2025 Producer Of The Year Nominee Alissia

Summary

Podcast Summary: ALL OF IT Episode - 2025 Producer Of The Year Nominee Alicia

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart (filled by Tiffany Hansen for this episode)
• Publisher: WNYC
• Episode Title: 2025 Producer Of The Year Nominee Alicia
• Release Date: March 28, 2025

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Introduction

In this special episode of ALL OF IT, hosted by Tiffany Hansen in place of Alison Stewart, listeners are introduced to Alicia, an accomplished DJ, producer, and bass player. Alicia has earned a remarkable recognition as a nominee for the 2025 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year. This episode is part of WNYC's Women's History Month series, Equalizers, which spotlights women making significant strides in music production.

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Alicia's Background and Career Path

Alicia begins by sharing her journey into music production, highlighting her foundational years at the prestigious Berklee School of Music. Initially focused on playing the bass, Alicia's passion for creating and producing music naturally evolved alongside her performance skills.

Alicia [02:01]:
"I think I was always a music lover and I always really was craving and wanting to be able to, you know, play everything I was hearing on bass... I was writing and producing people in school, but that later on I really focused on that for a bit."

Reflecting on her early influences, Alicia mentions her fascination with 1970s funk music, particularly artists like Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham.

Alicia [04:03]:
"I was a huge funk 70s music fanatic... that's really what I wanted to be able to play, you know, what I was hearing on bass."

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Grammy Nomination and Notable Works

Alicia discusses her Grammy nomination, emphasizing that she was one of only a few women shortlisted for Producer of the Year in the non-classical category—a first in the award's history. She credits her work with prominent artists such as Mary J. Blige, Jamila Woods, BJ the Chicago Kid, and Ray Khalil for her recognition.

Alicia [08:02]:
"It was really an incredible year. I had the honor of working with a lot of different artists, and so it was... I was very humbled. I'm still, you know, very, very grateful for it, for sure."

Working with Mary J. Blige

Alicia recounts her collaboration with Mary J. Blige on the song "Love Without the Heartbreak", highlighting the seamless synergy and creative process that led to the track's success.

Alicia [04:55]:
"Working with her was really incredible... we had just a great time. We really just were vibing and trying to make the best we could make and just have fun with it."

The episode features a clip of Mary J. Blige performing a heartfelt rendition of her song, showcasing Alicia's production prowess in keeping the vocals front and center.

Mary J. Blige [05:43]:
"I'm so tired don't wanna feel it numb up no, no..."

Collaboration with Ray Khalil

Alicia delves into her work with Ray Khalil, particularly on the track "Is It Worth It", discussing the intentional production choices and the organic development of the song.

Alicia [09:01]:
"I started playing like on actually on my Moog Voyager, the baseline and the chords... and she started, like, writing down lyrics and just ideas, and that's how it came about."

The episode includes a snippet of Ray Khalil's powerful performance, highlighting the depth and emotion infused into the production.

Ray Khalil [09:58]:
"Is it worth it? Tell me is it worth it?..."

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Production Insights and Song Highlights

Alicia shares her approach to music production, emphasizing the importance of live instruments and analog sounds in her work. She discusses the versatility required to produce diverse genres, from funk to DJ-friendly tracks.

Alicia [03:22]:
"I use a lot of, you know, live instruments and analog... so it's helping me a lot."

"Love Takeover" by Lion Babe

Alicia expresses her admiration for Lion Babe's track "Love Takeover", highlighting the energetic and danceable elements that resonate with her as a DJ.

Alicia [13:06]:
"It really makes me want to, like, spin that. And I... Brings me into that whole, like, DJ world."

A sample of the song is played, illustrating the vibrant production quality.

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Creative Process and Studio Environment

The conversation shifts to Alicia's creative process, particularly how she fosters a conducive environment for artists in the studio. She mentions practices like burning Palo Santo to purify the space and setting personal routines to ensure mental clarity before sessions.

Alicia [14:30]:
"I always try to either... listening to music and just kind of sort of a meditation. Whatever works... it's very personal."

Alicia shares her personal ritual of lighting a candle each morning to set intentions for the day, underscoring the importance of mindfulness in her workflow.

Alicia [15:35]:
"Every morning, I light a candle... Set the intention for the day."

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Challenges as a Woman in Music Production

Alicia candidly discusses the hurdles she faces as a woman in the predominantly male-centric music production industry. She speaks about being the only woman in many professional settings and the extra effort required to earn respect.

Alicia [16:18]:
"Sometimes, you know, I had that feeling that I had to prove like I had to be, you know, twice as better as someone else... I had to work really, really hard to, you know, and I'm still working hard."

Alicia emphasizes the importance of resilience, self-belief, and trusting one's instincts to navigate the industry's challenges.

Alicia [16:18]:
"You have to really have thick skin and really be grounded and really believe in yourself first and first and foremost..."

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with Tiffany Hansen summarizing Alicia's impactful contributions to music production and her pivotal role in the Equalizers series. Listeners are encouraged to explore more conversations within the series to gain deeper insights into the journeys of women in music production.

Tiffany Hansen [17:38]:
"That was Allison's conversation with Alicia, one of 2025's Grammy nominees for producer of the year non classical. And that's it for today's special Women's History Month episode featuring highlights from our series Equalizers Women in Music Production."

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Key Takeaways

• Alicia's Evolution: From a bass player at Berklee to a Grammy-nominated producer, Alicia's journey underscores the seamless transition from performance to production.

• Collaborative Creativity: Alicia's work with artists like Mary J. Blige and Ray Khalil highlights her ability to elevate an artist's vision through thoughtful production choices.

• Emphasis on Live Instruments: Her preference for live instruments and analog sounds adds a rich, authentic texture to her productions.

• Creating a Positive Studio Environment: Practices like burning Palo Santo and setting personal intentions contribute to a productive and creative studio atmosphere.

• Navigating Industry Challenges: Alicia's experiences shed light on the persistent gender disparities in music production and the resilience required to overcome them.

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For More: Listeners interested in exploring more stories of women in music production can visit the ALL OF IT podcast series on wnyc.org.

Transcript

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[WNYC Studios]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Tiffany Hansen]

This is all of it. I'm Tiffany Hansen filling in for Alison Stewart. Alicia is a DJ, producer and bass player. She was one of the 2025 Grammy nominees for Producer of the Year for her work on songs by Ray Khalil, Jamila woods, and more. She's a producer on this track, Honey by BJ and the Chicago Kid.

[Alicia]

Baby, if you want me come and.

[BJ the Chicago Kid]

Pour it on me Hey, I love the way you stick to me like sugar drops on my tongue Follow me.

[Tiffany Hansen]

To ecstasy Alicia's Grammy nomination made just one of a handful of women on the Producer of the Year shortlist in the ceremony's history. To date, no woman has won the award in the non classical category for our Women's History Month series, Equalizers. Women in Music Production. Here's Allison's conversation with Alicia.

[Alicia]

So you start at the Berklee School of Music, very, very prestigious. And you played the bass. When did music production come into the picture?

[WNYC Studios]

You know, I think I was always a music lover and I always really was craving and wanting to be able to, you know, play everything I was hearing on bass. Obviously I played piano, started on piano before, and I was really craving the creating, trying to, you know, create songs. And so it kind of like came like, obviously bass was. I was focusing on bass a lot, but it kind of came around the same time naturally. You know, I was like writing and producing people in school, but that later on I really focused on that for. For a bit.

[Alicia]

I want people to hear you play the bass. We found this from Berkeley. This is pretty great. Let's take a listen. So that's taking you down memory lane a little bit.

[WNYC Studios]

Wow, you guys really surprised me back in the archives. Wow. Wow. Memories.

[Alicia]

Well, when you think about the fact that you will play music, that you played music, piano, bass, how does that help you in your production?

[WNYC Studios]

I think, you know, being a musician and starting off as a musician is always helpful, you know, to write songs with people and then later on produce it and develop it. I think it's a great tool to have just being a musician, being able to know which chords to go to for the melodies and things like that. So it really helped me for sure in my production, I use a lot of, you know, live instruments and analog and. Yeah, so it's helping me a lot.

[Alicia]

There was a lot of funk in that bass.

[WNYC Studios]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Alicia]

Thank you. Is there. Is there a. Do you consider yourself having sort of a. A basis in funk?

[WNYC Studios]

I mean, you know, I was a huge, like, funk 70s music fanatic when I. That's what really made me want to, you know, start playing bass like Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham Brothers Johnson, you know, like so many. So many of that era. But, yeah, that's really what I wanted to be able to play, you know, what I was hearing on bass. And so definitely, yeah.

[Alicia]

I'm speaking with Alicia, who is nominated for producer of the year non classical at the 2025 Grammy. She's here to kick off our March series Equalizers. Women in music production. Your first Grammy nomination came from your work on Mary J. Blige's song love without the Heartbreak. What did you see as your in helping out Mary J. This is 2000, 2022.

[WNYC Studios]

Yeah. First of all, that, you know, that nomination was incredible. We had two nominations, actually, including album of the year, which is one of the most important categories. So we were all very happy. And yeah, I mean, working with her was really incredible. You know, she's. She knew what she wanted as far as, you know, what she wanted to say and talk about. And I think musically, you know, we talked about different things and just inspirations she had music wise. And, yeah, I was, you know, working on that also. Anderson Paak. Shout out to the incredible Anderson Paak who brought me in for that session. And, yeah, we had just a great time. You know, we really just were vibing and trying to make the best we could make and just have fun with it.

[Alicia]

Let's listen to a little bit. This is love without the heartbreak.

[BJ the Chicago Kid]

I'm so tired don't wanna feel it numb up no, no Talk about if I can pick the best parts of love I would start it like this I would start at the time we took our first trip I would start at the time we had our first kiss I can pick the best parts of love I can do without this Take out all the How I take out the part about your ex I don't know how long I can wait oh, I don't know how much I can take O When will love give me a pretty oh I feel like I'm going this I'm so goddamn sick of.

[Alicia]

The pain I really hear her voice is very front. What went into that choice? It's clearly out front.

[WNYC Studios]

You know, I think. I mean, that's more on the mixing end, but I think, you know, when she was singing that song, I feel. You could feel, you know, I was there actually, when. When she was in the booth and. And she was really. She's just the queen, you know, her. Her magic and everything. Like, it's just her whole aura about it. But y. I think just the decision of keeping her vocals so in front and then the backgrounds more in the back is definitely something that elevates this song. And we try to still keep that magic of all the instruments that goes with it, but, yeah, she's incredible.

[Alicia]

You were nominated this year for producer of the Year for your work on songs like from Jamila woods, bj, the Chicago Kid. We heard that earlier. Ray Khalil. First of all, what's the criteria for the Producer of the Year?

[WNYC Studios]

You know, I'm not sure. I think, you know, it's also just like, the work, the versatility of the producer and how much, you know, I'm guessing. And there's not the exact criteria that is publicly written, but what I assume would be, yeah, to just elevate someone's vision, an artist's vision, and, you know, musically and really execute it as best as they can as producers. And, you know, for me, it was really an incredible year. I had the honor of working with a lot of different artists, and so it was. Yeah, I was very humbled. I'm still, you know, very, very grateful for it, for sure.

[Alicia]

Let's listen to one of the artists. Is It Worth it by Ray Kahlil. What is a production decision in this song you would like us to. To listen for in this next clip?

[WNYC Studios]

I think just everything, you know, I think that, you know, this song is very powerful. I love, you know, she's an incredible writer and artist. I really had fun with it. I got to record and arrange strings. I love doing that in my production. You know, most of the instruments, pretty much all of them are, you know, played live. And so we really wanted to. I really wanted to keep that magic and capture, you know, all of it. So, yeah, listen to everything.

[Alicia]

This is Ray Khalil. Is it worth it?

[Ray Khalil]

Is it worth it? Tell me is it worth it? If I show up when I'm old In the sea of the same face Is it worth my time? My compass does just fine on its own so much pride it built a second home I I can't hide behind me no more I went so low and flew high no one said it would be easy Crowded. How do you stay grounded, Alicia?

[Alicia]

How did the songs come to you? Did they come to you in the most basic state?

[WNYC Studios]

This one, actually, you know, it's so, you know, with Ray, it was something where actually Anderson again, you know, reached out and he had just signed her, and she had just signed to Def Jam, and he was trying to really develop, like, a new sound for her. So, you know, and I knew Ray from before and I really loved her music. And I think, you know, he just had this vision of wanting to do a song for her that. Where she can really shine as a singer, because a lot of people know her as a rapper and. Yeah, so I think, you know, she. It just came. I don't know exactly how. You know, sometimes the magic just strikes. But this was. She came for like a week and we did a bunch of songs. And especially with, like, up and coming artists, I love to really try to spend time to really figure, you know, figure what works for them, like try things out. And really that's the only way to find out, to just try and just make music and we'll understand what type of song, you know, works for them. And, you know, this one was maybe like the third or fourth day we got in and it was like later in the day, we had just finished working on another song and we were like, it was late. And, you know, I started playing like on actually on my Moog Voyager, the baseline and the chords on the roads, and I had these chords I was thinking about. I was like, that would be really cool, you know, if it started like this and then goes into that. And, you know, she really enjoyed it. And she started, like, writing down lyrics and just ideas, and that's how it came about.

[Alicia]

And she became sort of. Sort of enmeshed with the song. As you gave her more information, she was able to bring herself to it.

[WNYC Studios]

Yes. Musically, I was giving her information and she was just going. Writing and thinking melodies, singing with the chords I was playing. So it was very natural and very fast. Yeah.

[Alicia]

I'm speaking with Alicia, who was nominated for Producer of the Year Non classical at the 2025 Grammy. She's part of our series Equalizers in music production. Let's listen to another track. Love Takeover by Lion Babe. What do you like about this track?

[WNYC Studios]

You know, I. I love that. This one and. And the same with the one you played. Bj, the Chicago Kid. It features actually Chloe, which is the amazing artist, and the one with Coco Jones as well. So I did a lot of, you know, this year was a lot of different types of songs. And the one with Lion Babes, they're so amazing. Shout out to Lion Babe. It really makes me want to, like, you know, it. Me into this. You know, I DJ too, so it makes me, like, want to, like, spin that. And I. Brings me into that whole, like, DJ world. The same as the one I did with Kada, too. Like, the. The more dancy tracks, I'm like, yeah, I can. I can teach it that we can have fun with it, so. Yeah, love that one too.

[Alicia]

Let's listen.

[Ray Khalil]

To each other.

[BJ the Chicago Kid]

It's okay.

[Ray Khalil]

This will be day.

[Alicia]

I read somewhere that you. You burn Palo Santo in the studio. It's sort of like, you know, a purifying wood can relieve anxiety when you're producing. What are other ways that you make the space good for the artist? Make the space good for yourself. Let your creativity flow.

[WNYC Studios]

Well, you know, I think that making music is. I see it kind of a. It's kind of sacred. You have to really be vulnerable, you know, when you make music. So I always try to, like, you know, it's very mental in a way. You have to feel comfortable. You have to feel like you're in a safe space to try different things, you know, especially if you're in sessions with different people or with the artists, you always have to make sure there's a good vibe, a good energy. So, you know, Palo Santo, I love the smell and, you know, obviously the energy, you know, around it. But, yeah, just I think, mentally, you know, I always try to have a good. To be in a good mental space and whatever that is before the session and before getting in with the artist, you know, I always try to either. It could be like, listening to music and just kind of sort of a meditation. Whatever works. It's very personal. I don't know. I always try to listen to music and clear my ears in a way, you know, and. And, yeah, sometimes it could be just taking a walk or it depends. But, yeah. Goodness.

[Alicia]

Every morning, I light a candle.

[WNYC Studios]

Yeah.

[Alicia]

For anything else, I just light a candle. I just want it just for a few minutes.

[WNYC Studios]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alicia]

Set the intention for the day, you know, Exactly.

[WNYC Studios]

Whatever works. Whatever works for. For you and for anyone, really. It's like, you know, before you do something. And again, we're not dealing with numbers. We're really. You know, music is very, very artsy. So a good mental space, ideally, obviously, there's good days and then less good days.

[Alicia]

But speaking of less good days, you told Billboard, Elisa, you said you face a lot of challenges like stepping into rooms where I'm the only woman in that room. It took a long time for me to gain that respect. What kind of challenges are we talking about?

[WNYC Studios]

You know, I think again, like you said earlier, there's, you know, there's the numbers and women in the industry is very low. And even, even though we're doing good progress throughout the last few years, I think there's still a lot of work to be done. And again, I think the challenge is just, it's just a very tough industry. The music industry, like, I'm sure a lot of the entertainment industry in general. You have to really have thick skin and really be grounded and really believe in yourself first and first and foremost and really always just trusting your gut and trusting that you got this. And sometimes, you know, it could be very intense in general, you know, but also just challenges, as you know, because sometimes I would step in a room and, you know, I had that feeling that I had to prove like I had to be, you know, twice as better as someone else if, you know, another guy, like to just prove that I have that, you know, respect. So that's why I worked really, really hard to, you know, and I'm still working hard, but like, you know, yeah, I think those are the types of challenges, just, you know, working extra hard to have that respect.

[Tiffany Hansen]

That was Allison's conversation with Alicia, one of 2025's Grammy nominees for producer of the year non classical. And that's it for today's special Women's History Month episode featuring highlights from our series Equalizers Women in Music Production. You can find more conversations in the series with women who work as producers and engineers in the all of it podcast feedback or on wnyc.org have a great weekend, everybody. Allison will be back here on Monday. We'll see you then.

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