Conversations with Yixin Iggie Zhang

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yixin Iggie Zhang.

Hi Yixin Iggie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story starts in Taiyuan, China, where I grew up playing classical piano at the age of six. For a long time, music meant discipline, practice rooms, exams, and playing everything “correctly.” But as I got older, I realized I was more interested in creating my own world of music rather than simply performing in someone else’s. I fell in love with pop, R&B, hip-hop, electronic music, and K-pop — sounds that felt colorful, emotional, and alive.

In high school, I started teaching myself music production and writing my own songs. At first, I was just experimenting in my room, trying to figure out how to turn feelings into sounds. That curiosity eventually brought me to Berklee, where I was surrounded by musicians from all over the world. It was here that I began to shape my identity as a producer, songwriter, artist, and sound designer.

I never felt like I fit into only one box. I love writing toplines, designing sounds, building beats, recording vocals, mixing songs, DJing, and thinking about how music can live both sonically and visually. After graduating, I moved to Los Angeles to continue building my career as a producer-artist. I’ve been working with independent artists, creating music for sync opportunities, and collaborating across different genres and cultures.

As a Chinese female producer and artist in the U.S. music industry, I’m still learning how to claim my space, trust my taste, and build a career that feels truly my own. What matters most to me is making music that feels honest, stylish, and emotionally specific. It’s still early in my journey, but I’m proud that I get to keep chasing sound, story, and identity every day.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey with music is definitely not always a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been building a creative career in a different country and culture. Moving from China to the U.S. pushed me to grow quickly — not only as a musician, but also as a person. I had to learn how to communicate my ideas, trust my style, and find my place in this new community where at times I felt like an outsider.

Another challenge has been defining myself. I specialize in production, songwriting, vocals, mixing, sound design, DJing, and visual performance, and for a while, I felt pressure to choose one label. Over time, I realized that being multi-dimensional is a strength and part of my identity, even if it comes with struggles and makes the path less traditional.
As a female producer, I’ve also had to learn how to claim my space and feel confident in creative and technical conversations. Moving to Los Angeles after graduation brought its own challenges too — building my network, finding opportunities, and staying consistent in an unpredictable industry.

Ultimately, these experiences have made me more resilient. I learned to be resourceful, organized, and honest with myself about the kind of artist and producer I want to become.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My specialty as an artist is in production, songwriting, and sound design. My work lives somewhere between pop, R&B, hip-hop, electronic music, and K-pop, and I’m especially drawn to creating songs that feel emotional, stylish, and sonically fresh. I love building a full world around a song — from the topline and lyrics to the production, vocal sound, mix, and overall visual feeling.

A big part of what I do is helping artists turn their ideas into finished records. I work with independent artists on songwriting, vocal production, recording, mixing, and arrangement, and I also create music for sync opportunities in TV, commercials, and other media. Because I have experience as both a creator and a performer, I care a lot about how a song feels emotionally, how it sounds technically, and how it can connect with listeners.

I think what sets me apart is that I don’t approach music from only one angle. I can write, produce, record, mix, perform, DJ, and think visually, so I’m always looking at the bigger picture of a project. I’m also shaped by both Chinese and American music cultures, which gives me a wide creative vocabulary and makes me interested in sounds that cross genres and borders.

I’m proud of the fact that I’ve built a career around being versatile while still developing a voice that feels personal. Whether I’m making a record for an artist, writing a hook, producing a sync cue, or designing a sound, I work towards creating a final result that feels honest, polished, and memorable.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
My inspiration to do my best in life comes from a mix of music, visuals, and everyday digital tools. Spotify is probably one of the apps I use the most — not just for listening, but for studying songwriting, production choices, and how different artists build their sonic identity. I also use YouTube a lot for live performances, interviews, music production tutorials, and visual references.

For creativity and organization, I rely on Notes, Notion, and Apple’s Voice Memos. A lot of my ideas start as quick voice notes, random lyric lines, or small observations I write down during the day with these apps. I also use Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, and Xiaohongshu for visual inspiration, fashion, culture, and understanding how creative work connects with audiences.

I don’t think there is one single book, app, or podcast that defines my process. I’m more inspired by collecting little pieces from everywhere — a song, a color palette, a conversation, a film scene, a city at night — and turning those fragments into music. That habit of staying curious helps me do my best work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://iggieyz.wixsite.com/iggiemusic
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realiggie?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578948714700&mibextid=wwXIfr
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yixin-zhang-bb0587346?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb1Q4yY8uNCi_xAB_Trx2EQ