my friends, and they knew the lyrics. We got a fun video out of it, but I didn’t think anything of it. At that point, I’d never seen a live performance of a song go viral. Most of the videos going viral then were cat videos – there wasn’t much variety. I had midterms and a weekend trip coming up, and on my way to Vermont, I randomly posted the video. That night, it got about 10,000 views. The next day, it was 100k, and it was so crazy. I just remember watching it grow while struggling to study for midterms. It

“THIS IS A MARATHON – YOU CAN’T EXPECT THINGS TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.”

Credit: Jordan Kelsey Knight

was distracting! I’d be scrolling and updating the numbers while I was studying linguistics. I will always remember being in Vermont and checking those numbers over and over again. I was reading all the comments and fully in it, but also scared. It was a mix of emotions –scared but excited.

You must have managed it nicely, as you graduated from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science. Congratulations! Given that your parents are Chinese immigrants who came to the US with only 50 dollars to their name, was it important to your family to land what some would call a “proper” 9-5 job?

They’re comfortable with it, but realistic. When I was 15, I took a gap year from high school and did Chinese Idol, then signed a television contract. I worked in entertainment

professionally at a very young age, but it was just a one-off, one-year experience. I feel really grateful for that year because it’s one of the main reasons my family is so supportive. It was like a test run – they saw I had potential, that I enjoyed it, and that it was legitimate. If I’d decided to move to L.A. without a job and just release songs, I think they might have been less supportive. I was also lucky in a lot of other ways. Going viral before I graduated helped because I already had sessions lined up for when I moved to L.A., with mentors in place, and people willing to help. So all those factors together made my parents’ support possible. I feel very lucky, but I think everything had to happen the way it did for that to be true. It’s funny because my dad had me as his number one on his playlist, which I think is the cutest, sweetest thing ever. He says he plays my music

anytime he’s driving anywhere, so I’ve basically replaced the West Side Story CD, which is really sweet [laughs]. My mom is the same – they both go to all my shows whenever they can. They’ve been to every big L.A. show and even my first London headline show. They travel to support me, which is amazing. At the same time, they’re still nervous, which makes sense. If I had a kid doing something risky, I’d be nervous too. I’d want to support them but also check, “How’s it going? Have you thought this through? Do we have a plan?” Sometimes their questions annoy me or even hurt a little, but then I realize it makes total sense. They’re as supportive as any immigrant parents could be!

Your most recent EP, RABBITHOLE, was heavily inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The EP takes listeners on a journey that exploits the highs and lows of a young woman navigating life’s intricacies. Where did the Alice in Wonderland inspiration come from?

Each song represents a different room in your mind. What is your personal favorite song on the EP?

I wrote all these songs over the course of about a year and a half. The first one I wrote for this project was 9 Lives. I didn’t write every song intending for it to be inspired by Alice in Wonderland – I was mostly journaling and writing how I felt in each moment. I looked back at all the songs and noticed that my favorites shared this underlying feeling: whimsical, but also of falling and spiraling. That’s when it all came together. Alice in Wonderland made so much sense as a theme, partly because my sister’s name is Alice, so it had been in the back of my mind for most of my life. Everything clicked, and that’s how the EP became what it is now. I think 9 Lives is my favorite right now, though I hate picking favorites – it’s so tough. I just really love every single lyric. It’s been kicking around in my demo folders for so long, and I couldn’t find the right place for it.

I don’t think it would’ve fit with the Scatterbrain project or End of an Era Once it found its place, I thought, “I’m so glad people are going to hear this song”. It’s honest, vulnerable, and scary to release, so I was both excited and nervous.

SUGARCOAT sees you finding comfort in knowing that everything will be okay while continuing to sugarcoat the bad parts of your life. Is that something you’ve always done?

I’m very used to faking it till I make it. Since I was really little, that’s been ingrained in me. I remember reading a quote in high school that said, “If you smile, your mood improves by a certain percentage – even if you don’t feel like it”. I tried it then, and

it stuck. Now, when I perform, a big part of feeling confident and giving a good show is convincing myself that I’m awesome and a big deal. Before every show, I give myself a pep talk in front of the mirror, literally saying, “You’re Beyoncé, bro”. A big part of that is just telling myself, “Everything’s fine”, and shaping it in a way that I’ll have a great time.

Can you share an insight into the kit you rely on in your home studio to create demos and perfect your songs?

I just love having monitors that are crisp and clean. I’m using a pair of JBL 305P MKII powered studio monitors. When I’m listening to mixes and masters, especially while finishing music, they’re incredibly helpful. I really love having them.

I’m technologically impaired; all my friends make fun of me for being a grandma, so it was a miracle that I even managed to set them up! Having a home setup is always helpful, and I use an AKG P220 mic too for verses, edits, and sending things back and forth with my producers. It’s been really useful.

I’ve also got some K240 MKII headphones. When I listen to mixes and masters, I like to switch between different devices – monitors, headphones, AirPods, even a phone speaker – to make sure everything sounds tight and clean.

INSTA: @ITS.EMEI

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FILIPE MESSEDER BEHIND THE SOUND DESIGN OF WEAPONS

Filipe Messeder takes us behind the scenes of Weapons, the number one box office horror hit from Barbarian director and writer Zach Cregger, to explore his work as sound designer and sound effects editor. From terrorizing audiences in Dolby Atmos to sharing his favorite sonic moments in key scenes – including *that* ending – Messeder also reveals the story behind the film’s uniquely unsettling soundscape device, nicknamed ‘the Rumbler’.

If you still haven’t seen one of the most talked-about films of 2025, run – arms outstretched – don’t walk, to your TV and catch it on VOD or Blu-Ray in time for Halloween. You’ll discover for yourself why viewing may result in an irrational fear of waking up at 2:17 a.m., and why you’ll never look at a potato peeler in the same way again. Weapons stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong and Amy Madigan, and follows the case of 17 children who all disappear from their homes, with only one student remaining.

Zach Cregger was very keen to have the film’s cinematography look similar to the 2013 thriller, Prisoners. Did he have a similarly specific vision for the sound design?

He did. The first thing that stood out to me, which is something I really love, is seeing how much sound direction is written into the script. You can tell when a scene is made for sound, or at least has it in mind, as opposed to when we’re asked to put sound on top of a scene that isn’t really asking for it. We never found that during Weapons – each scene

was well crafted to ask for sound where it was needed, and not ask for it when it wasn’t. It made the workflow very seamless. So right off the bat, I was very impressed with that. Zach’s main philosophy for the sound of the film – and it’s something we found very quickly – was that it should sound as realistic and as normal as possible. I came into the film imagining a very bombastic sound design opportunity, but we quickly found that the horror elements played much better when they were presented totally matterof-fact, as if we were cutting a dry drama with no more embellishment than was required. It wasn’t how I originally approached the film, but I’m very glad we landed there, because I think all the horrific and upsetting moments play much better because of it.

A few scenes you’re particularly proud of include the quiet, restrained moments where you craft the silence around character dialogue or movements. Why is silence such an important tool in this movie?

Although I approached this film with a very over-the-top sound design

“USING ATMOS, I WAS ABLE TO TRANSFORM THE BACKGROUNDS INTO THIS CHARACTER; THERE’S THIS SENSE OF IMPENDING DOOM.”

mindset, because I felt like that’s what the tone of the film was asking for, I still naturally gravitate towards silence for any sort of scene that wants to pull you in. Specifically with the scene with Justine’s investigation – it takes place in the backyard of this house in a suburban neighborhood – one interesting thing I found while putting the film together is that almost all of the scenes take place in kind of “abandoned” places. We’re constantly manipulating those sounds to draw you in or take them away, creating that sense of unease where you’re not sure why it suddenly got so quiet. A lot of those scenes played really well because they were long and allowed us to mask our moves without seeming too dramatic. Using Atmos, I was able to transform the backgrounds into this character; there’s this sense of impending doom that’s always following our characters.

What are some of the audio tools you used to bring this soundscape to life for that scene?

In the case of Justine moving from the front yard of the house, knocking on the door, and then deciding to go around the back, that was a moment where we really played with the cicadas and the wind shifting around her. I’m a big fan of using the surround space you get from Dolby Atmos, and with a chain of plugins I use – such as Audio Ease’s Altiverb, LiquidSonics’ Cinematic Rooms Reverb, and The Cargo Cult’s Slapper and Spanner – I was able to create this moving environment that constantly rotates around you, following the camera to disorient you and put you in her headspace.

Let’s talk about the scene where Alex’s mother gets into a sleeping Justine Gandy’s [Julia Garner] car. During the screening Headliner attended, the audience collectively gasped when hearing the door open. How did you strike the right sonic balance here?

There’s a natural handoff from Justine sitting in her car and us listening to just the night crickets, to then the camera panning over to the door, where you’re left with the crickets and Justine’s breathing ever so slightly. We then fade away from the crickets to reveal this violin tremolo that plays all the way from the mother leaving the house to walking up to the car. As soon as she gets to the car, we stop

everything. All of that was carefully laid out by Zach and us from very early on. This is what I mean when I say there was a very intentional blueprint for how sounds were going to play against each other and where those handoffs would be.

Can you expand on what you call “worldized” recordings, which are featured in a brutal scene where

Marcus attacks his husband, and in the final chase in the film’s finale? How does a device you developed, nicknamed the Rumbler, come into this?

The very first version of the Rumbler came from an idea we had while working on a previous show. I had the idea of placing a bunch of household objects on a table and physically shaking it. Nothing too novel, but

“WE WERE LITERALLY SHAKING MY ENTIRE APARTMENT, CAPTURING REAL-WORLD RATTLES AND VIBRATIONS PERFECTLY SYNCED WITH OUR FOLEY.”

when I told [supervising sound editor] Luciano Vignola, he immediately came up with a great addition: using a mini subwoofer, the kind they put under seats in interactive theatres to shake them. For Weapons, we realized we could adapt this for all the moments where the possessed people become these monsters, with incredible strength and presence. So we modified the Rumbler: cut the plank smaller, attached handles to the back, and glued a cork surface to the top to tone down the wood resonance and get a tighter grip on whatever we pressed it against.

We took it to my New York apartment and pressed it against every surface

we could think of: walls, china cabinets, picture frames, running Foley scenes through it. Laura Heinzinger, our Foley supervisor and editor, prioritised the key moments, and after processing her edits, we ran them through the Rumbler while recording the whole room with multiple mics for a full surround capture. The results were amazing. We were literally shaking my entire apartment, capturing real-world rattles and vibrations perfectly synced with our Foley. When we brought it back into Pro Tools and lined everything up, it blended so seamlessly with the picture that it was basically invisible. When I played it for Luciano, he said, “I don’t hear

it,” and I said, “Exactly,” because it fit so naturally. In the finale, during the chase scene with Gladys, when the girl breaks through the sliding glass door and runs through the house, we used the full Atmos array to make the layers of the room sounds – the living room, kitchen, china cabinet, and so on – fly past you.

It gave this huge sense of weight, like she’s tearing through the house and destroying everything.

Let’s talk about that ending; it switches from pure horror to a comical chase scene. How did you approach the sound design to shift between these moments and to have some fun with the ending, after it being such a dark film?

This really comes from Zach’s comedic background – he’s so tuned into tempo and picture cut timing. We never really talked about it explicitly, but in my head, this felt like a total Ferris Bueller’s Day Off moment –running through all the backyards, through the house, and the tempo of the cuts is where the comedy comes in. What we found ourselves doing was figuring out how to play up the comedy and how to let these little moments poke through. A lot of that shaping happened on the channel side – deciding when we hear Gladys, when we hear the kids, and where to leave space so the audience gets a taste of this mundane, everyday life before everything goes to hell when the kids run through. There was a lot of work in finding the right timings. One of my favorite moments

is when Gladys runs to a backyard and we only hear her, then silence, then a couple having breakfast – we hear a little chair squeak – and then the massive horde of children runs through. Finding those little beats was a lot of fun. That comedic timing came from the script and from us discovering the right rhythm for those moments, and that kind of timing is prevalent throughout the film.

You primarily worked in your suite at Postworks NY using a 7.1 JBL setup in Pro Tools run through a Dolby Atmos renderer. How did working in Atmos from the very start influence your design decisions on Weapons?

Because we knew from the start that we were going to mix in Atmos, I was designing a lot of sounds with that in mind. I was keeping things aside on special tracks so I could bring them in during the pre-mix. I always work through the renderer because I like to make my beds as I go along, and be overly prepared and organized, so I can give myself as much flexibility and freedom when I get into the pre-mix.

I’ve found that whenever I get into the pre-mix, all my planning often goes out the window because it doesn’t fit with the time scale of the mix or the system I have in front of me.

I like to over-prepare in order to be able to tear it all down. It’s a way of getting my brain prepared to understand where everything sits in the mix, not just in track layout, because I put it all together, but also where all the frequencies land and how everything interacts. By creating all these layers, groups, and pre-renders as I go along, it lets me compartmentalise how things will be laid out.

What do you consider to be Weapons’ best Atmos moment?

A scene I’m particularly proud of is when James [Austin Abrams] goes from outside the Lillys’ house in the pouring rain, looks around trying to break in, and then finally enters, creeping in silence. That entire five-minute stretch – from outside to inside – and then finding the kids in the basement, was a feast of sounds to play with. We spent a lot of time crafting the rain and the interior movements, all very carefully manipulated through the Atmos field.

Some like to avoid heavy panning in a mix so as not to distract the audience from the action or the story. I tend to be a bit radical that way – I like to go full out with panning. Obviously, that doesn’t work on every film; you can’t fight the language of a project if it doesn’t fit. But in Weapons, because of the unique camera work and dynamic characters, I was able to push it fully.

While James is outside, the rain constantly shifts front to back, swirling around to create stark perspective changes. This is most apparent when the POV drops to the ground, looking up at him climbing the siding. We completely changed the character of the rain to focus on his actions. Zach even asked while we were mixing, “Is this too extreme? Are we changing the sound of the rain too much?” But we found that trusting the strong camera work allowed these stylistic choices to add a lot to the tension.

Once James is inside, creeping around, I kept all Foley attached to him straight through the centre channel. Using Slapper for tight early reflections, I crafted the sense

of space from all his movements. Then, with Spanner applied after my reverbs and delays, I subtly moved those reflections around the audience to shift perspective noticeably, without moving the actual signal away from the centre. This way, the Foley wasn’t scattered across the surround field, keeping the audience glued to the action while still using the full environment liberally.

Weapons is available on VOD and DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-Ray now.

INSTA: @FILIPEMESSEDER

DESIGNEDANDCRAFTEDINTHEUKBYNEVE®ENGINEERS

“Every single recording I've ever done, some aspect of the drums has gone through a Neve. It’s been a huge part of my sound.”

THE VOICE WITHIN

MAE STEPHENS

Mae Stephens keeps her tiny brain in her house, although if it were up to her, she would have gone bigger. Confused? Once you step into the wonderfully chaotic mind of the singer-songwriter who shot to fame with her viral hit, If We Ever Broke Up, it all makes perfect sense.

The giant brains in question are the pink and green co-stars from her recent music video for her brand new single, Tiny Voice, appearing as a manifestation of Stephens’ battle with her intrusive thoughts.

“I wish I could take that thing home,” she says of the biggest brain costume used on set, speaking to Headliner from her home studio and songwriting room.

“I still have the mini brain – I try to keep a trinket from every music video I do. I wanted to keep the medium brain, too, but I can’t justify having a five-foot brain in my house. I’ve got my tiny brain, which is still a story in itself,” she laughs.

Unbeknownst to her at the time, December 2022 would see her life change. Stephens teased her song If We Ever Broke Up on TikTok, and within weeks, the catchy snippets exploded across the platform. By January 2023, the track had gone viral, catching the attention of EMI, who quickly signed her. The full single dropped in February 2023, reaching the top 20 in the UK Singles Chart and marking her breakout moment.

If We Ever Broke Up was the first uptempo song Stephens wrote, and she recalls immediately falling in love with writing something more bouncy and playful than the Adele-esque ballads she usually wrote. “It felt like a new chapter in songwriting after being stuck in a medieval-ballad phase for so long. That track was a roller coaster, and it opened the door to a new era.”

The success of If We Ever Broke Up saw Stephens embraced by big names across the global artist community, from live shows with BLACKPINK, P!NK and Tom Grennan to collaborations with Meghan Trainor, The Chainsmokers and Alok. Today, she’s racked up over 500 million streams and has achieved a Top 15 UK single, Gold certification

in both the UK and US, and #1 chart positions in Japan and China. She admits that it’s still sinking in:

“I’ve gone from singing in pubs and open mics to signing a record deal, being everywhere at once, and traveling. It’s been an insane journey. I’ve only really just had time to process it all,” she considers. “My dad has been in this with me for about 10 years – he’s literally my lifeline. We went from open mics and small gigs to signing with a label – our biggest goal. For a girl and her dad from a small town, that seemed nearly impossible. We’d been told for years it couldn’t happen.”

When the song blew up on TikTok and Stephens started doing label interviews, she and her father found themselves in disbelief at the pace of her trajectory. “One of my core memories is sitting across from him, signing to EMI, and both of us eating cupcakes to try not to cry,” she recalls. “We were trying to get that lump in the throat down, you know? We just looked at each other and thought about all the years of praying, dreaming, and working toward this one goal, and we’d made it through the front door. I think it was also the shock of realizing that it wasn’t the end goal. It was a door that leads to another door – the only way I can describe it is like the door factory in Monsters Inc.”

A huge adjustment followed, and Stephens coped by detaching her personal life from her artist life. At work, she’d dress up as ‘Mae Stephens’ – all big hair, bold makeup, layers of jewelry, and wild clothes – and then she’d come home, strip it all off, look in the mirror, and not recognize herself.

“That became a real problem during the transition into Mr Right and Make Me Your Mrs,” she admits. “I didn’t have time to figure out who I was outside the music, and that took a massive toll. Your personality, your home life, everything ends up on social media whether you want it to or not. For someone neurodivergent like me, who struggles with sharing and social situations, it was overwhelming. When you’re in the moment, things move so fast –releases, photoshoots, content – and there’s no time to think. My mind was constantly racing, and I completely lost sight of myself. It was a massive turning point in becoming an adult, learning to handle it all at 17–18, and realising how sudden and intense everything can be.”

It’s a far cry from her schooldays, where she was bullied for her ADHD. Music provided her escape, and today, she embraces her diagnosis and finds it helps her songwriting, rather than hinders it.

“I do have a tendency to go off on a tangent,” she warns. “ADHD brain doesn’t stop for anyone! My brain goes at 100 miles per hour, just to get everything out. I think ADHD is such a superpower. I can have several trains of thought at once, or sometimes just one train of thought and nothing else. It really depends on which side of the crazy my brain’s on that day. When I’m focused and passionate about a song, I can really knuckle down. I’ll write an ungodly amount of lyrics, revise sections without getting too attached, and just keep going. A lot of neurotypical people struggle with demo-itis, but for me, because I see how many directions a song can go, I don’t get it too badly,” she reasons.

“I’m usually happy to go back, tweak sections, or completely recreate parts if needed. I also have an absolute addiction to harmony, and I think my neurodivergence plays a huge part in that. I can hear these eight-part harmonies in my head as I’m building them. It’s so bizarre to explain, but I can literally hear each layer of sound – where they rise, fall, and how they blend to create this huge, infectious wall of sound. It all depends on which side of my brain shows up that day. Some days, the ideas flow endlessly; others, I can’t think of a single lyric or melody. It’s definitely a blessing and a curse.”

Her new tongue-in-cheek single, Tiny Voice , sees Stephens reveal the intrusive thoughts that she struggles to keep locked away, from an illogical desire to eat parts of a chemistry set, to a teenage compulsion to draw penises on a toilet wall. “We debated the wording,” she immediately

volunteers. “I now tend to refer to these as ‘impulsive thoughts’ rather than intrusive, because intrusive implies harm to yourself or others. It was important to get the vocabulary right, because TikTok can be an army of keyboard warriors, so Tiny Voice highlights the randomness and impulsiveness of our minds in a safe, funny, and relatable way.”

Written by Stephens and Pablo Bowman (Louis Tomlinson, AnneMarie) and the track’s Grammywinning producer Lostboy (Kylie Minogue’s Padam Padam , Sabrina Carpenter, Calvin Harris), the song’s message is to show that everyone has these thoughts.

“I have a constant inner monologue, and I’ve only recently really clocked it,” she reveals. “It never stops, and I get ungodly intrusive thoughts – some of them horrendous. Tiny Voice is all about that tiny version of you that sits on your shoulder or in the back of your head – the thoughts you don’t share or act on, but are always there and annoyingly loud. For some people, they’re quiet, but for me, it’s like they’ve got a megaphone in my ear. I wanted to make it light-hearted. Our brains can do incredible and horrendous things, and I like exploring both sides.”

She certainly has fun with the concept in the song’s music video, which – giant dancing brains aside – sees her drinking from a school chemistry set, drawing on her clothes, eating bird seed, defacing toilet cubicle walls, painting her childhood Barbie house bright green, eating a can of cold beans, and throwing an ice cream at a darts board.

“A lot of the lyrics are inspired by things I’ve actually done, wanted to do, or been very close to doing,” she smiles. “People have said to me, ‘This is so random. This makes absolutely no sense. There’s no

correlation in any of this, like eating a tin of cold beans, or…bird seed is really crunchy, and I don’t like it. But I tried it! I wanted to show how impulsive and strange our thoughts can be, and maybe make people feel comfortable sharing theirs. Sometimes thoughts pop into your head that feel really abnormal, and it can isolate you, so it’s good to normalise how random our minds can be.”

Stephens reveals that while she has an album in mind someday, for now she is concentrating on releasing singles and building up a catalog of material before diving into a full body of work. She teases that her next single will be slightly more geared towards an older audience and that it will have a hint of Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy about it. Although aged just 22 herself, this could mean its intended audience is anyone over the grand old age of 25.

“I love having a diverse fan base – I’m a chronic people pleaser,” she confesses, explaining that she doesn’t want to focus exclusively on making music that only appeals to Gen Z. “It’s not a huge switch or a complete change in direction; it’s just branching out to connect with a wider age range,” she assures Headliner

“It’s got an edge. I’m really excited because I don’t think I’ve released anything like it yet. I feel like it might be a one-off. I’m just testing the waters a bit,” she grins.

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HEADLINER STAGE RETURNS

PUBIN THEPARK

Foodies and music-lovers assembled once more for Pub In The Park St Albans 2025, with headline acts including grime lynchpin Dizzee Rascal and Kiwi pop maestro Daniel Bedingfield. Meanwhile, an impressively curated stage boasting QSC PA and monitors, a full complement of Earthworks microphones, and the new StudioLive Series III SE32 console from PreSonus saw Headliner returning for a second year, showcasing some of the most exciting up-and-coming talent on offer in the UK on The Headliner Stage.

Established in the stunning park location in St Albans’ Verulamium Park, named after the ancient Roman City, the affluent commuter town began life as Pub In the Park has been serving up food and music here for several years now. It was created by celebrity and Michelin-star chef Tom Kerridge, who festival attendees would have spotted putting on cooking demos and recording live podcasts as they browsed the site’s stalls and stages. On its opening night on a windy Friday evening in September, the Headliner Stage is ready to whet the appetites of music lovers right up until 8.30pm, before Mercury Prize winner Dizzee Rascal closes the first round of festivities over on the main stage.

First up is Joy Doc, who proved that 5.40pm is not too early for a bit of drum and bass. If there are any early festival cobwebs knocking around, she blows them away into the next county. Hailing from London, and riding high from a recent collaboration with Solid State Logic, Joy Doc treats early attendees with drum and bass that is perfectly balanced for the setting: sub bass that flows and gets bodies moving without crushing skulls when people are only on their first drinks of the evening, with her penchant for melodies ensuring everyone in the vicinity takes notice of her songwriting, vocals, and music production talents.

The evening then becomes a tour of genres, with 18-year-old RONAN giving a performance with buckets of confidence and seizing the chance to show off his vocal ability and pop songwriting. This is followed by folk music keytar with Lost Chimes, the project of Gemma and Nicky Kirk. The latter is on guitar duties and the instrument’s folk accompaniment, while the former enjoys belting out her powerful Celtic vocals, while having a white keytar strapped to her body, ready to add some soundscapes to the show.

Things get dancey once again, as dance-pop artist Emily Jade takes the stage – oozing charisma – for a more lowkey set than usual with her guitarist. It’s not often that up-andcoming artists are able to bring out enthusiastic audience participation with such ease, but Jade has people singing back and filling in gaps like it’s an everyday activity. There’s no chance to stop dancing thereafter, as DJ Mel P is ready to infuse backto-back house tunes to proceedings.

This means limbs are limbered up nicely for the Headliner Stage main headliner, Ace Clvrk. Hailing from Reading, the Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist draws the stage’s biggest crowd of the evening, and has them firmly in the palm of his hand. With his music featured in Love Island, and vocals as powerful as his stupendous dreadlocks, Clvrk, and his talented guitarist and drummer, ensure his name is one to jot down in a notes app on your phone if you weren’t already following his talent and music.

There’s about five minutes to dash to the main stage and grab a drink en route, as cometh the hour, cometh the Rascal. And what better way to announce your arrival in St Albans than with a song that repeats your artist name dozens of times? Dizzee stomps out to grime classic Jus’ A Rascal, and the responding pandemonium levels are wildly

appropriate. If anyone feared he would tone down the grime classics just because it’s Pub In The Park in Hertfordshire, thankfully those fears were misplaced, as I Luv U and Fix Up Look Sharp follow in quick succession. The former Roll Deep member is keen to squeeze in the pop hits, though, with the Calvin Harris collaborations, Dance Wiv Me and Holiday going down as well as the food and drinks on offer at the festival. That doesn’t mean the underground sounds are quashed thereafter; Dizzee and his DJ ensure genres like jungle and drum and bass are comprehensively covered during his hour set. As he walks back onto the stage for his encore, everyone already knows what time it is, and that time is for everyone to get Bonkers. His signature hit is predictably well-received with its huge EDM drop and bass that is still outrageous to this day.

QSC, EARTHWORKS, AND PRESONUS POWER THE HEADLINER STAGE

Headliner’s own live sound engineer and reviews editor, Rick Dickerson, talks us through how he got the audio right on the money using QSC’s K Column loudspeakers, a full complement of Earthworks mics, and the new PreSonus Series III SE32 console at FOH, running the manufacturer’s proprietary Capture and Control software.

“The whole stage was Earthworks,” Dickerson says. “I’ve been a huge fan of the SR117s since I first heard them – they’re tremendoussounding vocal condensers, and punch way above their price point. We had a handful of these on stage to accommodate all the performers over the weekend, and each and every one of the singers cut through really nicely. What’s so impressive about these mics – and it’s all in

the design – is the way they handle plosives: they neutralize plosive energy before it hits the diaphragm, which means you get a clear, natural vocal out front that lends itself beautifully to live recording. I’ve also used SR3117 capsules on a few tours this year with my Shure Axient system, so for the energetic performers who preferred not to have a cable, we had a couple of those, and they sounded terrific.”

Dickerson also deployed Earthworks SR20s drum overheads and DM17s across the kit. “The SR20s were incredibly clean-sounding and required no EQ-ing whatsoever; they provided a balanced stereo image across the kit,” he explains. “I also had [Earthworks] DM17s on the snare and toms – really beautiful sonics, zero EQ or compression on those either, and they’re clip-on, which makes life a lot easier. We got what I’d describe as a very open ‘live’ sounding drum kit.”

A total of 25 artists performed across the weekend on The Headliner Stage; at FOH, the new PreSonus StudioLive Series III SE32 was at the helm, talking to an NSB 32-16 stagebox and running PreSonus’ proprietary Capture software to record the show. “What is very interesting about the console is that it competes with much more expensive boards in terms of its one-touch recording, so you can record each set either for later mixdown or virtual sound check,”

Dickerson explains. “The mixer also sounds great; it’s got nice clean pres, lovely onboard effects which I used to easily program a warm reverb and slap-delay, and I was really impressed with the simplicity of PreSonus’ Capture for audio recording. “Capture can also record desk parameters, which is incredibly useful when transferring to PreSonus’ DAW Studio One, as the software mirrors the desk’s settings and recreates your mix. It’s a very good place to start from a post-

production standpoint. However, that doesn’t mean you’re tied down to the PreSonus ecosystem – you can export all the files after the event and drop them straight into any DAW,” he explains.

Dickerson is also a fan of the console’s Universal Control: “For me, that [Universal Control] takes this compact console to another level: real-time control of additional layers as well as scenes and many other parameters while mixing,” he says. “For example, I can AFL a monitor mix and control its component levels from my laptop while continuing to mix FOH on the desk. It’s a very comprehensively featured console and software package, especially for its price point.”

The QSC K Columns, in striking white, were somewhat of a show-stopper, Dickerson says: “We had a pair of them at FOH and they sounded just as good as they looked,” he smiles.

“We augmented this with an additional QSC KS212C subwoofer, which really gave us the depth we needed when it came to our DJ sets. For on-stage monitoring, we used a pair of QSC K12.2 active speakers, which were actually our FOH system at last year’s Pub in the Park, but those work just as well and are shaped in such a way as to perform both duties with equal gusto! I can absolutely see why the K Series won Best in Show at NAMM last year,” Dickerson asserts.

“They have a great throw, and when you add the additional KS212C sub, it takes it up another level. Especially for those DJ sets!”

HEADLINER STAGE ARTISTS SING EARTHWORKS’ PRAISES

Headliner catches up with several artists as they come off stage to hear how they found performing at Pub in the Park 2025, and how their vocals translated through the Earthworks SR117 condenser microphones.

Friday night headliner Ace Clvrk is buzzing as he steps off stage, saying, “It’s always interesting when you perform at a festival; there’s going to be half the people who know you and half who don’t, which is very similar to busking. The mic was insane. It’s super important whenever you’re performing live to trust the equipment, and I really felt from the soundcheck that it was gonna be fine. It was perfect,” he enthuses.

Reigns has a similarly enthusiastic take, saying, “The energy has been off the charts. The Earthworks mic was absolutely incredible. It’s very rare that you get to the end of a set and you go, ‘Wow, sound-wise, everything was perfect.’ And on that microphone, I loved it.”

Returning artist Madi C also enjoyed the all-rounder experience from a festival, performance, and live setup standpoint. “I loved every moment. The mic was incredible – I don’t think I’ve ever heard my voice like that. It was amazing. Normally, it’s hard to

hear through monitor mixes, but the voice just cut through so clearly. I’m going to buy one of these mics! I want one so bad.”

Brooke Law was not one to buck the trend, saying, “I absolutely loved it. It was really special. I want to buy an Earthworks microphone now. I love it. I’ve only used the same mic all the time, so it’s amazing to be able to hear such a powerful mic.”

Headliner also got a band’s perspective on things, with Burr Island commenting that, “The microphone was very clear. It was a substantial sound and strong. It’s so important to be able to hear pitch because we’re harmonising all the time. I feel like it was separating our voices a lot – we could hear each other more clearly than we normally could.”

Keytar-wielding folk duo, Lost Chimes, were also happy to chime in on the experience: “The mics were amazing. That’s the best sound we’ve ever had. When you sing through a mic like that, you can really play with what you bring out in your voice. There’s something quite magical about it.”

Amy Birks had nothing but praise for her experience on stage: “I had so much fun up there, and the sound

was coming through so well. I felt immersed in my own music, my own voice, and I love that. It’s always good to hear yourself when you’re on stage and not get distracted. That mic was incredible. My voice was so crisp; so clear. I loved it.”

Irish artist Codyy had a specific goal for his performance slot: “The stage was great and the mic was really good. It was crazy powerful. I want to know more about Earthworks!”

Emily Jade was also looking to draw as many people in as possible: “The mic was really good. I was really surprised because we didn’t sound check, we didn’t do a line check, we just got up and did it. I could just hear everything. I felt clear and really crisp.”

And the final word is from Max Ryan, who shared the positive sentiment: “Anytime we get a chance to play some original songs, it’s good fun. I’m going to have to get one of those Earthworks microphones! When the sound on the stage is brilliant, it really reminds me why we get up there and do it. The mic was amazing.”

PERFECTING THE VISUAL BACKDROP: LEYARD, MARTIN, AND AVOLITES

Meanwhile, digital designer Emma Briggs got to work with a Leyard LED video wall to provide the perfect visual backdrop for the artists performing on the Headliner stage. She also worked with Renewed Vision’s ProPresenter, Martin lighting fixtures, and an Avolites Tiger Touch console. She talks us through her experience of working with the tech at Pub In The Park.

“At Pub in the Park, the Leyard LED wall on the Headliner stage proved to be a real showpiece,” Briggs says. “It brought logos to life in bold scale and delivered vibrant, dynamic graphics that lit up the stage. The supplied controller handled scaling impressively, ensuring that every piece of content fit the screen’s

resolution perfectly. From a technical perspective, the screen panels were a dream to work with: IP-rated for outdoor use (always reassuring for British weather) and designed for speed of assembly. The clever clip system between panels, along with integrated power and data connections, meant no digging around for extra cables or rebuilding from scratch. That streamlined setup not only saved valuable time but also gave us more breathing room for testing and fine-tuning content.”

For the back-to-back live performances and keeping the visuals consistently on point, Briggs went with her go-to software for the job. “For playback, I relied on ProPresenter, which remains my go-to software for shows like this,” she explains. “It’s intuitive for running graphic videos with text and image overlays, and its ability to cast to multiple screens

with varied content makes it perfect for small-to-medium stage setups. In practice, it kept the Headliner stage content crisp, smooth, and flexible throughout the event.”

The Headliner stage further came to life thanks to the seamless integration of Avolites lighting control with Martin fixtures, delivering a dynamic and visually striking production. “The Avolites [Titan] control software onboard the Tiger Touch console is long regarded as industry standard, and it was flawless across the festival weekend,” Briggs continues. “Its intuitive interface and extensive inbuilt features enabled rapid setup, smooth programming, and flexible live busking, ensuring that the lighting design could evolve in real-time with the energy of the performances.”

Briggs opts for Martin fixtures so that she can carry out her tasks with scientific precision and inject some creative flair. “The Martin kit is really versatile, so the system provided both precision and creativity,” she reveals. “Martin Washes offered sophisticated color mixing, producing warm tungsten-style tones that enhanced atmosphere and mood for both live audiences and broadcast cameras; and the moving heads at the back of the stage added depth, texture, and excitement through cross-lighting, gobos, and dynamic motion effects.”

A series of pre-built fixture profiles set up within the Tiger Touch console eliminated the need for any manual patching, saving valuable setup time. “The [Avolites] console’s built-in color palettes and effect engines further streamlined programming, so I was able to create versatile looks that matched the energy of each band and performer,” Briggs explains. “Avolites’ real-time editing capabilities meant that colors, movement speeds, and effects could be adjusted instantly during performances, giving

me full creative control to react to the atmosphere on stage. So that combination of Avolites and Martin gave me a powerful combination of reliability, flexibility, and artistry –ensuring that the stage lighting not only supported, but elevated the performances throughout the event. Add the Leyard LED wall to the mix, and you’ve got a pretty serious rig for a stage of this size.”

It wasn’t just the 20,000 festival-goers that got to enjoy The Headliner Stage in real-time, however. Headliner partnered with TikTok LIVE and streamed the whole event. “Working with TikTok LIVE was a fantastic experience, and vastly amplified the reach for our emerging talent,” said Headliner CEO, Paul Watson.

“We went live for the whole festival on the platform, which amounted to 12 hours of music, and a further 71,000 people watched in real-time. That exceeded our expectations, and we were delighted to be able to give our artists that kind of exposure through partnering with the biggest - and I’d

say the most important - vehicle for championing emerging talent.

“What’s also great is our partnership with SoundOn – TikTok’s label and distribution arm – who also sponsored The Headliner Stage. Their forwardthinking, artist-first approach is key in today’s industry, and with SoundOn, Headliner has been giving away free studio time to artists who need it, helping them get their original music recorded and out on the SoundOn platform. I’ve had a couple of the performers who played Pub in the Park in to record over the past couple of weeks, and the results have been great – amazing talent which we look forward to supercharging together!”

BIG SOUND, SMALL PACKAGE

TF0512HE UNLEASHED

One of the latest offerings from Celestion is the TF0512HE, a compact five-inch loudspeaker that delivers far more than its size suggests. Engineered with robust construction and cutting-edge materials, the TF0512HE offers extended bass response, outstanding sound quality, and high-performance reliability in a remarkably small form factor. Designed for versatility, the TF0512HE excels as a woofer in compact two-way studio monitors or bookshelf speakers, low-profile infill cabinets, and even small line array boxes featuring one or more units. Wherever it’s used, it brings Celestion’s signature clarity and

power to the forefront, redefining what’s possible from a five-inch driver. Headliner takes a closer look…

At the heart of the TF0512HE’s design is a precision-engineered pressed steel chassis, purpose-built to maximize energy transfer while maintaining impressive portability. Weighing in at just 1.4 kilograms (3.1 pounds), this compact powerhouse proves that lightweight doesn’t have to mean light performance.

Despite its small footprint, the TF0512HE is capable of handling up to 150 watts of continuous program

power, making it a perfect match for the high-output Class D amplifiers that dominate today’s most popular active cabinet designs.

Every component of the TF0512HE has been carefully considered for strength, stability, and sonic purity. Its Kevlar-loaded paper cone strikes an ideal balance between stiffness and responsiveness, ensuring that even at sustained high output levels, the sound remains clean, dynamic, and free from distortion.

This lightweight yet resilient cone is paired with an Elastomer (elastic polymer) surround, which allows for greater cone excursion –expanding the limits of low-frequency performance and delivering the enhanced bass response that belies the driver’s compact size.

The result is a small-format transducer that punches well above its weight, combining engineering precision, rugged durability, and unmistakable Celestion tone in a package designed to thrive in modern loudspeaker systems.

An inverted dust cap allows a phase plug to be centered close to the cone, making the TF0512HE perfect for horn-loaded cabinet designs meant to increase projection and perceived loudness in an acoustic space.

Powering the TF0512HE’s remarkable performance is a carefully balanced combination of classic design principles and modern engineering. At its core, the driver features a ferrite magnet assembly paired with a copper-clad aluminum voice coil – a blend that merges the warmth and magnetic stability of traditional materials with the efficiency and heat management of contemporary technology.

This synergy not only maximizes performance while minimizing thermal buildup, but also helps deliver an impressive efficiency rating of 89.5dB, ensuring powerful, articulate output across a wide dynamic range.

With a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, the TF0512HE is engineered for broad compatibility, integrating seamlessly into an extensive variety of loudspeaker systems. Its frequency response range of 55 to 4,000 Hz makes it equally adept at handling deep bass and

smooth midrange duties, positioning it as an ideal primary woofer and midrange driver in compact twoway designs, whether paired with or without an external subwoofer.

At the same time, its ability to extend into the higher midrange makes it perfectly suited as the middle driver in a three-way system, where larger woofers handle frequencies below typical crossover points such as 500 or 250 Hz.

For loudspeaker cabinet manufacturers, the TF0512HE represents a true “secret weapon” – a compact driver capable of delivering generous low-end extension, clear and natural midrange, and the unmistakable build quality, reliability, and sonic excellence that define every Celestion product.

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REDEFINING MUSIC EDUCATION WITH DBS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC

HANNAH PHIPPS

dBs Institute of Music is an exciting higher education provider specializing in music and sound, with campuses in Bristol, Manchester, and Plymouth. Away from the sometimes stuffy music degrees on offer at redbrick universities in the UK, the institute runs a range of focused degrees, including Electronic Music Production, Music Production & Sound Engineering, Music and Sound for Film & TV, Live Sound, and more.

And helming all this is its managing director, bilingual musician, songwriter, and educator Hannah Phipps. Active and established in Bristol’s music scene, she welcomed the opportunity to run the Bristol campus of the dBs Institute. Each campus is led by sound and tech professionals from across the music

and gaming industries and is kitted out with state-of-the-art equipment, including Dolby Atmos, Neve Pro, and iMac suites. Phipps chats to Headliner about her unconventional journey to music and education, and the brilliant things on offer at the Institute.

I had a slightly different journey to music than probably most of my colleagues. It’s not something that I ever studied. Music was my escape or refuge. It was very much my personal thing. I was pretty academic, pushed towards doing that, and music wasn’t seen as a serious option.

I remember getting The White Album when I was 11; it was a present from my godfather, and it just blew my mind. From that moment on, I became obsessed with it. I bought a guitar, took a few lessons, but found them a bit rigid, so I gave that up and just started writing songs.

It was never a plan to get into music education. I just wanted to be around musical people, so I took this job, as I started out as a receptionist at a music college, and then discovered that I absolutely loved it and was good at it.

And quite quickly, I grew through that organization until I was the principal there within 10 years.

They actually reached out to me. I was leading another quite large creative Institute, and I jumped at the chance. I’d always been aware of dBs. It has been around for over 25 years, and has always had this reputation of being really high quality.

I think education is so important, and it’s a really challenging sector as well. dBs come out number one amongst specialist music institutes in the National Student Survey. So for me, it was the quality of the provision that really attracted me.

“ONE FRUSTRATION THAT I’VE HAD OVER THE 20-SOMETHING YEARS THAT I’VE BEEN MAKING MUSIC IS THIS SENSE OF NOT HAVING OWNERSHIP OR CONTROL, OR REALLY BEING ABLE TO EXECUTE THE VISION.”

dBs is expanding into new subject areas like writing, vocal artistry, performance, and event management. How do these new courses integrate technology?

What I’m really excited about with these new programmes is that they all have an element of technology. If you are a songwriter, the course is a dual specialism course: songwriting and music production.

If you are a singer, you develop one-to-one coaching in your voice, but you also have this development in music production skills. I think that if I had had that as a young artist, it would have transformed me, both in terms of my creative output, but also my confidence.

One problem or frustration that I’ve had over the 20-something years that I’ve been making music is this sense of not having ownership or control, or really being able to execute the vision that I wanted to do. I didn’t think I was technical enough. But if I had someone at dBs that could really show me that tech isn’t just for nerdy people, it’s also

about this idea of empowerment and ownership and feeling like you are at home in a studio.

Somewhere like dBs, where we’re really focused on helping every student realize their creative vision, through technology, through support, through one-to-ones – goodness knows what it would have done to my confidence.

A criticism of some higher education courses is not providing enough preparation for the transition from education to the real, professional world. What is the dBs approach to this?

We actually have this commercial division, which is called dBs Pro, and the creative director, Jay, acts almost like an agency to find these amazing work opportunities, placements, and real client projects that students can work on whilst they’re here.

So even while students are with us, they are building this professional portfolio of amazing work, from recording bands to working for the BBC to developing sound for apps.

It starts at day one. So it’s more about developing those soft skills. In the first year, it’s very much focused on placebased learning, grassroots community.

Helping the students integrate into a community, and then they start learning more of those practical business-savvy skills as they go throughout the course. In the final year, every student develops this industry-facing portfolio.

WORDS BY ADAM PRO T Z

ANDREI IRIMIA OBSIDIAN

Andrei Irimia is a Romanian pianist and composer on a mission to bring his cutting-edge contemporary sounds from Bucharest to the wider world. And with his third album on the way, following a September European tour which saw stops in Berlin, Barcelona, and Paris, he chats to Headliner about the resistance he had to overcome with people on the more traditional side of the Romanian classical music scene, and his new singles, including the sprawling epic track Obsidian.

Irimia composes deeply emotive music that puts him in league with contemporaries such as Hania Rani and Nils Frahm, a scene dubbed ‘neoclassical’, rather than the contemporary classical world that often feels very experimental and beard-scratching for the uninitiated. His debut album, Nuit Minimaliste , arrived in 2019, in which he paid tribute to the minimalist piano music of French composers such as Erik Satie and Frédéric Chopin.

He followed his debut LP with an equally accomplished and lyrical album, All Strings Attached , in 2022. It might sound strange to say, but Irimia’s approach to the piano is unique in that he plays the instrument as-is, whereas the likes of Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm have many copycat composers who try to mimic their ‘soft piano’ sound via techniques such as applying felt to the piano hammers.

His career so far has been marked by his dedication to live performance and taking his concerts far and wide. Since 2021, he has had an ongoing collaboration with Romanian film and theater actor Marius Manole, in which they bring a fusion of live music and theatrical performance to audiences around Romania. He regularly tours Europe more widely and has graced some of the finest halls in Paris, Berlin, and Barcelona.

Irimia joins the call from Bucharest, where he is based. On his very first steps into music, he says, “I started playing piano at a very young age. Of course, like many musicians, it began as a classical education. Growing up in Romania, I was surrounded by both traditional folk elements and the great European classical tradition.

“But over time, I started exploring my own voice as a composer and blending those early influences with more modern, minimalist textures. So that journey naturally led me to the neoclassical music.”

Nuit Minimaliste , the first album he put out into the world, is largely a solo piano record, with touches of sound design, plus a delightful solo marimba piece in Petite Phillipe.

“ Nuit Minimaliste is influenced by the French minimalist composers like Yann Tiersen, Erik Satie, and all the French melancholy music. I was inspired by them, and I tried to put a twist on those compositions and make them melodic as well. It’s my first project. I went on a national tour with the album, and it was great for me to start with a single instrument and develop without the other instruments as well.”

He also, sadly, had to take into consideration the pitfalls of being

purely a solo pianist in a world where people’s attention spans have been decimated by social media and being chronically online. This partly influenced his decision to go bigger on the sophomore LP.

“In a gig, even if you are the best pianist in the world, and you play one single instrument, it is very difficult to keep the audience focused for an hour and a half. We don’t have that focus anymore. I needed to add elements to make it more engaging.”

With 2022’s All Strings Attached , a fairly literal album title, Irimia really expanded his sound with a string quartet accompanying his piano playing. And, as seen in It Comes At Night , he introduces a lot of electronic elements and an organic beat, as the strings join the eerie soundscapes. There are still moments where he plays alone, with two solo songs in No Strings Attached and For Lisa

On the challenges of his first two albums being separated by the pandemic, he says, “It was a very difficult period, because I didn’t know if I would have time to launch that album. But I tried to add some elements, like the violin and the strings, and to take my sound to the next level. I’d say it’s somewhere between classical minimalism and cinematic storytelling. All Strings

“PLAYING LIVE IS WHERE EVERYTHING COMES ALIVE. CONNECTION WITH THE AUDIENCE FINALLY COMPLETES THE MUSIC.”

Attached is piano-led and very introspective. The strings tend to evolve slowly, almost like unfolding thoughts. It tries to create space in the music.”

“I use synthesizers, but also samples,” he says when asked about his unique approach to the electronic and sound design side of his compositions. “I work a lot in Ableton. I try to approach the creation of a piece more like a child’s play, because I try many samples, many instruments.

“I like it to be very intimate as well. So not to be a hard texture, more like a breath, a bit of very airy pressure. Then it can be nostalgic at the same time.

“Playing live is where everything comes alive. Connection with the audience finally completes the music. So, besides playing

piano and the samples live and sometimes with the strings, I’m always working on the visuals, the lighting, and creating the right atmosphere. I want my sets to feel like a complete journey. It’s a case of adapting to the different pianos and acoustics in each venue, but it’s incredibly exciting.”

Fascinatingly, Irimia initially found that it was much easier to secure concert bookings in prestigious concert halls in Central Europe; in France, Germany, and Belgium, where the appetite for modern classical music is very much established. Back home in Romania, he initially came up against scepticism and some resistance from the traditional-leaning classical music scene in Bucharest and beyond. He very much appears to be the first Romanian neoclassical artist, and so the idea of promoting a concert that wasn’t

a pianist performing Beethoven and Brahms seemed to confuse them.

“I was somehow the first one who brought the neoclassical genre to my home country,” he says. “So the people who run the venues, the Philharmonics, were a little bit sceptical. I tried to explain to them that this kind of music is filling up the most important venues in Europe. And that these venues will have a season with, say, Prokofiev and then Nils Frahm within a few weeks. So everything is connected. After a while, they started to embrace this, but it was hard at the beginning. Then our project got bigger and more well-known, and the audience seemed to like it. In Europe, it’s another story, because they are already familiar with this genre. So it was easier for us, my management and PR, to promote a show in Europe than in cities in my home country.”

2025 has seen Irimia building up to album number three with new single releases. One of which is his most ambitious track yet, Obsidian. It’s a track worthy of any epic blockbuster film trailer, as the piano and strings are suddenly sidelined by a pulsating bassline and synth arpeggiator, before a stunning lead violin line is the prelude to all of these elements joining together in a Hans Zimmer-esque climax. It’s unlike anything heard on Nuit Minimaliste. While this song easily fits his aspiration to keep audiences engaged, he adds that, “I don’t have to think of this all the time when I’m creating, because that’s not the point. In the back of my head, I always try to create something fresh and keep the audience there. But it’s hard work because, at the same time, I have to stay true to what I believe for that song; it has to have a meaning as well, not just something flashy.”

Fascinatingly, the prior single, Anao Marva, is totally ambient by comparison. Irimia plays a beautiful piano solo over a bed of synth pads and birdsong sound design. “I had the idea from hearing sounds in nature — I found

the samples of bird song, then came the piano part, and then I added layers and layers. It came very naturally.”

With his biggest European tour yet for 2025 now under his belt, next up is the release of his third album, Light and Shadows, which he is teasing for a 2026 Spring release.

Latest single, What Remains Of Us, also reveals his newly expansive, huge sound that he has been experimenting with. The promise of this record seeing a big creative shift for Irimia, and whispers of his biggest London concert yet, as well as more stops around Europe, mean this is the perfect time to discover this highly progressive composer.

ANDREIIRIMIA.COM

ROSS ROTHERO-BOURGE’S MIC MASTERY

STICKSTO FADERS

Ross Rothero-Bourge has made a career out of living life loud, so it’s natural that he needs the right mics that can match his righteous noisemaking. The drummer-turned audio engineer is the head of live mixing for The U.K. Drum Show and The Europe Drum Show, the huge music festival/trade show hybrids held in Liverpool and Friedrichshafen, respectively. For the myriad of performance and engineering tasks he carries out, it’s AUDIX microphones that he allies himself with.

Rothero-Bourge is also the head studio engineer at Cube Recording, Cornwall’s preeminent rock recording studio. Most recently, he’s been on tour with Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, led by Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell. Ross has also worked with Tom Meighan, cofounder of high-energy British rockers Kasabian. However much loudness is essential to the music’s energy, Ross never sacrifices clarity and detail thanks to AUDIX microphones.

His weapons of choice are the D6 and D6X on kick and bass-centric sources, SCX25A as drum overheads, the OM7 handheld as vocal mic of choice, and the PDX720 and PDX520 as surprisingly versatile studio

workhorses. Ross shared with us why even the face-melting levels of Motörhead were not too much for his AUDIX mics.

“I’ve just been out on the road with Phil Campbell, the guitarist from Motörhead,” Ross begins. “Even after all these years, Phil has that unmistakable rock’n’roll presence, and the fans were loving every second of it. Partway through my first show with them, I was worried it might have been too loud, but I suddenly remembered that Motörhead held the world record for the loudest concert. That gave me an excuse to turn things up a bit!”

“PREFERRING THE OM7 TO HIS MORE EXPENSIVE FAVOURITE IS THE PROOF IN THE PUDDING.”

Ross finds the D6 perfect for the Bastard Sons’ kick drum sound, but has recently been intrigued by the new D6X. “I am forever a D6 guy on kick; I have six of them,” he says. “I have a couple of D6X mics now. I put up a measurement mic against one, and went through the switch positions on the D6X to see what midrange frequencies increased gain as I tried the three switch positions — the first position matches the response of the classic D6, that mid scoop that’s perfect for a modern kick sound. I’ve found that in the top switch position, the D6X gets close to flat with a slight top boost. Now, in the studio, I use the D6X on whatever records I’m doing, because it can be a traditional D6 or something more versatile. I just leave it set up because there’s no reason not to.”

Above the drum kit on the live stage of a rock band infamous for bodyshaking loudness is the last place one would expect to find sensitive studio condenser microphones, but that’s exactly where Bourge put a pair of AUDIX SCX25A – with surprising results. “I had problems with stage bleed using several other overhead mics,” explains Ross. “The SCX25A was recommended to me by some other very good engineers, so I decided

to take a punt with them. They’ve performed much better in this regard. They picked up the kit extremely honestly,” he notes.

What the SCX25A did for drums, the OM7 did for vocals. It also caused an epiphany for The Bastard Sons. “I have the whole band on the OM7s now,” Ross shares. “They’re designed to reject off-axis and unwanted signals on loud stages, and they do so quite well. Joel Peters sings lead vocals for Phil and usually brings his own mic because he knows it so well. It wasn’t an AUDIX mic, and I was prepared to EQ and process it in. One day, I caught him using one of the OM7s. He had picked it out, brought up his own in-ear mix with our monitor guy, and was A-B’ing it with his favourite mic. He asked to give it a run for that show, and afterwards, bought his own. Preferring the OM7 to his more expensive favourite is the proof in the pudding.”

Could anything be as impressive as winning over the leader of the loudest band in the world? Perhaps the task Ross set for the PDX720 dynamic studio condenser microphone:

“When I got the PDX720, I set myself a challenge. Instead of doing

something tired like an unboxing video, I resolved to make an entire record using just the one mic. So, I built it up track by track – kick, snare, cymbals, bass cabinet, and then Rhythm and lead guitars – and you can hear the results on my Instagram. It was a lot of fun, and proved how versatile the PDX format can be. In the studio, we now have that one 720 and a pair of the new PDX520s, its younger brother. Like with the D6X, we tend to leave them set up and ready to track because it’s hard to find anything that replaces them.

The respect Ross Rothero-Bourge has earned from the sound community, not to mention bona fide rock stars, is enviable. His parting advice, to the possibly envious, shows a dedication to his work that parallels AUDIX’s dedication to quality and value. “Be the extra-mile person,” he adds. “Be the first person to show up and the last one out the door. People like to talk about being ‘in the right place at the right time.’ If you’re always there, you can’t fail to be!”

AUDIXUSA.COM

MYTH OR TRUTH?

The best sounding live console was originally designed for broadcast.

Hearing is believing – sign up and find out for yourself.

WORDS BY ALICEGU S T NOSFA

BOZAR KEEPING IT HYPERREAL

Nearly a century after Victor Horta’s visionary design first opened its doors, Brussels’ iconic Palais des Beaux-Arts – lovingly known as Bozar – is once again making history. Inside its majestic Henry Le Bœuf Hall, a new era of sound has begun: a state-of-the-art L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal Sound system, powered by the cutting-edge L Series, now fills the legendary 2,150-seat venue, redefining what live performance can feel like in one of Europe’s great cultural landmarks. Headliner discovers how the immersive system has transformed how audiences connect with live music in the venue.

For decades, amplified performances in the iconic hall relied on rented systems that could never quite match the venue’s artistic ambitions. Now, with world-class artists like Sigur Rós, Bob Dylan, Kae Tempest, and Zaho de Sagazan gracing its stage this autumn, Bozar has equipped itself with technology that finally matches its legendary status.

“The new sound system is specifically designed to support Bozar’s nonclassical music programming,” explains Aurore Aubouin, head of music at Bozar. “This autumn, we are proud to welcome Sigur Rós, Kae Tempest, Bob Dylan, and Zaho de Sagazan, as well as Scylla with BNO, among many other worldclass artists. This installation is also a strategic investment: by having our own permanent system, we no longer need to rely on renting equipment, allowing us to deliver the highestquality experiences.”

At the core of this upgrade is L-Acoustics’ L-ISA technology, which allows sound engineers to position individual instruments and vocals with pinpoint accuracy across the listening area. Working hand-in-hand with L-Acoustics Certified Provider XLR and integrator ARTO, Bozar chose to leap beyond traditional stereo configurations straight into the future of immersive audio.

“While the initial request was for a traditional stereo configuration, it became clear that the most meaningful choice was to invest in Hyperreal Sound,” explains Louis Lukusa, CEO of XLR.

“The L-Acoustics L Series system in an L-ISA configuration is the only solution that could provide uncompromising tonal balance, clarity, and realism for every seat in the hall.”

“This new system transforms the way audiences experience music at Bozar,” nods Nicolas Bernus, technical production manager at Bozar. “The L-ISA spatial audio technology allows us to create a truly frontal, realistic soundscape where every detail of the performance is delivered with stunning clarity and depth. It’s a major leap forward that aligns Bozar with the highest international standards, ensuring our audiences enjoy an unparalleled listening experience,” he enthuses.

The technical achievement is as impressive as it is elegant. Using Soundvision modeling software, the team mapped coverage for every seat across the auditorium’s curved

geometry and multiple balconies. The final configuration features five precisely positioned hangs of L2D loudspeakers paired with two centrally flown hangs of four KS28 subwoofers that deliver powerful lowend without overwhelming the hall’s natural acoustics.

Strategic placement of two Syva and two Syva Low cabinets at the stage edges broadens the sonic spectrum for orchestra seating, while a carefully distributed network of 15 compact 5XT enclosures along the stage lip and balcony fronts ensures crystal-clear intelligibility even in the front rows.

The entire system is powered by LA7.16i, LA7.16, and LA12X amplified controllers that provide abundant headroom and surgical precision across every frequency range.

“Soundvision is the key to success when designing this kind of project,” Lukusa emphasises. “Everything starts with it; it is the first and most important step in the L-Acoustics ecosystem. With our long experience in designing and installing L-Acoustics systems, we know we can rely on Soundvision – what we see is what we will hear.”

“THE L-ISA SPATIAL AUDIO TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US TO CREATE A TRULY FRONTAL REALISTIC SOUNDSCAPE WHERE EVERY DETAIL OF THE PERFORMANCE IS DELIVERED WITH STUNNING CLARITY AND DEPTH.”

Henry Le Bœuf Hall’s lively acoustic character has always challenged sound engineers, but the new L Series system Factor has turned this challenge into an advantage. The system delivers pristine intelligibility and uniform coverage all the way to the back row without raising sound pressure levels or unnecessarily exciting the room’s natural reverberation. “The L-Acoustics L Series handles Bozar’s diverse programming effortlessly,” notes Lukusa. “Whether it’s classical, pop, rock, jazz, or urban productions, the system adapts instantly.

“The ease of deployment offers highly valuable time savings, and the L-ISA Processor’s control tools make it adaptable to any configuration. “We can switch from a hyperrealistic immersive system to a stereo configuration with a single click.”

The installation received full support from the L-Acoustics Applications team, who collaborated with XLR from

initial design through final calibration. Training played a crucial role, with Bozar’s technical staff completing dedicated courses at the L-Acoustics Education Centre to ensure complete mastery of their new sonic weapon.

The investment doesn’t stop here. Bozar and XLR are already preparing to extend the immersive experience to the venue’s Salle M, which will receive a 360° immersive A10 system early next year, creating a comprehensive ecosystem of cutting-edge audio technology. “It is a long-term investment,” Lukusa affirms. “By offering artists, producers, and audiences the most advanced sound system available, Bozar has positioned itself at the forefront of the international stage.”

“This system represents a major step forward in Bozar’s technical capabilities,” Bernus concludes. “With L-ISA spatial audio, we can create a truly immersive soundscape where every nuance of a performance

reaches every seat with stunning clarity. It’s a leap that brings Bozar in line with the highest international standards and enhances our ability to host a diverse range of artists.”

The inauguration of the new system took place in September, led by Bernus, with performances from Syla and the Belgian National Orchestra.

L-ACOUSTICS.COM

INSIDE FISE AUDIO TO THE EXTREME WORDS BY ADAM

The world’s biggest urban sports festival, FISE (Festival International des Sport Extrêmes), used over 200 CODA audio units for the 2025 edition for the over 300,000 spectators who love sports on the extreme edge of the spectrum. Covering a huge range of intense sports such as parkour, skateboarding, and BMX, the army of units from CODA Audio Systems was deployed to cover the huge festival site in Montpellier, France.

In its 28th year, FISE worked with the event technology company Concept Group to organize the festival’s audio infrastructure.

With eight Fields of Practice covering each of the distinct urban sports, the CODA units had to live up to the appropriately extreme task of ensuring each part of the site brought powerful and clear sound for the crowds, regardless of the event’s location on the site and which sport was being performed.

The audio requirements were multifaceted, focusing on highimpact energy for the performances while maintaining clear speech intelligibility. This involved mixing sets from DJs and MCs, who were responsible for rallying the crowd and playing tracks selected by the

riders, alongside the precise delivery of announcements across all eight zones. Concept Group deployed an ambitious 200-plus CODA Audio loudspeaker units across the site. The inventory covered front-of-house reinforcement as well as monitoring for competitors, DJs, and MCs.

The system included a large number of line array elements, specifically 24 AiRAY and 48 ViRAY units, alongside various point sources such as HOPS12, HOPS8, and APS units.

Bass extension was handled by a combination of APS Sub, SCV, SCP, and SC2 subwoofers.

The entire system was powered by 15 CODA Audio LINUS T-RACK touring racks. Each rack contained three LINUS14D amplifiers.

“For an event of this size, it was important that all the loudspeakers and amplifiers were of the same brand for ease of use and unity of process in terms of network, flow, and configuration,” explains Steeve Thimpont of CODA Audio France.

“Concept Group has a long history with CODA Audio and has the inventory to match this demanding brief. CODA’s sound quality, reliability, and compact size were all major benefits in this application.”

The system design and acoustic management were handled using CODA Audio’s proprietary System Optimiser prediction software, proving essential during the planning phase to ensure comprehensive coverage across the site and audience areas. During

the festival, all amplifiers were connected to a single network, which allowed the technical team to use the LINUS Control software for realtime control, monitoring, and precise adjustment of local areas throughout the entire site.

“The systems performed brilliantly throughout the course of the five

days, helping to create an amazing atmosphere at this spectacular event,” Concept Group engineer Loïc Riviani enthuses.

“As well as delivering fantastic audio from such compact boxes, the systems stood up to non-stop use and the intense heat without any problems. Everyone on the

technical side was delighted with the exceptional quality and high performance of the systems, which perfectly complemented the adrenaline-filled action on the stages,” he smiles.

CODAAUDIO.COM

INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING COMPETITION

German audio technology purveyor, Lawo, was living the life aquatic as the company partnered with the International Swimming Competition, which was held in Asia for the first time in the athletic event’s history. With over 600 of the world’s greatest swimming athletes gathering for the competition held in Singapore in 2025, Lawo was brought on board to meet the broadcasting technology demands for this global sporting event. To rise to the task of providing an official audio mix that met the standards of this renowned, international event, a leading national broadcaster decided to center the mix around Lawo’s mc²56 MkIII production console. Headliner dives in to discover more…

The audio production was handled from the broadcaster’s fully IP-based outside broadcast vehicle, where the 48-fader Lawo mc²56 MkIII serves as the core mixing console.

To rise to the intensity of a live sports event and broadcast, a 16-fader mc²36 console was positioned as a standby mixer, ensuring full hardware and network redundancy for uninterrupted coverage.

Aquatic sports in particular throw up unique, and not to mention wet, acoustic challenges. This meant the audio team was required to synthesize multiple, specialized source types into a cohesive final mix. The console was used to balance dynamic elements crucial to the broadcast narrative, including comprehensive crowd ambience, feeds from multiple commentator positions, and the specialized capture provided by underwater microphones.

The mc²56 MkIII’s features — such as native support for immersive audio formats and integrated automix functions — were utilized to manage the complex, fast-moving audio

“AQUATIC SPORTS IN PARTICULAR THROW UP UNIQUE, AND NOT TO MENTION WET, ACOUSTIC CHALLENGES.”

environment. The system’s flexible configuration and advanced workflow tools, including rapid snapshot recall capabilities, allowed engineers to adapt the setup seamlessly between competition heats and finals, maintaining a consistent and professional output throughout the six-day event.

During all the dives and impressive front crawl swimming on display, the mixing console’s performance was underpinned with the Lawo A_UHD Core, a software-defined IP audio engine. Housed in a compact 1RU frame, this core provided substantial processing power, capable of delivering up to 1,024 DSP channels.

The deployment was clear evidence of the industry’s continued transition toward IP-centric infrastructure.

The A_UHD Core provides ultra-low latency performance necessary for real-time mixing, and it supports essential broadcast standards including native RAVENNA/AES67 and SMPTE ST2110. Adherence to these protocols facilitates wide interoperability, allowing the system to communicate efficiently with other devices and networks within the venue’s wider broadcast infrastructure.

The A_UHD Core incorporates Lawo’s HOME functionality, designed to

simplify the setup and management of IP signal paths, making complex network configuration more efficient for the operational team. In addition to redundancy measures, the system’s energy-efficient design is an important operational consideration for mobile production units.

The international aquatics event was held at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, a world-class venue for swimming, diving, and more. It forms a part of the Singapore Sports Hub, a 35-hectare public-private partnership in the huge sports and recreation district in Kallang, Singapore.

The Sports Hub was unveiled and opened to the Singaporean public in June 2014.

The sporting village was proposed by the Singapore parliament in 2001 with a view to replacing the ageing National Stadium.

WORDS BY ALICEGUS T

A NOSF

HOTEL MONSUAU RAISE THE ROOF

Perched atop the boutique hotel Monsuau in Cala D’Or, Mallorca, its rooftop terrace is now the ultimate sunset hotspot. Guests can sip expertly crafted cocktails, groove to live DJ sets, and be captivated by performances – all enhanced by a completely revamped sound and lighting system installed this summer. For this stylish rooftop experience, installation specialists Sonomusic designed a custom setup using LD Systems and Cameo solutions, boasting full control and seamless management via LD Systems’ QUESTRA design software. Headliner heads to the roof terrace to investigate…

The requirements for the audio system were clear from the start: high sound quality, an appealing design to match the look of the rooftop bar and even sound coverage without disturbing the hotel rooms below or neighbouring residential buildings.

“By using the compact LD Systems MAUI I1 column loudspeakers and DQOR SUB 8 subwoofers, we found an optimal solution for this challenge,” says Andreu Femenias, managing director of Sonomusic.

The Mallorcan AV integrator also installed the previous setup, which had been in use for around 15 years since the hotel opened. In addition to the sound quality and precise

alignment, it was important to the hotel operators that the technology blended seamlessly into the deliberately chosen ‘60s flair of the roof terrace.

Sonomusic opted for all-white versions of the MAUI i1 and DQOR SUB 8, and all components – both audio and lighting technology – were selected for their yearround weather resistance (IP65). Sonomusic relies on LD Systems QUESTRA to control the various areas of the roof terrace, including the bar, restaurant, lounge and stage - all individually.

The design and management software, which forms the heart and brain of the Adam Hall Integrated

Systems cosmos, also brings together all the audio components at Hotel Monsuau, from the IPA 424 T installation amplifiers to the X-EDAI Ethernet/Dante expansion cards and the installed loudspeakers.

Sonomusic also realized the planning and control of the lighting technology in QUESTRA.

“The hotel operators wanted to be able to control everything centrally via one platform,” explains Femenias. “With QUESTRA, we were able to integrate all audio and lighting elements via a central matrix, from the loudspeakers and LED strips to the moving lights.”

To automatically adapt the lighting and volume to different times of day and daylight situations, Sonomusic programmed individual lighting scenes via the virtual Cameo DVC CUE controller in QUESTRA, which can be selected by staff using LD Systems QTP 8 touchscreens.

For the lighting of the circular stage and the bar area, Sonomusic relies on a weatherproof combination of Cameo PIXBAR 400 IP G2 LED bars

and AZOR SP2 IP spot profile moving heads, which are mounted along the round arch truss on the stage and effectively set the scene for concerts and DJ sets.

“The customer wanted a powerful, moving light fixture that would be visible from afar and act as an eye-catcher,” Femenias points out. “The AZOR SP2 IP fulfills these requirements perfectly.”

The LED bars and moving lights are complemented by Q-SPOT 40 IB outdoor LED spots with RGBW LEDs, which are also IP65-capable, and a PHANTOM H2 hazer.

LD-SYSTEMS.COM CAMEOLIGHT.COM ADAMHALL.COM

s by ALICE GUSTAFSON

UNIFIED COMMS

LARGEST HINDU TEMPLE IN U.S

Riedel Communications has joined forces with BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham – the largest Hindu temple in the U.S. and the third largest in the world – to deliver a state-of-the-art media and communications infrastructure. To manage the temple’s vast and intricate operations, BAPS turned to Riedel’s MediorNet and Bolero systems, creating a powerful, scalable, and user-friendly solution that even its volunteer teams can easily operate. Installed in early 2023, the advanced setup is now fully live across the temple’s breathtaking Robbinsville, New Jersey campus, as Headliner discovers…

“With so many different events and services happening across our campus, we needed a system that could keep up without overwhelming our volunteers,” explains Prem Patel, one of many volunteers at BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham. “Riedel’s solution has been a gamechanger: It’s reliable, easy to use, and

incredibly flexible. Whether we’re live streaming a ceremony, coordinating a festival, or just handling day-to-day operations, the system lets us focus on what matters most – serving our community,” he says.

BAPS chose Riedel’s MediorNet for its hybrid approach, particularly

its ability to offer the flexibility of IP with the simplicity of SDI. The installation includes 14 MicroN UHD nodes deployed across multiple buildings – including shrines, worship spaces, and event venues – as well as portable flypacks that support mobile event production. These flypacks, equipped with MicroN UHDs and SmartPanels, can be quickly connected to the existing fiber network, enabling rapid deployment wherever needed.

The MediorNet system also tunnels Ethernet through its infrastructure, eliminating the need for separate switches and simplifying network expansion. This distributed architecture allows BAPS to bridge network connections across buildings using just a few fiber strands.

A central fiber patch panel and MediorWorks-powered control application allow operators to

manage video routing, robotic PTZ cameras, and live streaming from a centralized control room. The system supports seamless distribution of services both online and across the campus. Given the temple’s intricate marble architecture and lack of cable trays, BAPS pre-installed significantly more fiber than immediately necessary, futureproofing the infrastructure while minimizing longterm costs.

Wireless communication is powered by Riedel’s Bolero system, featuring an Artist-1024 intercom frame, 15 wireless beltpacks, four antennas, and 15 Air headsets. This setup ensures reliable communication for camera operators, stage managers, and volunteers. The use of Riedel’s 2300 Series SmartPanels further streamlines operations, allowing volunteers to access intercom and control functions with minimal training. With a consistent system

across all locations, volunteers can operate confidently, regardless of where they’re serving.

“When BAPS first came to us, they were exploring IP-based systems to reduce cabling and increase flexibility,” reflects Philip Stein, VP key accounts / manager LVP sales at Riedel Communications. “But they were also concerned about the complexity that often comes with IP. Once they saw what MediorNet could do, they realized it was exactly what they needed. It’s robust, scalable, and flexible just like IP yet very easy to manage and operate, which makes it a perfect fit for an organization that relies so heavily on volunteers.”

LECTROSONICS GETS TO WORK

MEXICO’S THEOFFICE REMAKE

Getting the call for La Oficina, the highly anticipated Mexican adaptation of the popular British TV series The Office, presented production sound mixer Sealtiel Alatriste with a tremendous opportunity. However, with its large improvisational cast and a busy RF environment, he found himself in something of an audio hot seat. He explains how his Lectrosonics setup ensured he could keep the audience cringing.

Alatriste’s passion for sound began early. “Like almost everyone in audio, I am a musician,” he shares. “I started recording myself at age 12, and the first time I walked into a studio, I knew that was what I was going to do with my life.”

After studying at Berklee College of Music and initially focusing on recording bands, he transitioned into post-production for commercials,

then sound design for films, which eventually led him to location sound mixing for reality shows, movies, and documentaries. Today, his credits include over 30 films, along with Netflix shows such as Welcome to the Family and El Niñero

The opportunity for La Oficina came through a prior collaboration with the line producer from the Alazraki family, one of Mexico’s largest production companies. Alatriste accepted the gig, unaware of its immense scale.

“Early on, the showrunner told me that the show was following the same mockumentary format as the original BBC series and U.S. spin-off, and all 16 cast members would need to be continuously mic’d due to extensive improvisation,” Alatriste shares.

“When you work in Mexico, the RF environment is wild and having that many live transmitters operating

simultaneously could be a recipe for interference,” he notes.

Alatriste mastered the complex audio demands of the Prime Video series through the use of an extensive Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless system that included SMV, SMWB, HMa, HM, and UM400A transmitters, and SRc, SRA, and UCR411a receivers.

“Extensive preparation was critical for La Oficina,” said Alatriste. “In Mexican TV, it’s uncommon to have much time for sound pre-production. Fortunately, I was able to work closely with the art department while they were developing the set. We hid six antennas in plain sight, using many office materials to conceal them, ensuring they were always close to the transmitters so we would always get a strong signal.

“Once the antennas were in place, Lectrosonics Wireless Designer was the key to our success,” Alatriste asserts. “We used the software to analyze the frequency spectrum and coordinate frequencies for each transmitter. We were able to quickly dial everything in, and once set, we needed no changes during recording,” he explains.

“Once we were in production, I used my entire Lectrosonics arsenal.”

“To capture the cast members, I used eight SMWB and six SMV miniature transmitters. My mic team worked closely with the wardrobe department to find optimal lavalier placements for each actor, a task they had to accomplish in just a half-hour.

“To make sure we had redundancy, I used two booms with HMa and HM plug-on UHF transmitters. I also used my two trusty UM400A transmitters daily. My receiver kit included SRc and SRA models, along with several UCR411A receivers. I love the UCR411A and still use it every chance I get. Those are solid.”

“MIXING WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR ME ON LA OFICINA BECAUSE THERE WAS CONSTANT IMPROVISATION.”

“Mixing was the biggest challenge for me on La Oficina because there was constant improvisation,” Alatriste recalls. “It could be a little unpredictable, but with Lectrosonics, I was confident in even the most challenging moments. Many times, actors said lines when a fader was down, but because I knew the lav was placed correctly and my transmitters are always reliable, it would still sound good, even though I didn’t monitor it.”

Alatriste shares that his commitment to using Lectrosonics products began a decade ago and has been earned by their reliability. “I learned recording in school, but when I began doing production sound, I was self-taught and wasn’t sure what equipment to use.

“I researched how the professionals recorded and quickly discovered that Lectrosonics was the most accessible professional brand in Mexico. My first Lectrosonics kit was an SRA receiver with an HM and UM400A transmitter. In all this time, it has never failed me, not once. So, I’m married to Lectrosonics now,” he smiles.

La Oficina is set to premiere on Prime Video in January 2026, with additional seasons planned.

QUANTUM112 FLYPACK MIXER’S MAIDEN FLIGHT

ED SHEERAN

DiGiCo’s long-rumoured “Pufferfish” has finally surfaced – and it’s got quite the bite. Now officially unveiled as the Quantum112, this ultra-compact powerhouse is already making waves on tour with Ed Sheeran, where FOH engineer Simon Kemp and production manager Chris Marsh are putting it through its first high-profile tests. Fittingly, the compact desk made its debut at NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk Concerts in September, before jetting off – still under wraps – to Brooklyn’s Domino Park for an exclusive TikTok LIVE show celebrating Sheeran’s eighth studio album, Play.

DiGiCo has enjoyed a long history with Sheeran, tracing back to 2011, when Marsh began mixing the artist’s early solo tours on a compact SD11. In 2017, to accommodate an ever-

increasing need for more busses, Marsh stepped up to an SD7 and subsequent Quantum7, which he toured with until passing the FOH mix baton on to Simon Kemp in 2023.

“I enjoyed six years on the SD11, going from pubs and clubs to stadiums – we even did Wembley and Croke Park with it in 2015,” Marsh recalls. “But it was finally time to say goodbye to the convenience of the small console and increase my front-of-house footprint to match Ed’s ambitions for shows moving forward.

“This was a big change as I could no longer walk in with a mixer under my arm, it cost more on freighting, and it was a logistical consideration at festivals and venues alike. I chose the SD7 and Q7 for many reasons, but mainly that it gave me an almost unlimited opportunity to expand and handle the demands of the artist. It was the right move at the time.”

“When we launched the Mathematics tour in 2022, I attempted to return to the SD11 for our launch shows in pubs and small venues but simply could not make it work. The console would not stretch to our requirements. I truly wish that I had a Quantum112 at that time, but I am so pleased that we have this option now. As production manager, it is a game-changer for being able to make Ed’s show translate into smaller venues, offering quicker turnarounds and cost-effective freight movements. It almost makes me want to be back at the faders again!”

Those FOH duties, of course, are now in the very capable hands of Kemp, who has mixed Sheeran for the past two years, after working with everyone

from Mariah Carey, Usher, and Lionel Richie to Robbie Williams.

“The exciting thing about Ed’s show is that we do it all – from tiny popups to stadiums and everything in between,” Kemp describes. “He creates loops via his guitar and vocal mic, which feed into Ableton and come to me via MADI as individual loop inputs. Years ago, the routing was likely fairly simple, but that has evolved into a much bigger setup. Today, we have the availability to have 16 channels of looper inputs, and the source can be his guitar or his looper vocal mic. We also now have a keyboard where he can loop samples, and for the bigger shows, there are three main vocal mics, three loop vocal mics, and five separate guitar inputs. It all adds up.”

DiGiCo’s smallest and newest addition to the Quantum Range –the Quantum112 – is a single-screen, 12-fader desk that is the company’s first true flypack mixer. Designed to fit within a rugged and robust Pelican Air 1637 case, the ultra-compact console, when packed, weighs only 23 kilograms – 50 pounds – qualifying it as a standard checked bag option on most flights.

When Kemp was first briefed on the top-secret Pufferfish, two thoughts immediately came to his mind: “My first reaction was: I love the idea of getting this show back onto a small console that I can check at the airport and do a gig anywhere in the world. That thought was quickly followed by: how in the world am I supposed to fit this show onto 12 faders?!” he laughs.

“But as it turns out, it’s been great, and the desk is so easy to get around, which is essential seeing that monitors for the looper setup are also run from FOH. I’m not sure how DiGiCo fit so much into such a small footprint, but it really covers everything I need, and with the help of macros and a huge touchscreen, I can be anywhere almost as quickly as if I had 36 faders.”

“I LOVE THE IDEA OF GETTING THIS SHOW BACK ONTO A SMALL CONSOLE THAT I CAN CHECK AT THE AIRPORT AND DO A GIG ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.”

Aside from applauding the Quantum112’s compact size and remarkably light weight, Kemp already has a list of other features and functions that he particularly appreciates. “I’m really impressed with the big screen and its brightness in the daytime,” he says.

“In terms of mixing, the Mustard Source Expander has been great. Spice Rack has also been a must for us, and we use it for both Ed’s vocal and guitar. It’s a really powerful setup, and quite a robust little console in general. We’ve given it a good test throughout our US

promo shows and it seems very hardy; the faders are great as well.”

A proper tour in support of Play is set to kick off closer to the end of the year, dramatically scaling up the production requirements, but the mix will steadfastly remain on DiGiCo’s Quantum platform. “We’ll be carrying a much-larger Quantum852 for that, but seeing that they’re both Quantum surfaces, transitioning the show between the two extremes in surface size is surprisingly painless. Even in the early stages of the Quantum112, before its file converter function existed, it didn’t take me long to shrink the show onto the little flypack mixer.”

“To my knowledge, I don’t think there’s any other console out there that can do what the Quantum112 does,” he says. “It has all the I/O that I need as standard on the back – and still has space for two DMI cards! Honestly, I can’t see any other mixer even getting close to its versatility. We’ve really been impressed with it.”

DIGICO.BIZ

WHAT EXECUTIVES CAN LEARN ABOUT LEADERSHIP

ANDY HERNANDEZ

In his latest Headliner column, pro audio executive Mike Dias profiles Andy Hernandez, The Jonas Brothers’ former monitor engineer, who reveals how quiet consistency, resilience, and a team-first mindset on the JONAS20 tour set the standard for leadership, trust, and operational excellence both on the road and now through his company, AND Audio Solutions.

During the first half of the JONAS20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour, the audience saw the lights, the choreography, and the seamless transitions. What they didn’t see was the extraordinary teamwork that enabled the performance to resonate night after night – the collective results of countless touring professionals. At the center of that effort was Hernandez, the band’s former longtime monitor engineer who also helped advance audio,

managed crew coordination, and handled vendor relations, all while balancing the needs of worldfamous artists with the energy and integrity of his teammates. “It’s doing the right thing consistently, over and over,” he shares. “Being kind, showing up, saying yes even when it’s not convenient.”

That line – say yes even when it’s not convenient – might as well be a leadership doctrine. Because

building trust in high-pressure environments, whether on tour or in the boardroom, isn’t about speeches or slogans. It’s about the reliability that others can feel.

“AT SOME POINT THEY JUST STOPPED NOTICING I WAS THERE. THAT’S THE GOAL.”

TRUST IS BUILT IN REPETITION, NOT RHETORIC TEAM RAPPORT IS TESTED IN THE MESS

On the road, credibility doesn’t come from titles. It comes from patterns. You do the right thing. You keep doing it. You don’t disappear when it’s uncomfortable. Over time, people stop checking; they just know you’ve got it.

That’s how a crew becomes invisible, and invisibility is the highest compliment.

“At some point,” Hernandez says, “they just stopped noticing I was there. That’s the goal. For them to forget the technical aspects and to just be in the moment.”

Executives chasing trust should take note: when you set the example of consistent preparation and presence, your team stops worrying about whether they’ll deliver, and starts performing interdependently.

Repetition didn’t just allow Hernandez to earn trust from artists; it created the same opportunity with his crew.

“Sticky situations are where trust happens,” he explains. “When things aren’t ideal, you jump in. Sometimes that meant helping with backline, sometimes lifting a riser that had nothing to do with audio. Whatever pushes the organization forward.” That attitude – whatever pushes the organization forward – separates true leaders from title-holders. The best executives don’t protect their lane; they protect momentum.

RESILIENCE

IS A MUSCLE BUILT ON THE ROAD

When asked whether resilience is learned or innate, Hernandez told the story about jumping in full-time with his venture, about his decision to leave the known safety of a global tour to pursue his own dreams, and how his van broke down the day before a major load-in at The Forum.

That’s not motivational talk. It’s muscle memory. Years of 4 a.m. calls, missed sleep, and shows that had to happen anyway forged that resilience. “You just let it roll off,” he says. “If you do your best in the moment, more times than not, it’s enough to get the project done.”

That kind of steadiness is what keeps businesses – and bands – alive. “One hard day doesn’t mean failure,” he asserts. “You pick yourself back up and jump into the action.”

FINAL WORD: LEAD LIKE YOU’VE BEEN ON TOUR

After getting off the road, Hernandez now runs a full-service

audio company supporting tours, recordings, and corporate events, bringing road-tested resilience into the business world.

“My parents taught me that once you commit, you do it 100%,” he says. “That combination of work ethic and tough situations is what builds resilience.”

In music and in management, the rules are the same:

• Show up.

• Stay calm.

• Keep your promises.

• Build systems others can trust.

Executives don’t need to spend years on a tour bus to learn from top crews. They just need to remember what makes those crews great: quiet consistency, shared ownership, and a refusal to flinch when things get loud. Because trust isn’t a speech. It’s a signal you send.

Hernandez was the longtime monitor engineer for the Jonas Brothers, trusted to manage audio, crew, and calm on global tours. He now brings

that same precision and reliability to his new full-service audio company, AND Audio Solutions, providing touring, recording, and corporate production support worldwide.

Mike Dias writes and speaks about Performance Psychology and Why Nobody Likes Networking. This column series explores what entertainers can teach business leaders about presence, trust, and execution.

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