We were lucky to catch up with Chris Merrell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Chris, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I found my purpose by having fun and following my curiosity. In the eighth grade, I became fascinated with playing music. My dad had a beautiful guitar hidden away in his closet—untouched for years—and one day, before he got home from his construction job, I snuck it out. I taught myself to play in secret, thrilled like I’d taken a prized vintage Porsche for a joyride. At the time, I had no idea I was uncovering my purpose; I was just having fun.
Over time, my passion grew. I started recording and producing music in my bedroom, turning ideas into songs that felt alive. I began bringing friends over after school to record covers of popular songs and the songs I wrote. This year I opened my own recording studio and began producing music full-time. What began as curiosity has transformed into a life’s work that gives me immense fulfillment. Today, I feel most connected to my purpose through three things:
Writing great, moving music.
Bringing other artists’ music to life as a producer.
Performing great music live.
For me, purpose has a way of declaring itself—it’s like a metal detector. The closer I get, the more my life sings that I’ve found it! Everything becomes more sonorous: moments are sweeter; food tastes better; laughs come from the belly. And when I stray from it, the signal fades. My journey has been about listening for that signal and following where it leads.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have the joy of operating Sierra Soundworks, a recording studio in San Bernardino that offers complete music production packages for artists. The name Sierra holds special meaning to me—it reflects the studio’s location at the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, its home on Sierra Way, and shares it’s name with one of my childhood horses, Sierra, who was as sweet as she was stubborn.
At Sierra Soundworks, I work closely with artists to turn their ideas into fully produced, professional songs. I engineer the recording sessions, handle the mixing and mastering, and help shape the final product. While I enjoy every part of the process, my favorite moment is at the very beginning, during the ideation stage. An artist will come into the studio, I’ll set up a single microphone to capture a rough “work tape.” As we listen back, we dream together: “What if we add a drum build in the chorus?” “Guitars and vocals only for the first bridge?” “Let’s bring in a fiddle for this track.” The possibilities are endless, and that creative collaboration is where the magic happens.
My artist journey runs parallel to this work. I grew up on a twelve-horse ranch in Southern California, and taught myself guitar when I was a teenager. I fell in love with writing songs and recording in my bedroom. That passion carried me to where I am now: a country artist and songwriter with viral success on TikTok, over 1.5 million views, and a growing catalog of released music and published songs. My songs remind me of the amazing music I listened to growing up on the ranch and writing brings me great joy.
Right now, I’m focused on helping artists of all genres bring their creative visions to life while also building my own as a country artist. I’m excited to announce that I’m offering special grand opening pricing for full song productions at Sierra Soundworks through March 2025!
Whether you’re a songwriter looking to take your work to the next level or a fan following my artist journey, I’d love to connect.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, I think three qualities have been the most impactful in my journey:
Being a Great Listener and Observer. This is the foundation of creativity. Whether I’m supporting an artist by helping bring their vision to life or drawing inspiration from the world around me for my songwriting, listening and observing are essential. Paying attention to the details—what people say, how they feel, and the stories around us—has shaped both my art and my professional relationships.
Goodwill. I genuinely wish the best for everyone I encounter—collaborators, competitors, and clients alike. I pray for their success and fulfillment, and I aim to treat everyone with kindness. When you approach life with goodwill, it has a way of coming back around.
A Resilient Attitude. I’m naturally optimistic, but the reality is that life has uninspiring studio sessions, financial hardship, bad days, and loss. A good attitude doesn’t ignore those challenges; it acknowledges them and helps you push through. It’s about choosing to get up and keep moving forward, even when the path gets tough.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am looking for pop, hiphop, r&b and country artists that care about their songs and want to have their music recorded by a professional!
I’m also looking to build a community of Southern California country artists and collaborators! Please email me at booking@chrismerrell.com or send me a DM on Instagram, my handle is @mixtopher_
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chrismerrell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixtopher_/
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mixtopher
Image Credits
Jared Huff
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
