Today we’d like to introduce you to Caleb McLean.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Caleb. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m currently a musician, producer, and creative strategist. I began my career in the Atlanta music industry as an intern at Twelve Studios in Midtown during the summer of 2016 – following my graduation from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University with a Master’s Degree in Audio Arts. Legendary Syracuse alumna, Shanti Das, became my mentor and guide into the music business, introducing me to Dina Marto and her studio management team. I became a part of the Twelve family as an intern and I was excited to begin what I would soon find to be one of the most stressful yet rewarding periods in my life.
I lived the full intern experience: from food runs, client pickups, and cleaning bathrooms to assisting in sessions and later contributing musically in them. During my time as an intern, I experienced several facets of the music business – as an A&R assistant, a member of the PR team, an engineer/producer’s assistant, and even managing one of my fellow interns’ burgeoning rap career. It was during this time that I finalized my decision to be a music producer. I began producing records for my fellow interns, which garnered the attention of the studio’s lead engineer. He began giving me small opportunities to contribute as a keyboardist to the records that he was creating. This resulted in a creative friendship and cemented my place in the studio as a resident creative. Soon after, I was promoted from intern to staff producer, which enabled me to collaborate with the in-house talent and executives.
I went on to branch out independently and continue making my way in the music world. One of my first independent co-production placements was Mexico’s 2018 World Cup theme song, “Vamos Por La Estrellas,” featuring Kap G, Sofia Reyes, and Paty Cantú. This was the beginning of my artist collaborations, which have now included Quando Rondo, NLE Choppa, Brianna Perry, and several others.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been a consistently smooth road – for creatives, there will always be days of uncertainty. Questioning my path, pondering what decisions to make, and being frustrated with perceived lack of progress have all been parts of the journey.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
As a musician and producer, I provide a musical re-creation of the artist’s emotion. It’s my job to ensure that the song reflects their vision while using my expertise to focus that vision into a hit record. I’m known primarily for my skills as a keyboardist – I specialize in all things melodic. This talent has allowed for multi-genre versatility in my creativity. I’ve composed records in the gospel, pop, hip-hop, and R&B spaces – sometimes all in the same day!
A point of personal pride for me is the relationships that I build with my clients. It’s of the utmost importance to me that we have a sense of each other’s creative energy – even before we start on the music. This allows me to pull the best from an artist during a session – which is a direct result of creating rapport.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Absolutely nothing. Every experience I’ve had has shaped who and where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Email: soulsoundzmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsoundz_/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulsoundz_
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