Packed into the mixing room of a studio at Sony Music Group’s New York headquarters on a Tuesday in mid-July, about a dozen college students listened as five-time Grammy award-winning recording engineer and producer Ann Mincieli described the life and career lessons she’s learned working nearly every job there is in a studio.
“There’s a whole world, basically, behind the artist,” said Mincieli, who has worked with artists including Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Drake and DMX, and now designs and runs studios for Sony Music.
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Over the next 45 minutes, Mincieli took the students, who are part of Sony Music’s Global Scholars Program, through three versions of Keys’ “Empire State of Mind” and her contributions on each to illustrate how her career path has taken her from “producer to painting the sonic palette with the artist.”
“It’s incredible to see the growth in career paths available in the studio,” Mincieli, who also owns New York’s Jungle City studios, told the students. “The lines get blurred sometimes, so it’s important to learn the roles to put yourself in the best position and so you can advocate for [yourself].”
