Meet Moncho Berry | Artist & Music Producer

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

Hi Moncho, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My philosophy of balance is simple and straightforward: Life is work, just like work is life. My work life is not so separate from my personal life. Wether thats good or very bad, it is what it is. Lately, everything revolves around music, production and engineering. I tend to surround myself with people that have the same mentality, passion and drive for work as me. My passion for music and specifically record making is constantly transforming and changing and now even goes beyond my personal interest and has become a service to others.

As an artist and singer-songwriter, music has helped me find my identity, it has allowed me to experience life as a bohemian, a sensible watcher and a wise listener. Theory and harmony have given me the tools that I need to make my ideas come to life. From melodies and chord progressions to arranging and transcribing, creating music has proven to me that we can touch peoples hearts. The touch is real, wether its for better or worse, still, what matters is the touch, the connection, the shared feeling, the mutual emotion, the coincidence, the discovery of something relatable.

As a producer, engineering has taught me that music is more than just musical notes and major or minor scales. Music can be logistics, it can be architecture, it can be acoustics, it can be physics, it can be frequencies, decibels, softwares, plug-ins and most importantly, sound, and sound is basically vibrations traveling through the air. These vibrations have specific frequencies that span from 20 to 20,000 hertz. When it comes to mixing and mastering we tend to focus on the sound AND the music. One depends on the other. They are both as important. The creation and the perception. They co-exist and cannot be without each other.

Finding something that can both provide and fulfill your life is definitely not easy. Some people don’t even think about the sacrifices that people in the arts have to make. Yes we are happy with what we do for a living but that doesn’t mean its all good and care-free. Sometimes I get so lost in the process that I forget that I am a human being and that I need a social life, appropriate sleeping hours and food. I have very little friends and spend most of my time recording or mixing or co-writing. Partying and social life barely exist in my life, and don’t get me wrong, I have close friends and they are some of the people I love the most in life, I just like to keep my life real. Im more into setting goals, making plans and working hard. Be a soldier. Stay humble.

That’s why I’ve always been so grateful for this gift, this so called “talent`’ or as I see it, this ability that I have to feel and sense beauty through and with music. My profession as a producer, arranger and mix engineer has allowed me to work with beautiful beings from all around the world. Ive had the opportunity to study in Berklee College of Music were I learned from some of the most amazing people in the recording industry and have been blessed to have worked in cities like New York, Miami, Nashville and Los Angeles in the last 5 years.

To me, this is more than just a career, it’s a purpose in life. Like I said, there is little difference between my personal and work life. While it’s true that my work in music production and engineering can consume a significant amount of my time, I view it as a labor of love, and am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love every day. For me, music is not just about creating something beautiful, it’s about connecting with others on a deeper level and sharing a common experience. By focusing on my passion, surrounding myself with like-minded people, and keeping my goals in sight, I am able to find balance in my life and continue pursuing my purpose with purpose and meaning.

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.
When it comes to my music, I’m all over the place. Completely degenerated. That’s actually the title of my latest self-produced album, “Degenerado” (now available in all streaming platforms). My music doesn’t really fit a specific label or category. I don´t believe in the concept of generic music and often find that genres limit our appreciation of music. Im an explorer and love learning about different styles and types of music. My latest album involves a collection of songs composed of different sounds ranging all the way from Afro Peruvian rhythms such as ¨Festejo” and the Afro-Cuban “Tumbao” to other contemporary genres such as Classic Rock, Indie/Alternative and Folk-Americana. As a bilingual speaker, I see no boundaries when it comes to writing lyrics and songs. Ive written and can write in both Spanish and English and see these languages as tools that we have to our availability and that we should use to facilitate the expression and sharing of love through music.

My name is Simón Yriberry, Im better known as Moncho Berry.

I was born in Lima, Peru and am a singer-songwriter, arranger and producer who has been standing out in the Peruvian and foreign music scene, especially after “Billboard” magazine cited me as one of the most prominent Peruvian artists (that was unexpected!). I compose, arrange, perform and produce and my musical aspirations combine Afro-Peruvian rhythms, the Afro-Cuban tumbao, American folklore/country and other more contemporary genres such as R&B, indie rock and Latin pop.

Before LA, I was a Peruvian-based independent artist. That is where I started my fan base, in the beautiful city of Lima. After some years playing, recording and collaborating with artists from the latin scene, I had the opportunity to attend to college in the US. I completed a dual major in Contemprary Writing/Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music in Boston where I was able to study with great music producers, including Sean Slade, co-producer of the debut album “Pablo Honey” by the English band Radiohead, Javier Limón, spanish record producer whos produced and worked with Paco de Lucia, Andres Calamaro and many others and finally, Jonathan Wyner, another recognized producer/engineer that has mixed & mastered several iconic artists such as David Bowie, James Taylor, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, among others.

Berklee completely changed my approach to music and introduced me to production and engineering which are now two of the most important components in my life. Those six years in Boston were definitely not easy but they also gifted me some of the best lessons and life opportunities. The people I met there are now the people I work with and am blessed to create with. Nothing is easy but working hard pays off at the end. Shoutout to my Berklee/Boston family.

I now specialize in record production. Most of my clients are artists that come to me because they’ve heard a song Ive produced or have had me either record them as an engineer or written something for them. My musical & sonic reputation has been of great help when it comes to my clients and work flow. Most of what I do consists of either in-the-box work (mostly co-writing sessions and pre/post production) or in-the-studio work which consists mostly in recording bands or vocalists, mixing and occasionally mastering. I love studios. I love analogue gear. I love consoles. I love microphones. Take me to the studio and I´ll be as happy as a kid in Animal Kingdom.

Heres a couple of lessons Ive learned along the way:

1). Experience is key. Get hands-on experience, go out and play, have fun and explore. Education is great but don´t forget that life is your best teacher. Failing is the best way of learning. Do not fear failure, embrace it.

2). Follow your intuition. You have everything you need: a miraculous body, a phenomenal brain and an incredibly powerful conscious AND subconscious mind. It´s just a matter of focusing and going in the right direction.

3). Your work ethic is crucial when completing your objectives. Be disciplined. No lame-excuses.

4). There are no dumb questions and sometimes the answer you are looking for lies in the asked question itself.

5). Always be excited about learning and exploring new ways of being. Do not fear to step out of your comfort zone.

6). Don´t forget to sleep, eat and take care of your mental health. Meditate, exercise, go out on a walk, go hang out with friends, go to the movies, binge watch a series if you want to, don´t forget to have fun.

7). Understand that inspiration doesn’t come from within. Powerful ideas come from the divine. There is spirituality in the process of creation. The true source is out there and we must work in tuning our Antennae in order to sense the truth. We have the responsibility to create a sensible space were we allow ourselves to feel, connect and be vulnerable.

8). Balance is everything.

9). Being around the wrong people and environment will keep you away from your goals. It will make it forget what you’re worth and will prevent your from growing.

10). Let love be the reason. Love is above all. Love and be loved. Work on the different forms of love including self-love and partner love. Having the right partner will make a difference.

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.
Theres nothing we cannot do in LA. Apart from showing you around the studio, I personally love the ocean. I would probably drive us through Highway 1 and into to Santa Monica, through the pier and then all the way to Malibu. We can have a coffee at Malibu Farm Cafe and then watch the sunset. I love driving away without a plan. Good music. Good food. Good company. The water is pretty cold but if your´e into surfing we can do that too.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout out to all of the following artists/producers that have trusted me with their craft and have allowed me to share with them the beautiful process of making and recording music.

Alessandra Aguirre (Co-wrote, Produced, Recorded, Arranged and Mixed her latest EP titled ¨Call Out My Name¨):

https://open.spotify.com/album/1Xz7BWBsxvEa0FX2RcUfGk?si=JX-ThZcDR7OyJE3YzwDVqQ

Gustavo Moses (Currently producing and producer of his latest single titled ¨This Fever¨):

https://open.spotify.com/track/7iKZ3lw00anqGbkxjvycCv?si=b584d251b71b4cc6

Shoutout to my team: Franky Gonzalez, Sergio Salamanca, Juan Torres, Jordan Kerr, Shaddy Oppong and to my soon-to-be released artists Alessandro Bevilaqua, Mattias and Sofi Fuentes.

Website: www.monchoberry.com

Instagram: @monchoberry

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-yriberry-b43771221

Facebook: @monchoberry

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@monchoberry4725

Other: Spotify Profile: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7r3ulcCderiJsAhR2ljXpC?si=PSVAsUAkSH-nODcQX5tqwQ