Meet Kenya Autie | Songwriter and Multi Grammy Winning Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kenya Autie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kenya, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued an artistic career because I have been passionate about music for as long as I can remember. Music is a universal language and can have an impact on people because it conveys messages, not only through lyrics but also through other music elements such as key, rhythm, mood, etc. There have been times when pursuing a music career seemed impossible for me, and then something has happened, and an opportunity has opened up for me, and I have found myself immersed in the world of music again. I feel that producing music is not just a job but a mission: A responsibility I have first with myself, and then with the world.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe what sets us apart from others is that we treat our clients with love and respect, that we fall in love with every project we work on, and that we know the meaning of teamwork.

I am proud of the amount of work we do every year and the caliber of musicians with who we work. Of course, I am also proud of the GRAMMYs® we have received. It’s such a huge honor, and these awards represent a recognition of our work from our music industry peers, who we love and admire, and who inspire us with their own work.

My music career has been a long road. I started playing guitar in Havana, Cuba when I was in my late teens. I played electric guitar in a rock band called Horus. When I came to the United States in my 20s, finding work in the music industry was very difficult, so I quit playing. Later on, I met my husband (he is a recording, mix and mastering engineer), and together we built our recording studio. At first, I was going to help him with the management of the studio only, but I started getting involved in the productions, and the rest is history. Every year I produce more and more projects with him on the engineering side. We also work with other professionals, other studios, other records labels, and with many amazing artists.

Being a woman in the music industry is hard. There are still people in this industry who put us women down, who think that we should get paid less than men, or who don’t give us credit for our work. I have sometimes felt I have to prove myself more because I am a Latin woman. Thankfully, this is changing, and the work of the talented women producers and engineers out there is being recognized more than before.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When visiting the San Francisco Bay Area:

Day one: Go to the Golden Gate Bridge. From there go to Peer 39 and have lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co restaurant, visit the Aquarium. Walk around the peer. Go to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory to eat ice-cream.

Day two: Go to Alcatraz. Then have dinner at Spanish restaurant called Esperpentos. Then, go see a show at the Brava Theater, or any other theaters in the city.

Day three: Go to the Embarcadero where you can grab lunch and take some pictures. Then go to the Coit Tower. Walk through the Embarcadero buildings. Go to the most twisted street in the world “Lombard Street,” and finally have dinner at any restaurant in the North Beach neighborhood.

Day four: Take the BART train, and get off at Powell Street. Walk up Powell street and through Union Square. Go to the Chinese neighborhood and have lunch there. Go shopping and walk around downtown.

Day five: Go to Twin Peaks, then to the Golden Gate Park and to the Academy of Science.

Day six: Go to Napa Valley and spend the day tasting wine. You will need a designated driver. 🙂

Day seven: Walk around the Fisherman’s wharf and buy souvenirs for your friends and family. At night go to see the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet, or Opera.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate shoutouts to: 1) My husband, Oscar Autie with whom I work closely. I have learned a lot from him, and he has encouraged me throughout my music career. He is my partner in life and in music.
2) To my family and all our friends and beautiful people who support my music career.
3) To my cousin who was like a brother to me, and who is in heaven, Omar Blanco Martinez. He always encouraged me to continue playing my guitar.

Website: www.elcerritorecords.com

Instagram: @elcerritorecords

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenyaautie/

Twitter: @ElCerrRecords

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