Meet Harriet Tam

We were lucky to catch up with Harriet Tam recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Harriet, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Ever since college when I moved to America from Hong Kong, I have never been able to find someone who’s in the same unique situation I am in. It was scary at first and many people have made me feel inferior – they thought I was the intern or the receptionist, questioned my ability as an engineer/ producer, or even harassed me simply because of pure bigotry. However, I have learned that these people do not define me and I am better off turning down work from people like them. I think these bad experiences have taught me to be more sure of myself and what I can bring to the table. I realized my unique background is actually my strength – as female, I bring comfort to others; as someone from Hong Kong, I bring unique cultural influences to the creativity. Once I understood this, I stopped trying to fit into a box and minimizing myself, and I have witnessed the quality of my work improving drastically.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am born and raised in Hong Kong, and moved to America for college. After graduation, I was hired at various studios, namely Tritone Recording and Sunset Sound Recorders. I started from the bottom working as a runner, picking up food and cleaning lounges…etc., and eventually moved my way up to becoming an engineer. In 2021, I got a call to work with Paramore, and that’s when I left my job and became fully freelance. In 2024, I became the first person in Hong Kong to ever win a Grammy.

I work primarily as a recording and mixing engineer, and am starting my new career as a producer. I have always loved music all my life, and I am fortunate enough to make a living doing it. I love working with creative people – nothing can ever compare the type of satisfaction and joy I get when working in the studio creating music – it’s the most fun thing I can ever do in my life! Although I can’t disclose too much at the moment, there are a couple of projects I am lucky to be a part of this year, and I can’t wait for the world to hear, please stay tuned!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1. Humility 2. Social skills 3. Curiosity

I have come across a lot of people of various ages who are unhappy with where they are at in their careers, and they always seem to want to find someone/ something to blame on. Unfortunately, it is not enough to “make it” in this industry only based on talent. In a way, this work is similar to customer services where you have to not only be able to do the job, but also have good people skills and “be a good hang”. Also, being open to new things and staying curious helps to keep things fresh and interesting. It also prevents you from being too jaded because there’s always something new you can learn from different sessions.

I think it is important to always remind yourself why you wanted to work in this field in the beginning, and to never lose sight of it. This kind of attitude and perspective is key to developing the aforementioned qualities and skills.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was teaching me the importance and necessity of failures at a young age. There is this saying back home: failure is the mother of all success. Every time I went (sometimes crying) to my parents for advice, they have always assured me that I am on the right path and that it is a good thing I am facing all the obstacles right now. I saw the hardships they had to go through in order to take care of my sister and I, and I know I am also capable of doing hard things because I am my parents’ daughter.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harriet__ham/