Meet Owen Lantz | Grammy-nominated engineer, music producer

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

Hi Owen, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
‘perfectionism is just procrastination masquerading as quality control’

I read that on Reddit once, at a time when I had a few projects just kind of lingering and not making any forward progress. It’s a reminder that it’s not about getting every part exact, every performance perfect, or every piece of content in 4K. What matters is the story you’re telling with what you’re creating, and making sure that your contribution is in service to the art, because anything else is just noise.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love bringing peoples’ creative visions to life, whether it’s through production, recording, mixing – really any part of the creative process. It takes a strong team to create truly innovative and moving art, and I’ve been blessed to learn the ropes alongside an amazing group of collaborators. No two peoples’ journeys are quite the same out here, but it makes it easier when you’re surrounded by people you can keep learning from and teaching new things to along the way.

Be kind, be humble. Be thankful and courteous, because every viral moment or big peak in your career has a valley. Be willing to set boundaries for what you’ll deal with and sacrifice, and hold onto your integrity. And check in on your friends, even if you think they’re doing great.

I’m cool with the world not knowing who I am, but I want the world to hear the art I create. It’s more about the impact we can have with music and those who listen to it, than about fame or me specifically. Does that kinda make sense?

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.
Places to eat: Road to Seoul, Cactus Taqueria, Dan Sung Sa, Bay Cities Italian Deli, Hollywood Shawarma, Body Energy Club, Fatburger (best sweet potato fries in LA)

Places to see: Malibu, Griffith, Los Feliz, Pasadena, Santa Monica

Places to drink: Davey Wayne’s, 4100, Perch, The Baked Potato, Bar Lubitsch

I’d see if there’s any good shows at The Ford, and I’d also get the grill going at some point during the trip and invite a few LA homies over for dinner and drinks. We’re big on dinner parties here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This might be a longer one (and is by no means conclusive).

To my family – thank you isn’t enough. I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the love and support of my family, they’re the reason I’m still here and stay motivated. Thank you to all of my friends for getting me out of the studio every once in a while, and keeping me grounded when things get turbulent.

I don’t have my own artist project or music, so a massive shout out and thank you to all of the artists, producers, and directors who’ve allowed me into their worlds and trusted me with their art. Shoutout boygenius & Catherine Marks, Ryan Beatty & Ethan Gruska, Mereba, Clara Zimm, cvmel, KWAMI, MAROSHI, Ravin Marie, Niki Sabrina, and so many more. It’s an honor and privilege to create with y’all.

Thank you to my roommate Pete for putting up with constant noise and new faces unexpectedly showing up in our living room studio, as well as being one of the best cowriters I could’ve asked for. Thank you to my Shangri-La family for giving me roots out here, and for letting me learn through observation – shoutout Jon, Andre, Marco, and Taylor for teaching me everything I know about Ableton. Thank you to Om’Mas Keith and the entire Whitelines family for keeping me safe during the pandemic, and helping jumpstart my career in engineering.

Website: oweezy.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesowenlantz/

Other: owenlantz.com

Image Credits
Most of these photos are by Marco Cesare (@koste), suit pic is courtesy of GQ, and the Polaroids are by Pete G (@venture.bruh)