Occasionally, what you already have is all you need — Ulises Lozano, a member of the Mexican electro-rock group Kinky, has lived by this motto for the past 17 years. With the creation of his tucked-away studio in the Hollywood hills of Laurel Canyon, Lozano birthed an epicenter for Latine artists from all intersections of music to create without limitation.
For Lozano, the studio filled two goals: the artistic and financial freedom to assemble Latin Grammy-nominated albums for Kinky and building a vast community of artists, big or small, partaking in the studio. After the rapid success of Kinky’s self-titled debut album and sophomore release Atlas, the five-piece started spending the bulk of their time in Los Angeles while touring, making the choice to move to Los Angeles, CA, in 2005 an easy option.
And with a new move came a new third album, something the band was ready for. Only this time, it was on their terms. So instead of being pressured to work on the clock in a large studio capacity, Lozano flipped his newfound two-bedroom home into a studio where the band could work freely. Though a small, 1930s-built campy residence, it oddly fits the late ‘60s vibe of the Laurel Canyon music era the community is passionately known for.
“Nowadays, it’s not easy for new artists to pay for big studios,” Lozano shares in an interview with Remezcla. “And you think going into a smaller space means sacrificing quality, which we understand is not the case. You can achieve quality even in a smaller studio like ours.”
The third release from Kinky, Reina, was entirely produced in their home studio and landed two Latin Grammy nominations, solidifying that “fancy studios aren’t necessary to produce academy-worthy work,” as he puts it. Instead, the notion of roaming creatively as you please became the priority. Soon after, the following five Kinky records were conceived at the home studio, with other Latin Grammy nominations in place. Since then, Lozano has helped produce records in the studio for Chiquis Rivera — winning a Latin Grammy as head producer of the “Best Banda Album” Playlist and producing Abeja Reina — along with Angela Aguilar on Baila Esta Cumbia. In turn, Lozano opened the doors for various Latine artists to work in his space with the same sense of artistic autonomy. Moreover, to be in a place where originality is the most critical aspect, you can achieve exquisite sounds, something Lozano is keen on with every artist who steps into the recording booth.
While working on projects such as Los Angeles Lindo y Querido by Tecate, which brought the best of Chicano artists in L.A. like É Arenas, The Delirians, Katzù Oso, and backing band Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas, Lozano’s quarters became a key component for global success. The Latin Grammy-winning producer treats each one, from small indie acts to international stars, with care.
With an infinite number of locations to record, choosing a studio that feels like home isn’t easy. Yet for artists in Los Angeles and beyond, it’s a clear choice to select Lozano’s home studio, making history as he follows in the footsteps of Laurel Canyon artists like Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, The Doors, and Carole King, that stood before him. Only now, rather than alternative ‘60s folk, it’s Latine music on the map. Lozano hopes that musicians can recognize that, just maybe, your studio is right in front of you.
“It’s all about being creative where you are,” he says. “Everybody might have a studio already, and you just haven’t noticed it yet. So when you come to my studio, I always tell artists that we’re going to come out with a production that’s as standard as anything without sacrificing quality and freedom because that’s the main goal.”
“This studio was built by an artist who was also thinking about how it will best suit artists like me, and it serves everyone in the same capacity. I love that I get to create a space that’s comforting and special for us all.”
