Spotlight by The Intelligence

Odd Panda (Nico Ottman), a German producer, mastering engineer, and label A&R turned his love for music into a full-time career. Nico eventually found his way into beat-making, mastering over 400+ lo-fi tracks and working with No Spirit, Fortune Cookie, and Lotus Records along the way.We discuss his journey from restaurant management to music, the importance of genuine networking, and how he leveraged Discord and IG to build a thriving community. He also shares insights on FL Studio workflows, sample selection, and why mastering is more about experience than plugins.

Picture Talk, a lo-fi artist from the south of France, talks about his journey from rock and indie bands to crafting chill beats. We get into how he started in 2020, balancing indie releases with label deals, and why he eventually went all-in on making music his own way. We also talk about investing in yourself as an artist, when to spend money on ads, and how live shows and streaming fit into the bigger picture.

Allen Salazar: instructor at sldp, talks about taking risks to jumpstart his career by utilizing production & dj talent to partner with promoter Omar to create slc powerhouse duo ZANDZ. talked about what makes for quality performances, how to build engaging sets & what kind of music people are into, as well as his education pathway starting in and returning to salt lake dj and production school

Cucamello, a UK-based lo-fi artist with roots in pop punk and metal, talks about his journey from touring in bands to making chill beats. We dive into his MySpace-era beginnings, the impact of online communities like Discord, and how music became a form of therapy for him. We also get into the realities of indie vs. label releases, the role of A&R in lo-fi, and why AI is shaking up the industry.

Mondo Loops, a UK-based producer and guitarist describes the transition from folk and indie influences into the world of lo-fi hip-hop. We dive into his journey—starting with YouTube guitar loop covers in 2018, evolving into full-fledged production, and working with major labels like Lofi Girl. He shares insights on sync licensing, the impact of AI on production, and why short-form content is changing music discovery.

Atlanta-based producer & engineer Nate2Timez shares how he built a music career from scratch, landing 600+ credits across hip-hop, lofi, pop, and R&B. We dive into his production workflow, the power of networking, indie vs. major record labels, and why content creation is key. Plus, his advice for new producers: find your lane and master it.

bad at math., a multi-instrumentalist-turned-lo-fi producer, to explore his journey from playing bluegrass and marching band music to crafting cinematic, guitar-driven lo-fi. He shares how a push from his wife during 2020 led him to start recording, the transition from traditional instruments to digital production, and the techniques he uses to create his signature sound. We also dive into the realities of playlisting, navigating the algorithm, and how mutually beneficial collaborations have helped him grow his audience.

Christian Caicedo (lushpuppy, formerly envious audio): talks about starting a music education podcast electronic dance money to help artists learn to run their careers like a business, while simultaneously advertising for his (previous) mixing & mastering service. We talked about content creation & the need to stand out, as well as his transition to his current artist work.

His experience with music education and what endeavors, how to manage time for music with a busy life full of responsibilities by narrowing scope, the benefit of podcast driven self-study for improving, creating music and content for a specific brand.