Abbey Road is one of those London landmarks that had been on my bucket list since the first day I knew I was moving to London. There are few studios more synonymous with music history, welcoming everyone from bona fide legends to today’s most exciting emerging artists. It’s also the kind of tourist photo I could send to my family group chat, and all generations would respond with the same amazement – talk about iconic.
Yesterday, a group of aspiring women and non-binary writers, producers, DJs and musicians were invited inside Studio Three for the rare opportunity to spend the day learning alongside alt-pop artist, songwriter and self-producer Erin LeCount.
Still only 23, Erin has already established herself as one of the UK’s most impressive emerging alt-pop artists and producers – writing and producing much of her own work, she’s earned praise for her cinematic, emotionally rich sound. I first met Erin during an interview for her score of Inter Alia at The National Theatre, and to say I was in awe of both her artistry and technical ability would be an understatement.
Earlier this year, she released THE CINEMA – a track that encapsulates years of teaching herself production and finding confidence behind the desk – and she has most recently collaborated with acclaimed producer Jim-E Stack (Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde) on her new EP, PAREIDOLIA.
Hosted as a free interactive masterclass for a select group of attendees (hand-picked by Erin herself), the Abbey Road masterclass offered a glimpse inside the iconic creative residence. Attendees heard Erin unpack her journey, from teaching herself production in GarageBand to creating her latest music in the control room of Studio 3, before breaking down the stems of THE CINEMA and opening up the creative decisions behind the track. The afternoon then shifted from conversation to collaboration, with attendees rotating through recording, mixing and vocal production sessions led by Abbey Road’s engineering team, before sharing their work and receiving feedback together.
What made the day so insightful wasn’t just thanks to the access into one of the world’s most famous recording studios; it was Erin’s insistence that great production doesn’t need expensive equipment or technical perfection. Alongside her own releases, Erin has become a passionate advocate for making music production feel more accessible, particularly for women and non-binary creatives, using opportunities like this Abbey Road masterclass to demystify the craft and encourage the next generation to trust their own creative instincts.
Whether you’re simply considering giving it a go or you’re working towards your debut release, Erin’s advice rings true across many creative disciplines. At yesterday’s masterclass, we chatted to the musician (plus have distilled some of the biggest lessons from the session) for a practical guide for anyone looking to take their first, or next, steps in music production.
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