Artist Spotlight: Michelin Shin
We had the opportunity to get into the inner workings of the mind of successful UK producer Michelin Shin, getting insight into not just producing, but also what it takes to be involved with the music industry.
The producer first started at Shawn Wright’s studio but quickly realised if he wanted to succeed in the music industry, he needed to start hustling, often taking any opportunity thrown his way and capitalising on it.
Now the producer owns his own recording studio in Acton, West London going from strength to strength every year. He has worked with established talent such as Wretch 32, NafeSmallz, Blade Brown, M24 and Ms Banks to name a few.
How did you get into producing?
I got into producing through a youth club back in the day and everything kind of just happened. I cant really tell you when and where it started but we had the studio equipment in there and me and the guys were just fucking around.
Kind of taught myself everything I knew my bredren Ros knew more about FL. We kind of just went from one thing to another, then we got Logic and I started making beats trying to put things out and from there it just spiralled leading to this moment in time now. But it all started in the youth club.
Was it natural how it went from a passion to a career?
Yeah but you see with this field of work it’s not a natural thing. Anyone who works in music will tell you it’s not a natural job. Everything is a hustle almost. Even when you’re an A&R you still have to hustle and bustle your way through things.
Just now you mentioned it’s not a normal job so what have you found difficult about being a musician?
One of the struggles I face every day is finding that work / life balance. Juggling unsociable hours with things hasn’t always been easy. But over the years I’ve set routines, adapted myself to a lifestyle that works for me and the family.
3am finishes to get up and do a school run for 7:30am to then get back in the studio for midday is far from a normal 9-5, guess it comes down to how much you really want this dream.
Even with all the difficulty could you see yourself doing something else professionally?
No I couldn’t and there’s been times when… I’ve actually said this in a podcast I’ve done with Lawrie Wilson it’s called Discovery Rap. So when we were tapping into certain things like when the pandemic hit there was a drought in studio sessions and there was nothing coming through for a small period of time. It was like you know what? I might have to go get myself a job or try to find a different hustle for a minute but I stuck at it and got blessed with more opportunities that were coming through and elevated.
Do you feel like music producers in the UK are getting a lot more attention now?
There’s definitely more attention but I still don’t think it’s enough attention, like there’s a difference between us and the States. There’s always been that line. Producers are a different league of people whereas over here, we’re slept on a lot still. We’re not even credited, some of the artists don’t even follow the producers and some of the artists don’t even want to listen to the producers.
The reason I asked is because I feel that certain producers that can be considered household names by the public like JAE5 and TS Boys are becoming brands. Even in your own music you have a tag.
The branding is good but name me two more producers that are branded well, and I’ll tell you what I’m thinking.
You got someone like DJ Khaled but I couldn’t tell you any UK ones
There is a few but there’s not many and the one’s that you’ll find that are usually branded from what my analysis of it that one that are branded well are the ones that are attached to artists that are doing well.
If you get a popping artist or an artist that’s doing well, you naturally gravitate with them but not all artists want to shine that light on their producers like J Hus and JAE5 have that light shined on them and JAE5 is just expectational anyway.
As a producer do you listen out to the beats specifically when you listen to music?
Yeah, so, me growing up listening to music as a consumer obviously you get songs that you listen to for the song enit but I would always listen to the elements of the beat that’s being made. For instance, let’s say I grew up on Michael Jackson. My mum used to batter Michael Jackson. You know the song bro because it’s Michael Jackson and it’s a hit automatically but over time I start analysing the music.
When I started getting into production I began to understand how certain things have been done and when you start making sense of it and break down how everything’s been made you start thinking you know what? I’m a bit obsessed with this. So now when I listen to music unless the song is mad catchy, I’m not really hearing the lyrics half the time I’m just listening to the beat, how it’s mixed, what sounds they’ve used if they know the sounds. Just everything I’m familiar with.
What do you think of the production culture in the UK?
It’s getting better, there’s more producers and just more everything. There are more people going to America and Europe so it’s always going to keep expanding. It’s the best it’s been obviously because there’s so much more people paying more attention to production now. There’s nothing really bad to say about the quality of music coming out.
People stick to trends as things come out, we had the drill wave last year every producer wanted to make drill beats or when it was Afro everyone wanted to make UK swing afrobeats. Everything goes through phases but when you get those producers who can make a sound and they can have their own sound. They can buss their sound and not compromise having to do something to just fit a trend. Those are the producers we have to hold close to the scene and say yeah, you’re the hardest.