Meet Matty Chirichillo

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matty Chirichillo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Matty , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My strong work ethic today has been strongly influenced by the positive character traits my parents instilled in me during my formative years. Their guidance and example have infused a sense of dedication, perseverance, and responsibility that continues to shape my approach to work and life. I am also very fortunate to work for many bands and artists who operate at the highest level in every aspect of life. The years on the road taught me how to be a professional in everything I do moving forward in life. Music-related or not. Glenn Frey used to say, “There’s only one way to do things…the right way!” I live by that day-to-day as I navigate the treacherous waters of the music industry. This database of knowledge also sets me apart from others as I can pretty much tackle most things that come my way.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

After two years of music school at Santa Barbara City College, I attended the School of Audio Engineering in Los Angeles. While in trade school there, I was an intern for a well-known music producer named Julian Bunetta (One Direction, Sabrina Carpenter, Thomas Rhett, Teddy Swims) until an opportunity presented itself to go on tour, starting by tuning drums and guitars for bands. After my first tour, I got a contact through the studio above from one of their session violin and cello players, Christine Wu. She gave me the contact info of a production manager named Nick Jeen. Nick had worked alongside many artists and bands, the likes of Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Elton John, & Keith Richards, to name a few. I cold-called him nonstop until I got him on the phone a few days before he gave me a job as the violin/cello tech on the Slumdog Millionaire Bollywood Tour with well-known Indian composer A.R. Rahman. From there, Nick took me under his wing, and I climbed up through the ranks by his side, teaching me the many facets and roles of the touring industry. We spent years working together on many tours, including Avril Lavigne, Ke$ha, Dave Stewart, The Jacksons, Mariah Carey, & Eagles. On the Eagles tour, I started taking an interest in the business side of the music world and began learning accounting. After being mentored by a top tour accountant and finishing the last Eagles tour with Glenn Frey in 2015, I continued working with Joe Walsh from the Eagles as his Tour Manager & Tour Accountant.

Feeling a void without my creative side, which I had initially pursued straight out of college, I knew it was time to return to making music. A call from my previous studio internship, seeking someone to build a studio for One Direction member Liam Payne, who had recently moved to the Malibu area, was the turning point. I built his studio in 6 weeks and lived with Liam for the next six months, working on my music and some with him. This period was a reawakening, a chance to reconnect with what I genuinely love to do more than anything: music. A year later, fully immersed in music, I attended a House Music festival called Desert Hearts, where I met Jeff, my soon-to-be production partner and the second half of our music duo BVRLY. (pronounced Beverly)
Our dedication to crafting dance floor hits from any decade in honor of our cosmic muse, the eternal disco goddess BVRLY, is unwavering. With our diverse musical backgrounds, we found common ground in our love for classic sounds and funky grooves. The passion of BVRLY is reflected in our eclectic collection of worldly sounds and our unique approach to live improv production. During our performances, we use traditional CDJs, Ableton, electronic drums, percussion, electric guitar, and other live instrumentation. We have recently been doing remixes for artists and are enjoying the transformation of turning other songs into a new version! In the live scene, we have enjoyed playing alongside Camelphat, Marc Kinchen, Tensnake, Latmun, Nathan Barato, Diplo, Flume, Tycho, Desert Hearts members & more.

Our musical partnership was forged at that festival and continues to be strong. We have had some successful releases on the Classic Parisian label Kitsuné and will release some new material soon.

Writing songs, making music, and DJing worldwide are massive parts of my life and will be the end goal as I continue my current tour accounting career. A few years ago, I was a co-writer for a song called “Sauce” by Naika, which has done quite well in the pop world and has led us to many licensing synch deals. Including an Apple iPhone 12 commercial broadcasted during peak NCAA Sweet 16, Taco Bell, Applebees, a Bounty Paper Towels Radio spot, Seventh Generation, MTV, HBO, Netflix, and Amazon shows.

Amidst all these endeavors, I am particularly thrilled about the BVRLY project. It’s a passion project and a commitment to which I am fully dedicated. I eagerly anticipate its continued growth. I am also excited about working on my wife’s music project with Free Nationals Bass Player Kelsey Gonzalez, among many other talented musicians and creatives.

I am also a professional Mix and Master engineer, and I have people send me their stems so I can send back a final radio-ready product!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Curiosity and Continuous Learning. It is crucial to stay curious and committed to continuous learning. This involves acquiring new knowledge and being open to exploring different perspectives and ideas. For those early in their journey, ask questions, read widely, and seek new experiences. Embrace opportunities for learning both within and outside your field of interest.

Adaptability and Resilience. Adapting to changing circumstances and bouncing back from setbacks is incredibly valuable. This means being flexible in your approach, open to change, and persistent even when faced with challenges. To develop adaptability and resilience, try stepping out of your comfort zone regularly and viewing failures as learning opportunities. Practice mindfulness or stress management techniques to build mental fortitude.

Effective Communication. Clearly articulating ideas and collaborating with others is critical. This encompasses verbal and written communication, active listening, and empathy. To improve communication skills, actively engage in conversations, seek feedback on your communication style, and practice public speaking or writing. Engaging in group activities or team projects can also enhance these skills.

Focusing on these areas can set a solid foundation for personal and professional growth for those just starting. Embrace a growth mindset and proactively seek opportunities to learn and develop these qualities.

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?

As a solo producer and with BVRLY, I am always looking for artists and bands with whom to collaborate. I make all genres of music and never limit myself to only one way of creating.

As for the BVRLY project, we are heavily dance-focused and emphasize minimal, but we also never shy away from limiting or opening up our creative process to any possibility! We can be contacted from the @BVRLYmusic Instagram page or directly via email. Please feel free to reach out directly if you are interested in a collaboration, a remix, or a mix and master!

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