Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Catali.
Hi Ana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My life began in circumstances that required resilience from an early age. After a tragic event, I entered witness protection and later moved through the foster care system. During that time, music and art became my refuge that calmed my nerves and gave me a sense of escape, expression, and safety.
I was fortunate to be placed with a few loving families who believed in my dreams and were committed to protecting my heart as much as my future. Their support gave me the confidence to continue creating — writing music, making art, and slowly imagining a life shaped by creativity.
In 2016, I founded my own entertainment company as a way to protect myself, retain creative control, and establish boundaries in an industry that often overlooks them. Since then, I’ve contributed to numerous musical projects that sharpened my skills, strengthened my ear, and deepened my understanding of the craft and business of music.
Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from respected artists, executives, and industry leaders. The journey has been anything but linear — it’s been a true rollercoaster — but each experience has encouraged me to share my vision.
Today, I remain committed to building something meaningful and sustainable. Create work I can stand behind with pride, integrity, and purpose.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Although I come from a family with deep roots in the music industry, my religious upbringing introduced internal conflicts about whether pursuing music was the right path for me. Combined with the realities and cautionary stories I encountered about the industry, this led to periods of hesitation. I stepped away from music more than once, only to return each time with greater clarity and determination.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about illi Entertainment?
1. illi Entertainment is an independent entertainment company that offers audio mixing and mastering services.
2. We are working on establishing a live-events sector, where we can host a music festival “illi Music Fest”
3. I am hands on with mixing and mastering and specialize in such.
4. I dive into each project using professional mixing and mastering techniques I learned from mentors who have been in the business long before I was born. I am also a Singer-Songwriter so I listen and understand the artist when they explain to me how they want their music to be heard.
5. I’m so proud of pushing through the years as a brand and building something that is respected amongst giants in the industry.
6. If a reader wants to reach out, don’t hesitate.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
1. Boo Mitchell – my big cousin taught me how to use the copyright office and layer songs. He is one of my first cheerleaders. You can find him at @boomitchellmemphis
2. JermalJermelTrax – my cousin, taught me how to record myself. Definitely a cheerleader with big Pom-poms. You can find him at @dontgetnobigger
3. KennyMixx – He has the biggest heart and the deepest knowledge in audio mastering. You can him at @kennymixx
4. Nikayla Miller – The aunti that was been a guiding light. She and my cousin MempHITz introduced me to the music industry scene. You can find her at @aia_thenextbigthing and him at @therealmemphitz
5. Blanco Brown – this mentor taught me how important it was to record with emotion, he introduced me to several music artists like j-Holiday and Case during group writing sessions along with my hairstylist Kiera. You can find her at @kierabstyles and him at @blancobrown
6. WM Hill – my biological grandparents have both been encouraging which has played a role in my identity and personal success.
7. Grace Harris & Janet Ja’nae – My rowDawgs, my ace, over the years, these have been my biggest most consistent cheerleaders. My heart is full & grateful. You can find aunt Janet at @janetjanae1
8. Other parental and sibling support: Llaila Amorh, Ali Printez, Shirley Duventre, Gustavo Adolfo, Mario Castro, Denise Miller, Larry Miller, Lisa Cunningham. XOXO
Pricing:
- Mixing starts at $25 hourly depending on the song at project length
- Mastering is $125 or less and based on the tier of quality expected
- My personal music is $1 a song
- I offer instrumentals at various licensing rates
- Contact for advertising
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.illigoldnation.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamcatali
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamcatali
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/illi-entertainment-atlanta
- Other: https://www.iamcatali.com
