From the jazz stage to the pop and hip hop charts, Sam Barsh has carved out a career defined by range, creativity, and collaboration. He has toured internationally as a jazz pianist, worked with artists like Aloe Blacc, Kendrick Lamar, and Anderson .Paak, and earned credits on Grammy-winning albums and chart-topping singles. In this exclusive Studio Talks interview, Barsh reflects on his journey from studying jazz in college to producing hit records, shares insights on creativity and collaboration, and gives advice to upcoming producers looking to carve their own paths. This interview was conducted by Rudy Manager over a video call on September 1, 2025.
"Keep an open mind because there is no single path to success."
- Sam Barsh
Can you briefly share how you first got interested in music, and how that eventually led to you moving into music production?
I first got into music when I was really young. My mom always tells me that the first song I ever wrote was when I was two years old on the diaper changing table. It was called Grouches Need a Friend, probably inspired by Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street, a popular children’s show in the U.S. We also had a small spinet upright piano that used to belong to my grandmother. I think we got it when we moved, though I don’t remember exactly because I was so young. My mom asked if I wanted to take piano lessons, and I said yes. I took lessons for years and was somewhat into it, but my parents made me practice for half an hour each day. By the time I became truly inspired by music, it helped that I had already been studying for several years and had developed solid technique on the piano.
I became really inspired by jazz when I was in junior high, around 12 years old. That’s when I started taking lessons from a jazz teacher, and things just grew from there. For those who might not know, I come from the jazz world and still have a split career, working in production and writing for pop, hip hop, and R&B, while also performing live jazz on piano. I perform around a hundred jazz shows a year and do a lot of writing and production work as well. So I really got into music through jazz, went to college for jazz performance, and then started getting into songwriting and production in my early twenties.
You studied music in college, how was that experience for you and did you enjoy it?
It was great. At the time, as I mentioned, I was very serious about jazz in high school. I had won some national awards, which helped me convince my parents to let me study music since they initially didn’t want me to major in it. By senior year, I was practicing six hours a day, and they eventually realized this was what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to go to college in or around New York City because that was, and still is, the center of the jazz scene. I grew up just outside Chicago and experienced a lot of the local music scene, but I wanted to test myself against the best in New York. I applied to four schools, three in New York City and one in New Jersey. The one in New Jersey, William Paterson University, offered me a full scholarship, so that was the clear choice. I also liked the idea of being close to New York but not directly in the middle of it yet, since I wasn’t quite ready to live in the city at that time.
The college experience there was very different from what many Americans typically have. At big schools, it’s common to go away to college, live on campus, party on weekends, go to sporting events, and all that. My school was a fairly large state university, but it was mostly a commuter school where a lot of students lived at home or went home on weekends. Even those living in the dorms would leave on weekends, so the campus was basically empty. For me, that was perfect. It meant fewer distractions and more time to practice and play music. Most of the fun we had involved going into Manhattan to see live music and hang out. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, New York was more relaxed about age restrictions, so we found places where we could see incredible live music and even buy beer before we were 21. It was a great time to learn and experience the scene.
I wasn’t interested in fraternity parties or the traditional college experience. I was very focused on music and building my skills, and that environment helped me stay on track. It wasn’t always “fun” in the typical sense, but it set me up to do what I wanted in my career. I also made lasting connections there. When I started college, I only cared about jazz, but over time I began exploring other genres. Some of my classmates were working with Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest on his solo project Kamaal the Abstract. They were often at his house recording, and these were people I played with regularly. That opened my eyes to the idea of jazz musicians collaborating in hip hop, and I started getting more curious about R&B and hip hop by the time I graduated.
During my last couple of years, I moved to New York City while still commuting to New Jersey for classes twice a week. By then, I was gigging a lot in the city, playing different styles of music, and expanding my network. I knew that once I graduated, I would be financially on my own, so college was really my time to practice, build connections, and prepare for a career. It worked out well because right after graduation, I landed a major touring gig with the Avishai Cohen Trio, which featured an amazing drummer I went to college with, Mark Guiliana. That gig, along with the work I had been doing in New York, made for a smooth transition into professional life. So overall, college gave me the space and focus I needed to grow as a musician and launch my career.
At what point did you start producing music?
Around the time I finished at William Paterson, one of my close friends, Sarah Versprille, a vocalist from the group Pure Bathing Culture in Portland, started writing music with me. That first year after college, we became close friends and put together a four-song demo. Everything was recorded with live musicians at that point since I hadn’t started programming anything yet. Looking back, that was really my first step into production.
Soon after, I bought a Roland Fantom, one of those workstation keyboards with a built-in sequencer. At the time, keyboards like the Korg Triton, Roland Fantom, and Yamaha Motif were all popular, offering similar capabilities but with slightly different sounds and workflows. I ended up liking the Fantom the most for what I wanted to do. I started making beats on it whenever I was home because I was still touring over 200 days a year. What really pushed me toward production and programming, especially on the pop side, were albums like Justin Timberlake’s Justified, Rich Harrison’s work with Amerie on “1 Thing” and with Beyoncé, and all the music The Neptunes were producing at the time. These songs had great melodies, cool chord changes, and strong musicality, which made me think I could create music like that too.
Until then, I had been such a jazz purist that I avoided anything with simple chord progressions. But once I heard huge hit records using jazz chords, I realized I could take my jazz background and apply it to catchy, commercial music. That’s when I started getting serious about production. I created tracks but didn’t yet know how to record vocals, so I hired some friends Sam and Josh who were already advanced with writing and production. They were getting label offers at the time, so I paid them to handle the Pro Tools recording for my demos and brought in singers to complete the songs.
Eventually, I connected with my first production partner, Curtis Watts, and we began working almost daily at his place whenever I wasn’t touring. We spent about a year creating music, but then disaster struck when Curtis’s hard drive failed, and we lost everything because nothing was backed up. For a moment, I wondered if this was a sign to stop pursuing production, but after a couple of months, we decided to start again from scratch. Everyone faces setbacks, and this was one of my first major ones.
Over the next year, we built a new demo with 10 fully mixed and mastered songs featuring several MCs and R&B singers we had been working with. That demo finally gave me something professional to share with people, which led to my first production opportunities. At first, I relied on others to record vocals since I hadn’t learned that side yet. But a few projects I was hired for required me to engineer, produce, and co-write, so I had to teach myself.
At what point did you start producing music?
Around the time I finished at William Paterson, one of my close friends, Sarah Versprille, a vocalist from the group Pure Bathing Culture in Portland, started writing music with me. That first year after college, we became close friends and put together a four-song demo. Everything was recorded with live musicians at that point since I hadn’t started programming anything yet. Looking back, that was really my first step into production.
Soon after, I bought a Roland Fantom, one of those workstation keyboards with a built-in sequencer. At the time, keyboards like the Korg Triton, Roland Fantom, and Yamaha Motif were all popular, offering similar capabilities but with slightly different sounds and workflows. I ended up liking the Fantom the most for what I wanted to do. I started making beats on it whenever I was home because I was still touring over 200 days a year. What really pushed me toward production and programming, especially on the pop side, were albums like Justin Timberlake’s Justified, Rich Harrison’s work with Amerie on “1 Thing” and with Beyoncé, and all the music The Neptunes were producing at the time. These songs had great melodies, cool chord changes, and strong musicality, which made me think I could create music like that too.
Until then, I had been such a jazz purist that I avoided anything with simple chord progressions. But once I heard huge hit records using jazz chords, I realized I could take my jazz background and apply it to catchy, commercial music. That’s when I started getting serious about production. I created tracks but didn’t yet know how to record vocals, so I hired some friends Sam and Josh who were already advanced with writing and production. They were getting label offers at the time, so I paid them to handle the Pro Tools recording for my demos and brought in singers to complete the songs.
Eventually, I connected with my first production partner, Curtis Watts, and we began working almost daily at his place whenever I wasn’t touring. We spent about a year creating music, but then disaster struck when Curtis’s hard drive failed, and we lost everything because nothing was backed up. For a moment, I wondered if this was a sign to stop pursuing production, but after a couple of months, we decided to start again from scratch. Everyone faces setbacks, and this was one of my first major ones.
Over the next year, we built a new demo with 10 fully mixed and mastered songs featuring several MCs and R&B singers we had been working with. That demo finally gave me something professional to share with people, which led to my first production opportunities. At first, I relied on others to record vocals since I hadn’t learned that side yet. But a few projects I was hired for required me to engineer, produce, and co-write, so I had to teach myself.
At what point did you start producing music?
Around the time I finished at William Paterson, one of my close friends, Sarah Versprille, a vocalist from the group Pure Bathing Culture in Portland, started writing music with me. That first year after college, we became close friends and put together a four-song demo. Everything was recorded with live musicians at that point since I hadn’t started programming anything yet. Looking back, that was really my first step into production.
Soon after, I bought a Roland Fantom, one of those workstation keyboards with a built-in sequencer. At the time, keyboards like the Korg Triton, Roland Fantom, and Yamaha Motif were all popular, offering similar capabilities but with slightly different sounds and workflows. I ended up liking the Fantom the most for what I wanted to do. I started making beats on it whenever I was home because I was still touring over 200 days a year. What really pushed me toward production and programming, especially on the pop side, were albums like Justin Timberlake’s Justified, Rich Harrison’s work with Amerie on “1 Thing” and with Beyoncé, and all the music The Neptunes were producing at the time. These songs had great melodies, cool chord changes, and strong musicality, which made me think I could create music like that too.
Until then, I had been such a jazz purist that I avoided anything with simple chord progressions. But once I heard huge hit records using jazz chords, I realized I could take my jazz background and apply it to catchy, commercial music. That’s when I started getting serious about production. I created tracks but didn’t yet know how to record vocals, so I hired some friends Sam and Josh who were already advanced with writing and production. They were getting label offers at the time, so I paid them to handle the Pro Tools recording for my demos and brought in singers to complete the songs.
Eventually, I connected with my first production partner, Curtis Watts, and we began working almost daily at his place whenever I wasn’t touring. We spent about a year creating music, but then disaster struck when Curtis’s hard drive failed, and we lost everything because nothing was backed up. For a moment, I wondered if this was a sign to stop pursuing production, but after a couple of months, we decided to start again from scratch. Everyone faces setbacks, and this was one of my first major ones.
Over the next year, we built a new demo with 10 fully mixed and mastered songs featuring several MCs and R&B singers we had been working with. That demo finally gave me something professional to share with people, which led to my first production opportunities. At first, I relied on others to record vocals since I hadn’t learned that side yet. But a few projects I was hired for required me to engineer, produce, and co-write, so I had to teach myself.
I’d like to talk about one of your first major placements, the song “The Man” by Aloe Blacc. Can you share the story of how it came about?
I moved to Los Angeles in 2011 for a project called Palter Ego. It was an electronic pop duo with a vocalist named Jesse Palter. We had been working seriously on it, but since we lived in different cities, we had to decide where to base ourselves if we wanted to pursue it. LA made sense both for that project and because I wanted to expand into songwriting and production while continuing my live playing career. So I moved to LA that summer.
Not long after I got there, I went to a show where my friend Daniel Seeff was playing bass. I didn’t know him very well at the time, but we had met once or twice. He was surprised to see me there because he only knew me as a jazz musician. Back then, few people in the jazz world were moving to LA since the scene wasn’t highly regarded. I told him I had come to focus on songwriting and production, and he said, “That’s great because I work with a producer named DJ Khalil, and he’s been looking for someone with a jazz background who also writes and produces.” Dan gave Khalil my number, and a few months later Khalil called me out of the blue. He was friendly right from the start even though we hadn’t met yet.
That year, I did a few sessions with him while he was transitioning to a new studio. At the time, I was still focused on the Palter Ego project, but eventually, that project hit a wall. We realized we would either need to spend a lot of money to move it forward or go on a low-budget tour, and neither option made sense. Right around then, Khalil called and said his new studio was ready, and he wanted me to come around more often to work. The timing couldn’t have been better since I was looking for my next opportunity.
One of the first sessions I did with him was with Aloe Blacc, and that was the day we created “The Man.” Khalil had just been hired as the main producer for Aloe’s album. There were a couple of other producers involved, but Khalil was handling most of it. Aloe came into the session with a voicemail recording of the lines “You can tell everybody” and “I’m the man, I’m the man, I’m the man.” I didn’t realize at the time that the first line was a reference to Elton John’s song “Your Song.” Aloe also mentioned he had been listening to a lot of Russian classical music and played a few examples for us.
I have experience across many genres, so I started experimenting with chord progressions that had that classical, almost baroque feel. Daniel Seeff was on bass, I was on keys, and Khalil was producing. We added a harpsichord layer, which you can hear throughout the song, especially in the second verse. For the pre-chorus, I moved into more gospel-inspired chords, and we had the basic track done after that first session.
Afterward, Aloe went on to write the full lyric and melody, and several other musicians contributed as the production developed. Dontae Winslow recorded the horns, a choir in Vancouver added vocals to the bridge and final chorus, and Rahki, another producer I worked with on Kendrick Lamar’s music, played live drums. It became a collaborative effort with a lot of talented people involved.
That initial session, where the foundation was built, was just me, Khalil, Dan Seeff, and Aloe. We started from scratch, and that’s how most of the biggest songs I’ve worked on have come together.
I’d like to talk about one of your first major placements, the song “The Man” by Aloe Blacc. Can you share the story of how it came about?
I moved to Los Angeles in 2011 for a project called Palter Ego. It was an electronic pop duo with a vocalist named Jesse Palter. We had been working seriously on it, but since we lived in different cities, we had to decide where to base ourselves if we wanted to pursue it. LA made sense both for that project and because I wanted to expand into songwriting and production while continuing my live playing career. So I moved to LA that summer.
Not long after I got there, I went to a show where my friend Daniel Seeff was playing bass. I didn’t know him very well at the time, but we had met once or twice. He was surprised to see me there because he only knew me as a jazz musician. Back then, few people in the jazz world were moving to LA since the scene wasn’t highly regarded. I told him I had come to focus on songwriting and production, and he said, “That’s great because I work with a producer named DJ Khalil, and he’s been looking for someone with a jazz background who also writes and produces.” Dan gave Khalil my number, and a few months later Khalil called me out of the blue. He was friendly right from the start even though we hadn’t met yet.
That year, I did a few sessions with him while he was transitioning to a new studio. At the time, I was still focused on the Palter Ego project, but eventually, that project hit a wall. We realized we would either need to spend a lot of money to move it forward or go on a low-budget tour, and neither option made sense. Right around then, Khalil called and said his new studio was ready, and he wanted me to come around more often to work. The timing couldn’t have been better since I was looking for my next opportunity.
One of the first sessions I did with him was with Aloe Blacc, and that was the day we created “The Man.” Khalil had just been hired as the main producer for Aloe’s album. There were a couple of other producers involved, but Khalil was handling most of it. Aloe came into the session with a voicemail recording of the lines “You can tell everybody” and “I’m the man, I’m the man, I’m the man.” I didn’t realize at the time that the first line was a reference to Elton John’s song “Your Song.” Aloe also mentioned he had been listening to a lot of Russian classical music and played a few examples for us.
I have experience across many genres, so I started experimenting with chord progressions that had that classical, almost baroque feel. Daniel Seeff was on bass, I was on keys, and Khalil was producing. We added a harpsichord layer, which you can hear throughout the song, especially in the second verse. For the pre-chorus, I moved into more gospel-inspired chords, and we had the basic track done after that first session.
Afterward, Aloe went on to write the full lyric and melody, and several other musicians contributed as the production developed. Dontae Winslow recorded the horns, a choir in Vancouver added vocals to the bridge and final chorus, and Rahki, another producer I worked with on Kendrick Lamar’s music, played live drums. It became a collaborative effort with a lot of talented people involved.
That initial session, where the foundation was built, was just me, Khalil, Dan Seeff, and Aloe. We started from scratch, and that’s how most of the biggest songs I’ve worked on have come together.
I’d like to talk about one of your first major placements, the song “The Man” by Aloe Blacc. Can you share the story of how it came about?
I moved to Los Angeles in 2011 for a project called Palter Ego. It was an electronic pop duo with a vocalist named Jesse Palter. We had been working seriously on it, but since we lived in different cities, we had to decide where to base ourselves if we wanted to pursue it. LA made sense both for that project and because I wanted to expand into songwriting and production while continuing my live playing career. So I moved to LA that summer.
Not long after I got there, I went to a show where my friend Daniel Seeff was playing bass. I didn’t know him very well at the time, but we had met once or twice. He was surprised to see me there because he only knew me as a jazz musician. Back then, few people in the jazz world were moving to LA since the scene wasn’t highly regarded. I told him I had come to focus on songwriting and production, and he said, “That’s great because I work with a producer named DJ Khalil, and he’s been looking for someone with a jazz background who also writes and produces.” Dan gave Khalil my number, and a few months later Khalil called me out of the blue. He was friendly right from the start even though we hadn’t met yet.
That year, I did a few sessions with him while he was transitioning to a new studio. At the time, I was still focused on the Palter Ego project, but eventually, that project hit a wall. We realized we would either need to spend a lot of money to move it forward or go on a low-budget tour, and neither option made sense. Right around then, Khalil called and said his new studio was ready, and he wanted me to come around more often to work. The timing couldn’t have been better since I was looking for my next opportunity.
One of the first sessions I did with him was with Aloe Blacc, and that was the day we created “The Man.” Khalil had just been hired as the main producer for Aloe’s album. There were a couple of other producers involved, but Khalil was handling most of it. Aloe came into the session with a voicemail recording of the lines “You can tell everybody” and “I’m the man, I’m the man, I’m the man.” I didn’t realize at the time that the first line was a reference to Elton John’s song “Your Song.” Aloe also mentioned he had been listening to a lot of Russian classical music and played a few examples for us.
I have experience across many genres, so I started experimenting with chord progressions that had that classical, almost baroque feel. Daniel Seeff was on bass, I was on keys, and Khalil was producing. We added a harpsichord layer, which you can hear throughout the song, especially in the second verse. For the pre-chorus, I moved into more gospel-inspired chords, and we had the basic track done after that first session.
Afterward, Aloe went on to write the full lyric and melody, and several other musicians contributed as the production developed. Dontae Winslow recorded the horns, a choir in Vancouver added vocals to the bridge and final chorus, and Rahki, another producer I worked with on Kendrick Lamar’s music, played live drums. It became a collaborative effort with a lot of talented people involved.
That initial session, where the foundation was built, was just me, Khalil, Dan Seeff, and Aloe. We started from scratch, and that’s how most of the biggest songs I’ve worked on have come together.
Do you have any creative routines before you start working on music, like listening to music to get in the zone or treating it like a nine to five job with set hours?
Definitely not a nine-to-five thing. My schedule is pretty flexible because it has to be. I’m organized enough to keep track of what I need to do and I’m good with deadlines when I have them, but I also know that sessions often get scheduled at the last minute and just as often get canceled. On top of that, I play a lot of live shows, so sometimes I get called to perform with little notice. Because of all that, I need to keep my schedule open enough to adapt.
When I’m not playing shows, the one consistent time I work is at night after my wife and son go to bed. That’s been my main creative window, especially since my son was born. Beyond that, I wouldn’t call my routine regimented. I make sure everything that needs to get done, gets done, but I leave space for flexibility. The music world changes fast, technology evolves constantly, and I need time to learn new skills. Lately, for example, I’ve been diving into AI, not to make music directly but for things like stem separation, vocal cleanup, organization, and even social media. It can save so much time, so I want to stay ahead with that.
I do have a few fixed points in my week though. I schedule around performances, studio sessions, gym time three mornings a week after dropping my son at daycare, my martial arts lesson on Tuesdays, and any family commitments. I know things can change any day, so I’ve learned not to get upset when plans shift. Some people thrive on strict structure and get frustrated if anything moves around, but in this line of work, that can be tough.
For instance, after “The Man” came out, I started doing a lot of sessions with Khalil. We rented a studio where almost every day at 2 p.m. we’d have a session scheduled. But I’d say about 40 percent of the time the artist or writer would cancel or show up late. We got used to it. We would all still be at the studio, so we’d work on other music instead. It wasn’t a big deal, but it was eye-opening to see that even at a high level last-minute cancellations are normal. In this business, you have to be able to roll with it. If you can’t, you’ll burn out fast.
You mentioned AI earlier, and I want to follow up on that. What are your thoughts on using AI in music production?
AI has actually been around for a few years in music production, at least in smaller ways. There’s a plugin by Ruckazoid I’ve used where you set some parameters, and it will generate random beats for you. Logic has its drummer plugin that works the same way: you tweak the settings and it creates a beat. Even in Ableton, time and pitch correction are essentially forms of AI handling technical aspects of music. So in that sense, I’ve already been using AI for years.
When it comes to fully generating music, it’s clear that AI isn’t going anywhere. There are now companies releasing AI music generators where the material is pre-licensed, which is the direction the industry will have to go. Others, like Suno and Udio, didn’t pre-license anything and are claiming fair use, which has led to lawsuits and pushback from major labels and regulators in places like the EU. So the legal and licensing side will have to be figured out, but the technology itself is here to stay.
My approach is to learn it and use it as effectively as I can while also doubling down on the human side of what I do. I can play very well, I can make music that feels organic and imperfect, and I know how to create music that isn’t quantized or overly polished. Some of the best tracks I’ve worked on came from keeping little mistakes or unexpected elements that gave them character. That’s one of DJ Khalil’s biggest strengths too, he knows when to leave something raw because it has feel. AI can’t be more human than I am, so leaning into that is important.
Producers who only work inside a laptop without strong musicianship might be more easily replaced, since AI can now handle many of those tasks. When I started making music, none of this technology existed, so I come from a background of actually learning and playing. I’m realistic about it. You can’t fight the world as it is, and being angry about change does not help. The key is to adapt while finding ways to offer value that AI can’t replicate.
For me, that means building experiences around my music and sharing the creative process in ways fans can connect with. I’ve been creating more behind-the-scenes content about how songs were made and plan to eventually do a longer masterclass where I break everything down in detail. I’m also using AI for things like video editing and workflow organization. The technology can save time and open up opportunities rather than just replace people.
I’m more excited than worried because I love learning new skills and evolving with the times. That mindset has kept me relevant over 20 years. I also collaborate with a lot of younger producers in their twenties, and we learn from each other as peers. I think openness to change is essential, not just for AI in music but for any shift in the world. Jobs will always be replaced and new ones will emerge. Some even think AI could end capitalism as we know it. I’m not sure about that, but I do think it will force us to rethink priorities. In America, where I grew up as the son of an immigrant, the culture is often centered on work above all else. If AI leads to a shift in how we live and work, that could actually be a positive thing.
What advice would you give upcoming music producers who want to elevate their careers and start working with established artists?
Keep an open mind because there is no single path to success. Over the past several years, sending loops and ideas back and forth has become a huge part of the collaborative process. That has made it possible to work with people in different cities without always having to be based in a music hub. Still, being in a place where a lot of music is being made can be a big advantage.
In the U.S., Los Angeles is probably the best city for pop, hip hop, and R&B. Nashville is the place to be for country music and some pop as well. Atlanta has been a major center for hip hop and R&B for a long time, even though I have mostly worked with Atlanta producers remotely rather than spending time there myself. In Europe, London is a major hub. Berlin is huge for certain styles of music, and Paris has a growing scene too. Being in one of these places increases your chances of meeting people in person who work at labels, publishing companies, or on the creative side of the industry.
I have found that in-person collaboration still carries more weight than sending files back and forth. Songs I have worked on in the room with artists and writers have had a much higher chance of being released than ones where I just sent ideas over the internet. Sending music to people you have never met can feel like playing the lottery. Sometimes it works, but often it does not. And when it does, it usually means sharing credit with several other producers and writers. With streaming royalties being so low, that often dilutes the income even more. I know people who have had songs with major artists and earned very little because the fees were small and the royalties were split so many ways.
So my advice is to diversify your skills. Learn to play an instrument or develop a unique skill that sets you apart. Keep building relationships with artists and other producers. My godson, who is 22 and produces under the name Snowball Beats, started out selling beats on YouTube when he was still a teenager. His beats were strong, but when he started learning guitar and working directly with artists, his creativity and opportunities grew. I’ve told him to keep developing his skills and eventually move to a hub like Los Angeles when he’s ready.
For those considering college, it depends on your situation. Taking on heavy student debt can be risky. I was lucky to have a full scholarship, and I am grateful for it because it allowed me to focus on music without financial stress. If you can find the right program and get some financial aid, college can be valuable for the connections alone. Schools like Berklee College of Music, Full Sail, USC, and Musicians Institute can be great options. There are also shorter programs like the one Stargate runs that last about a year and cost much less than a full degree. Whatever route you take, building relationships with people who truly know and care about you is one of the most valuable things you can do in this industry.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year, both personally and in your career?
On the personal side, I plan to keep focusing on raising my family and enjoying time with them. We have a great situation with so much love in our household. I love my wife and my kid, and we are dedicated to creating a positive, supportive environment. My wife is an amazing mom who knows so much about parenting.
Career-wise, one of my main goals is to finish setting up my new studio and start hosting more in-person sessions with artists and producers. I am also focused on improving my online presence, building my brand, and connecting with people through content. I want to see what resonates with audiences and share more of the creative process, both for fans and for up-and-coming producers who can learn from it.
I am also working on a few new deals and collaborations that will bring more artists my way as a producer. I want to step into a place where I’m confident standing on my own rather than always being the behind-the-scenes person helping others shape their sound. That was my comfort zone for a long time, and I loved it, but I also recognize the realities of the business. Streaming royalties are shrinking, and as a parent I want more control over my schedule. Building a stronger brand and identity will help me both creatively and financially while allowing me to keep giving back to others.
I have always been open about sharing information because I remember how hard it was to find this kind of insight when I was coming up. There were no podcasts or long-form interviews back then, and even when people visited my college to speak, they would talk about their childhood and their success, but never about the in-between stage where everything actually came together. I want to provide that perspective for others while keeping things fair in my own work. I always make sure splits are fair, even with young producers just starting out, because I want to create a culture of respect and transparency rather than repeating the cycle of people being taken advantage of.
So overall, my plan for the rest of the year is to keep evolving. I follow the music business closely, and when new opportunities, technologies, or changes come along, I am ready to pivot and adapt. My goal is to keep creating music, building meaningful relationships, and providing value to others.
Follow Sam Barsh on Instagram: @sambarsh
