Alaia D'Alessandro on The Art of Adaptability in Music Production and Studio Design
Photos by Cydney Stephens
Recently host Trae Holiday was joined by Alaia D’Alessandro on The Day with Trae. D’Alessandro is the head of production at Converge Media, as well as a member of the band Little Venom. She came on the show to talk about her experiences in music production, and the importance of troubleshooting and adapting to different environments.
For eight years, D’Alessandro worked as a producer at KEXP, the radio station, where she traveled globally filming bands in places like Mexico, London, France, Iceland, and Argentina. As a musician herself, D’Alessandro’s focus was on using video to showcase other musicians. Her primary goal was to stay immersed in music, whether through her own performance or by promoting the work of others.
"I got to learn a lot of great skills doing that for eight years,” D’Alessandro said. “You know, getting really scrappy wherever we were—whether dealing with power outages, varying venue conditions, or transitioning from a small bar to a professional studio like the KEXP studio. That’s a lot of where my production background comes from."
D'Alessandro worked as a video editor at the University of Washington for a time. She also attended the University of Washington, where she majored in Comparative History of Ideas. She found the major to be an ideal representation of what college should be—studying a broad range of subjects while expressing knowledge through the medium that best suits the individual. During her studies, she created several music documentaries, traveling to Puerto Rico and the Faroe Islands. It was in the Faroe Islands where she first encountered the challenge of figuring out how to get her camera sound to work, marking the beginning of her hands-on experience in production.
Many aspects of production can be theoretical, but hands-on experience is crucial for getting things to work. D'Alessandro reflects on how field experience transitions into studio experience, noting that the two are quite different.
"I would say that you can study for it. Even though I wasn’t technically a film major, I still got to go and say, 'Okay, I want to make these documentaries.' So, I talked to the film department and learned a few things before I started,” D'Alessandro said. "But then, you know, when you're in the field and have the opportunity to work alongside another camera operator using a different camera, you learn the technical aspects on the fly. Troubleshooting becomes a huge asset if you can develop that skill. I was really lucky to have other videographers around me who could help and show me those things at the moment."
Some of the impetus behind D'Alessandro's ideas to reformat the Black Media Matters studios involved utilizing the natural tones present in the historic building while also working to produce an exceptional product.
"We try to be flexible for the guests on the show by choosing equipment that enhances that flexibility,” D'Alessandro. “This includes adjusting the lights for skin tones, the number of guests, their seating arrangements, or where you're sitting for the day. We aim to make everything very adjustable, especially for on-the-fly changes. What the audience doesn’t see is that there’s actually a lot of natural light in this space."
One reason for the variation in lighting from the right side of the wall to the left side where D'Alessandro is sitting is due to the large, beautiful glass windows at the top of the space. The light naturally transitions from lighter to darker, so she decided to use this gradient as a strength rather than a weakness. If needed, additional lighting can be used to balance this effect. When D'Alessandro joined full-time a few months ago, she was excited to bring more dimensionality to the space and enhance its visual appeal.
With the depth of field created by the blue background and lighting, D'Alessandro aims to showcase different sides of the guests and reveal more of the studio and its reactions. She focuses on exploring how to make the most of the space and its potential. Although they have made significant progress, she believes they are still far from utilizing all the new upgrades planned for the space.
D'Alessandro is also a part of Little Venom, they are planning another U.S. tour later this year and are also looking forward to a tour in Mexico soon.
“We’re kind of punk rock, a little bit thrashy. It’s a different side of myself compared to what others call 'Big Boss.' Working in production, I get to be on the creative side of things, which I love about my job,” D'Alessandro. “It engages a different part of my brain — the analytical, logistical side for daily operations — while my music taps into the creative side.”
D'Alessandro enjoys wearing fancy dresses, with her current favorite being an all-black lace dress adorned with gold stars. She presents a very feminine look, but also incorporates a more boyish, thrashy style into her performances, embracing the duality in her work with Little Venom. They have a show scheduled for July 27 at the Sunset Tavern and another on August 22 at Chop Suey.
“I play guitar and sing, and we’re a four-piece band where we all write together. Any one of us can bring an idea, and we jam on it, fleshing out our ideas together,” D'Alessandro. “Each song incorporates a bit of each of us, which makes it more interesting and dynamic. When writing a song, you consider what you want to say but also allow for vulnerability with the group. You might present a piece of yourself and let others shape it, while still keeping your message intact. It’s a really beautiful experience, and you learn a lot from it.”
Little Venom can be found on Instagram at @littlevenom, and D'Alessandro can be found at @alaiasongs.
For more on local musicians in Seattle, tune in with Trae every weekday at 11 a.m. on all Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae YouTube Channel.
