Meet Corbin Dooley | Artist, Founder & Creative Director at Bikiniwax Records

We had the good fortune of connecting with Corbin Dooley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Corbin, why did you pursue a creative career?
Early in my life, I noticed the role music had in creating connection and change. My parents were young, and music from Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin and Patsy Cline played on our home turntable constantly. My mother was a pianist and my grandfather was a drummer. The love for music was ever present. I began piano lessons at six years old, followed by guitar, then drum lessons. College radio led to DJing, and I landed an internship with Rough Trade Records, in London, working with The Smiths. After graduation, I traveled throughout Australia, then found a job for six months at a nightclub in the beach town of Mackay. It was a pivotal learning experience. After returning to the United States, I realized the possibilities in the music industry as I started working at indie & major record labels in New York including Profile, TVT, SBK & EMI.
I’ve been fortunate to build multiple skill sets across a vast range of roles in music. I’ve been a studio runner, a music producer, an audio engineer, a musician, a label executive, a concert promoter, a radio host, a DJ, a club owner, and now I am an artist running an independent record label: Bikiniwax Records. I’m energized working with incredibly versatile, talented people who approach life with kindness. Having the spark of an idea, and working together with a team to make it a reality – making it relatable and authentic – that’s the most exciting part of creation. Communication is supremely important to me, and I embrace music as a pivotal way to connect with people.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a believer in travel, and I’m fortunate to have lived in multiple places in the world, including Australia, the UK, the U.S. and Holland, exposing me to many different musical genres. I’m curious. I don’t have a specific style I gravitate towards exclusively, so I create music in a genre that fits the story. After my mom’s death, I wrote about the challenges of coping with that experience, leaned on my upbringing, and those songs became my second artist album, an alternative country record called Western Trauma, that was produced & mixed by Vance Powell. I am grateful that my story resonated with him and that we were able to work together alongside my favorite collaborators. We recorded the album at one of my cherished places, EastWest Studios, here in LA. After completing the album, I teamed with the inventive producers Phoseph and Babia, and together we realized the challenge of reinventing emotive, darkly themed organic songs into uplifting and exciting electronic compositions, which became the Western Trauma Remixes album. I believe versatility – and my deep musical curiosity – sets me and my company apart. I have completed a hard rock album, a folk reggae album, and an analog techno album. We’re reaching the final stages of our pop album as well as a funk record. It’s a wonderfully eclectic mix of styles, and I’m thrilled that we have been wildly creative in embracing this diversity with acute attention to details.
Additionally, Bikiniwax Records has incredible releases from Amparo and We Are PIGS. They’re exceptionally talented artists of completely different natures. One is an ambient guitar and visual artist, the other an alt-metal hybrid band. Recognizing, helping, and cultivating innovative quality in artistry allows me to embrace versatility as my trademark. Bikiniwax Records follows the motto of quality and genuineness over everything – and the art always comes first.
I believe that self discovery and self care – encouraged by people around me, and aided by the music I create with collaborators – pave the way to create the most authentic art and business I can manifest. Daily, I attempt to follow Don Miguel Ruiz’s four agreements: be impeccable with my word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do my best.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Malibu holds a special place in my heart. On any given day, I love walking along the beach of Malibu Road. Those two miles showcase a wide variety of beachfront architecture, which is a personal interest. Further south, walking along the Malibu Pier allows a look at Surfrider Beach, an iconic surf break. It’s easy to grab a lesson, rent a board, or simply marvel in the waves from the pier. We enjoy hiking in Corral Canyon Park, sitting outside at Broad Street, a seafood classics restaurant, before heading to the modern magnificence of the Getty Museum. Strolling along Abbot Kinney in Venice, reveling in the architecture of Culver City’s Hayden Tract, visiting the Petersen Automotive Museum, touring the LACMA as well as Hauser & Wirth, highlight our art focused excursions. For our music friends, we encourage visits to outdoor mainstays like the Hollywood Bowl for its majesty, and the Ford for its intimacy. We regularly attend indoor shows at stellar venues like the Fonda, the Regent, Echoplex, the El Rey, the Moroccan Lounge, and Sound. Cannabis dispensary visits are on the agenda, sampling 710 Labs flower, concentrates and gummies. When our foodies join us, we make a reservation at Crossroads Kitchen, Petit Trois, Craft, Gwen, or Redbird. Our takeout mainstays include Veggie Grill, Lal Mirch, and Mendocino Farms. We’d conclude our week with a hike in Burbank’s Wildwood Canyon Park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
After experiencing the sudden death of my mom by suicide in 2016, I reached out to my friend Dave Porter, who connected me with producer/mixer/engineer/songwriter James Saez. James’ wisdom and experience was critical in validating my healing path as a songwriter, and artist. Subsequently, I met Nick Poortman, also a producer/mixer/engineer/songwriter, who encouraged me to follow my heart. Nick’s technical and creative acumen is astonishing, which allowed me to think broadly. I’m grateful to continue to collaborate with James & Nick, and my core team: the excellent songwriter/vocalist/producer Dawn Jordan, the versatile singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist producer Barbara Schucko, the precisely thoughtful producer/engineer/DJ Chris Miranda, and the multi-talented artist/producer/songwriter Andrew Hansen. Further, I am indebted to the friends I call regularly to aid my songwriting: my longtime collaborator Luke John, singer/songwriter/guitarist Brian Lopez, producer/songwriter/vocalist Esjay Jones, my vocal mentor Antonio Sol, my drummer friends Sam Platt, and Blair Sinta, bass maestros Nadir Omowale, and DeAndre Manning, piano wizard Eddie Moore, cello virtuoso Isaiah Gage, and synth magician Hannes Bieger.

Website: www.corbindooley.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/corbindooley