Recent posts: interview

Perusing the 2025 NAMM Show Attendee list, my eyes lit up when I saw Simone Torres’ name on the event roster. On Friday’s conference schedule, Grammy-nominated vocal producer, engineer and recording artist presided over Roland’s NAMM Panel discussing Music Production and hit the stage herself, putting her powerhouse voice on display. Building a thriving Twitch community centered around her music engineering, she’s creating production tools for purchase to assist others aspiring to do the same. When she’s not doing that, she’s working on her own music, vlogging on Instagram and engineering and vocal producing for artists like Cardi B, Camila Cabello, Sofia Carson, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Becky G, Chloe Bailey and Anitta. Racking up an impressive roster of 261 credits and stream counts into the billions (12 billion to be exact), the future appears limitless for this Long Island Latina native.

Delving eagerly into the 2025 NAMM Show schedule, as an unabashed lover of classic and modern blues and jazz, I remained intent to connect with guitarists who wear their influences on every note played. It didn’t take long to land on Chant Duplantier’s name. Growing up in Louisiana, a state known the world over as the birthplace of jazz and an important culture-shaping hub for soul and blues, Chant’s family informed his early love of legends like Buddy Guy, Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters. As he progressed his guitar playing into adulthood, artists like Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Prince, George Benson and Django Reinhardt joined the influence arsenal. Listening to Chant play live like he does in this clip below, the inspiration shows.

As a casual daily music listener, it’s easy to take for granted why your favorite songs sound so good. All you know is that when you turn the volume up and hear the rattling bass that gets you hyped or the crisp blend of choruses, to which you sing along in the shower, they transport you elsewhere on an album’s journey. Developing a new curiosity about how critical mixing and engineering impact music’s final product, I recently discovered a fascinating world that’s as much artistic as it is technical which deserves utmost respect. Delving into my favorite albums and songs throughout the years with this lens, one name popped up over and over again- Neal Pogue.

Viewing the 2025 NAMM Show performance schedule, I devoted time each day to peep live amazing live acts from a myriad of music genres. Arriving on Wednesday, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to catch hip-hop and R&B/soul string quartet wholesoul at the cozy Westin Hotel which served as the perfect venue to showcase the group’s skills as their music floated in the air from afar. Featuring Julliard classically trained violist Drew Forde aka “ThatViolaKid” among the foursome, their short set flew by.

As 2025 kicks off, the natural year reset and hunt for new music begins yet again. Coming across legendary musical vet Ringo Starr’s new country, rock and bluegrass-tinged album ‘Look Up’, co-written and produced by fellow musical icon T Bone Burnett, this latest project arrived at the perfect time, featuring Nashville’s best and brightest. Assembling an all-star group of collaborators like Billy Strings, Allison Krauss, Larkin Poe, Molly Tuttle and Lucius, the 36 minutes of the album fly quickly by. Ringo’s solo record return to country after releasing ‘Beaucoup of Blues’ in 1970 adds another welcome chapter to a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s already storied career. To mark Look Up’s release, Ringo and T Bone recently gathered another Avenger type live concert special lineup featuring the likes of Jack White, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Brenda Lee and more.

If you’ve gone to a Halsey, Kehlani, Selena Gomez or Post Malone show recently, you’ve seen an unforgettably striking keyboardist rocking alongside these artists. Her name is Bonnie McIntosh and her synth sounds and talent matched with her rock punk signature style have steadily made her an in-demand touring musician over the past few years. Studying classical piano in childhood and college, you can slyly hear those influences on some of the biggest stages around the world.

Looking back at the highlights of 2024, one shining moment comes to mind. Reading the list of honorees for this year’s 12th annual She Rocks Awards, my excitement piqued as I read Debbie Gibson’s name, a woman who needs no introduction. For any little kid growing up in NY in the late 80’s, it was a given you’d hear one of her songs she’d written blasting out of backseat car speakers or see one of her unforgettable videos if you were lucky enough to have early MTV.

As I wrap up this musical year, I ponder my favorite moments of 2024, and one clear standout came during this year’s impressive annual NAMM Show. Perusing the list of performing acts, I knew I couldn’t miss Yamaha’s Grand Plaza Stage Night of Worship with Take 6. Hooked since I heard “Spread Love’ as a kid, the acapella legendary gospel and jazz sextet livened the crowd’s spirit and did not disappoint live.