Exclusive Interview
May 30, 2025
Produced by: Rudy Manager
Edited by: Rudy Manger & Andrej Aroch
Yegr – “In the next five years, I want to be one of the biggest producers in New Zealand, if not the world”
In this exclusive Studio Talks interview, we sit down with talented New Zealand producer Yegr, whose genre-defying sound has landed him placements with artists like Vory, Lil Durk, Hunxho, and more. From his early influences and creative process to behind-the-scenes stories of major collaborations and insights on navigating the global music scene from outside the U.S., Yegr opens up about his journey, his vision for the future, and his drive to uplift the next generation of producers. This interview was conducted by Rudy Manager via video call on May 16, 2025.
Can you share how you first got into music?
I first got into music because it was always around me growing up. I’d hear it on the radio, through the music my parents played, and from my cousins and friends. At school and on the way there, people would be sharing music—my friends were always putting me on to new stuff. It was just everywhere.
Even if you don’t make music, I feel like it still plays a big role in everyone’s life. So for me, it’s always been something I was naturally drawn to, ever since I was a kid. Music has just been a big part of my life from early on.
Who were some of your first influences—projects or albums you were listening to?
Early on, a lot of my influences came from my cousins and family. They’d put me onto music back in the day when you had to burn CDs—before streaming existed. My cousin would burn me CDs with all the newest hip-hop, rap, and R&B. She’d make mixes for me, and I’d play them on my stereo at home. For R&B, it was artists like The-Dream, Jodeci, Usher, and Nate Dogg.
Some of the early stuff I was into included 50 Cent, Kanye, and Jay-Z—plus a lot of West Coast artists like Eazy-E and N.W.A. I was really into the heavier rap sound.
Through my parents, especially my dad, I also got exposed to a lot of alternative and classic rock, and even some ‘90s hip-hop. I had a wide mix of influences growing up.
Was there a moment when you decided to start making music?
Music had always been a big part of my life growing up, but I never really thought about how it was made until high school. I think it was around my third year when some of my friends started recording music and making beats. They had a basic setup: a Scarlett interface, a Rode mic, and a MacBook. They were recording on Logic and making beats in FL Studio.
At that time, I wasn’t making beats yet. I’d just come around, sit in the corner, kind of be the quiet guy watching them cook up. I remember being amazed—these guys were pumping out full songs. For the time—around 2014 or 2015—it was super inspiring to see them put it all together.
They’d make the beat, record vocals, and then drop the tracks on SoundCloud, which was huge back then. Watching their whole process really pulled me in. Eventually, I asked one of my homies, “Yo, what are you using to make beats?” He showed me FL Studio, and like a lot of producers starting out, I got the cracked version and just started from there.
You’re from New Zealand—what’s the music scene like over there? Do you collaborate much with local producers and artists?
The music scene in New Zealand is super diverse. There’s a strong reggae and soul influence among a lot of artists here. But when it comes to hip-hop, we’ve also got a solid hip-hop, rap, and R&B scene. There have been dope artists coming out of New Zealand since way back—like the ’90s and early 2000s—and even now, there are still a lot of really talented artists doing their thing.
On the producer side, there are some incredible talents as well—producers who’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the world, like Chris Brown, Kanye, Rihanna, 21 Savage, Young Thug, and more. There are a lot of super talented people.
As for me, I mostly collaborate with a close circle of homies I started making music with. Some of my close collaborators include producers like Nextwavez and Tony Douglas, and I also work with Dyce, Tom Dellow, Flynno, and Astro. There are definitely more—I’m probably forgetting a few. But from time to time, I work with other amazing producers around the country who are out here working on huge records and making some crazy music.
Coming from a small country like New Zealand, people don’t always realize what’s happening down here—we’re tucked away at the bottom of the map. But honestly, there’s serious talent that has come out and still continues to come out of New Zealand.
What does your creative process usually look like when you open your DAW and start something from scratch?
Honestly, it really just depends on how I’m feeling—what kind of mood I’m in or what I’m going through at the time. Whatever I’m experiencing in the moment usually guides how I start an idea.
Sometimes I’ll mess around with a sample—chop something up and build from there. Other times, I’ll just start playing around with keys or VSTs. I also work with a bunch of people who send me ideas, so I might start with a guitar loop, some keys, or even some vocal chops. It all depends on the vibe in the moment.
When I’m cooking up, sometimes I’ll start with drums, other times with a melody. There’s no set formula for how I work. It’s really just about whatever feels the most fun at the time. I think that’s what producing is all about—just having fun with it. If you’re enjoying yourself, that’s what really matters. Don’t overthink it—just let the ideas flow.
Do you have any structure or ritual you follow before you start making music?
Not a strict ritual, per se. But one thing I do like to do is listen to music that’s outside of what I typically make. I usually don’t listen to rap before I cook up. Instead, I’ll put on some soul or something from the ’70s—just to catch a different kind of vibe.
It helps me disconnect from the hip-hop and rap space for a bit, so when I come back to creating, I can draw from other genres and channel those influences into whatever I’m working on.
What are some of your favorite VSTs?
Some of my go-to VSTs include Analog Lab. It’s got a lot of great sounds, and the whole Arturia V Collection is super solid—tons of good synths and textures to pull from. I also use Trilian and Omnisphere. Those are definitely staples in my setup.
More recently, I’ve been using SKY Keys too—that one’s clutch. Those are the main ones I lean on.
Can you share the story of how “Late Checkout” by Lil Durk featuring Hunxho came about?
“Late Checkout” came together around this time last year. Vory called me and said he was heading to L.A. in a couple days to work on Durk’s album. He told me he needed a bunch of ideas to bring into the studio—something he could play for Durk so they could start writing and cutting to them.
I sent over a couple of ideas through text—just some stuff I’d been working on. I didn’t really think much of it at the time.
About a week later, I’m in the studio on a random night just cooking up, and I get a call from Vory around 10 PM. I could faintly hear one of my beats playing in the background, and he goes, “Yo, just listen to this.” Then he pans the camera to the side, and I see Durk in the booth cutting vocals to one of my beats. I’m like, damn, I recognize that—it sounded crazy.
Vory’s hyped, telling me, “Bro, we’re in the studio right now—send more, send more! This is crazy. I’ll call you back in five.” Then he hangs up.
Sure enough, five minutes later, he calls me back and plays the track again—this time Durk and Hunxho’s vocals are both on it. I’m just sitting there, losing it—like, this is wild. He plays it a couple more times, and while they’re still in the studio, he turns the camera again and goes, “Yo, say what’s up.” Then he puts me on the phone with Durk. We chopped it up for about five minutes while they were working. That was a crazy night.
We’ve heard you were recently in the U.S. Can you share any stories from that trip and what we can expect?
I went over to the States a few months back and jumped into some crazy sessions while I was there.
I spent time in Atlanta and got to work with a bunch of producers, including Sonny Digital and Hitmaka. On the artist side, I got in the studio with Summer Walker. I also locked in for a few days with Hunxho, who’s a close collaborator. And of course, I linked up again with Vory—and even got a session in with 2 Chainz, which was wild.
We also had cook-up sessions in Miami and L.A., where I linked with some of my close collaborators. The whole trip was amazing.
Have you ever considered moving to the U.S.?
For sure. I think if you’re a producer working in the hip-hop and R&B space, it’s definitely worth making the trip to the U.S. at some point.
That said, depending on your goals, it’s not totally necessary to be based there anymore. There are still a lot of opportunities coming out of the States, and you do find yourself in rooms with some major people, which can open a lot of doors.
For me personally, I can definitely see myself moving to the U.S. at some point. But for now, I’m planning to stay based in New Zealand and just travel over when I need to. I’m heading back over next month, actually—just building on the relationships and connections I made on my last trip, make some more music, and keep having fun with it.
What’s your opinion on the use of AI in music production?
I’m not necessarily for or against AI—I think there are pros and cons to it. One of the tools I really like that AI has brought into the space is stem separation. I use AI plugins from time to time to pull drums or vocals, or to isolate certain elements from a track, and that’s super clutch.
Beyond that, I haven’t done a ton of deep research into all the AI tools out there. I know there are some powerful plugins now that can generate vocals and do all kinds of things. There’s definitely a lot out there, from what I’ve seen.
But overall, I think the real creative job of a producer—the human touch—is always going to outweigh what AI can do. There’s a natural human element to making music that just can’t be replicated, no matter how powerful AI gets.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming music producers outside the U.S.—in places like New Zealand or Europe—who want to work with established artists and build their careers?
My biggest piece of advice would be: travel. Get out of your hometown and go build your network overseas. Don’t be afraid to pull up and cook up with people in person.
It’s cool to send beats through email or text, or to be present in studio environments remotely, but the real relationships are built when you’re physically there. When you’re in the room with people, exchanging energy and catching a vibe—that’s where the deeper connections happen. And you’d be surprised who you might meet or what can come from it.
Networking is also super important. I’d encourage every producer to actively build their network. For me, your network is your net worth. If you’ve got a strong circle of people you can collaborate and grow with, that’s everything. It’s absolutely key.
Do you have a favorite production that’s especially close to your heart?
I love all the records I’ve put out. But honestly, I feel like some of the unreleased ones might end up being my favorites.
As a producer, you’re always striving to get better. A lot of the music that’s out now was made months or even years ago, so even though I love those records, I’ve heard them a thousand times. At this point, I feel like I haven’t even really shown what I’m fully capable of yet.
I’m super excited about the next wave of music coming out this year. I’m looking forward to seeing how people react to it—and just continuing to make music people connect with.
Can you share some of the upcoming releases you’ve got on the way?
There are a few upcoming releases I’m really excited about. We just wrapped up Hunxho’s next album, For Her 2—definitely keep an eye out for that. It’s dropping soon, and we’ve got some crazy records on there. Shoutout to Hunxho.
Also, Vory has started working on his next project, and it’s already sounding wild. The beats, the writing—everything is next level. We’re in the thick of it, and I’m really excited for some of those songs to drop.
Where do you see yourself in five years—both personally and professionally?
Professionally, I want to build a platform for other producers—especially young Indigenous producers like me who may have grown up outside major cities or away from big music scenes. I want to inspire them, show what’s possible, and create real pathways to succeed in the music game—especially here in New Zealand. That’s a huge goal of mine.
Personally, in five years, I want to be in a good place—healthy, financially solid, family doing well, passports stamped. But, the main thing is to establish myself as one of the biggest producers in New Zealand—if not the world. That’s a big goal for me.
Follow Yegr on Instagram: @yegrr
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