Meet Jorge Alayo | Mixer and Music Producer

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

Hi Jorge, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is everything for me. I’ve taken three big leaps of faith in my adult life to get where I am. The first one was after graduating as a Psychologist with honors and being the only one in my class employed even before graduation. I decided to quit everything and start over in a new career: music production. That meant leaving my entire life and future in my hometown to move to the capital of the country and pursue my big dream. It was a huge risk, considering that in Peru, there are many opportunities to work as a Psychologist but not as many to work as a music producer. However, I didn’t dwell on that; I just followed my passion, trusting that it would eventually lead me to a better place.

The next leap of faith I took was leaving the music studio I was working at to go completely freelance as a music producer. The important thing here was that I was living on my own, having to pay rent and everything. So, leaving a job with a steady salary to pursue something entirely dependent on others was kind of scary, but I felt that I needed to do it. It took a while to settle in, but after a few months, things started getting better. After a couple of years, I was in a better position in every aspect compared to my previous job.

The last leap of faith I took was just recently. After working in my home country for several years, I had finally established a solid brand and was living comfortably from my passion. But once again, I felt the need to keep growing and facing new challenges. So, I got a visa, sold everything in Peru—my studio, my car, my personal belongings—bought a one-way ticket to LA, and started from scratch. This was perhaps the biggest risk I’ve taken, but since arriving here, things have only improved. I’ve had opportunities to grow my personal brand that I would never have had if I hadn’t taken that risk.

These are just three examples of how risk has always been present in my career. Over time, I’ve learned to embrace it and recognize that if something is scary, it’s a sign that it’s the right path to take.

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.
As a mixing engineer and music producer, I believe that each one of us is truly unique. Nobody can paint the same landscape in exactly the same way; everything passes through a mental filter, and what comes out is the result of all our life experiences. In my case, I started as a drummer in the punk rock scene, where I learned how to get things done with almost no support and minimal resources. In those early years, we knew so little about music that we had to develop other skills to compensate, like an incredible memory and a heightened sensitivity. Both of these still influence my work today, where my main focus is to enhance the emotion of every song that comes to me. I know all the technical aspects, but I understand that they are not as important as the emotional impact.

It took me some time to find the right path, but I don’t regret the time I spent on other activities because each one has made me a more complete person, not just a business entity. I studied medicine for a year and a half, but after realizing that it was my dad’s dream, not mine, I switched to psychology because it interested me, and there was no music career available in my hometown. Psychology taught me how to understand myself and gave me the mental resources to face this crazy musical career, where constant struggle can easily break many minds. It also helped me better understand the artist’s personality and communicate more effectively with them. So, after some time, I finally understood that no time is wasted time; everything can contribute to your path if you are aware of it.

I believe my story is one of perseverance, of never giving up on your dreams and fighting for them as hard as you can. Also, never spend too much time in your comfort zone and always try to be surrounded by people who are better than you.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Los Angeles is a big city with so many things to do. In my case, I love visiting museums, and you could easily spend days exploring them. I would definitely suggest going to LACMA, The Getty, and the Griffith Observatory. With the beaches so close to the city, spending a couple of days visiting them would be a great idea. You could spend one day around Santa Monica, Venice, and Marina del Rey, and maybe another day at Leo Carrillo, Malibu, or even Long Beach. Going to live shows is definitely something I would love to do; it’s easy to find big artists performing in LA almost every single day of the year. And when it comes to food, I would take him to some cool coffee places around Silverlake and grab some classic In-N-Out burgers.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m 100% convinced that nobody can grow alone; as individuals, we always need the help of others to keep moving forward, from the day we are born, and that doesn’t change throughout life—it only becomes more subtle. In my case, I’ve had a lot of support from my parents after I decided to leave my former career to pursue a future in the arts, where the future is never certain.

During your day-to-day work and while trying to achieve your goals, there will be days when it feels like nothing is working, and everything seems to be going backward. Maybe you struggle with confidence, or you’re unsure if things will get better. In those moments, having someone to cheer you up is invaluable. For me, my wife has always been there to support me emotionally and was there whenever I needed to rest or gather the courage to face different challenges.

And last but not least, having a mentor who can teach you from their experience is incredibly important. In my case, Rafo Arbulu, my boss at the studio where I worked for four years, was that person. What I learned from him was more impactful than what I was learning in school. He trusted me to play an important role in his studio, which allowed me to gain a lot of experience. When I decided to go freelance, I was fully prepared to do so.

So, family, a supportive spouse, and a mentor are a great combination that never fails to support your growth as a professional.

Website: https://www.jorgealayo.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jorgealayo

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-alayo-4a836152/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvkrgggPtRA&t=3s

Image Credits
Veronica Lanza