Los Angeles, CA –– Applications are now open for the second annual Larrabee Studios Creator Series, an immersive program created to give emerging music creators direct access to mentorship, professional studio experience, and career-building resources inside one of the most respected recording environments in the world.
Taking place August 11–15, the five-day program will select 15 emerging music creators from across the United States to participate at no cost, with travel, lodging, meals and programming fully covered.
Led by 18x GRAMMY-winning mixing engineer Manny Marroquin in partnership with Sony Corporation’s audio division (“Sony Audio”), the Creator Series brings together world-class mentorship and access to professional tools and technology to support the next generation of creators.
“I’ve been in rooms that changed my life, and nobody charged me to be there. A producer took a chance on me. An engineer showed me something he didn’t have to show me. That’s how this works. We’re just trying to pass that forward and make sure the next generation of creators gets the same shot, regardless of where they come from or what’s in their bank account.” — Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer & Creator Series Lead Mentor
Created as a giveback to the music community, the Creator Series is built on a simple belief: access should not be a barrier to opportunity. The program equips emerging talent with Sony Audio’s professional technology, industry relationships, and real-world experience needed to build lasting careers in today’s music industry.
FIVE DAYS. FIFTEEN CREATORS. ONE EXPERIENCE BUILT TO LAST.
Participants in the Creator Series gain direct access to Larrabee Studios, a facility whose ten rooms have hosted some of the most celebrated recordings in modern music from Lauryn Hill, Usher, and No Doubt to Michael Jackson, Madonna, Beyoncé, and Maroon 5.
Creators will move through a curated arc of mentorship, industry panels, hands-on studio time, and real-world creative collaboration:
Day 1 – August 11: Participant arrivals and welcome dinner
Days 2–4 – August 12–14: Three full days inside Larrabee Studios led by Manny Marroquin and a curated group of industry professionals, covering both the art and business of music
Day 5 – August 15: A final day on the Sony Lot in Culver City, offering participants insider access to Sony Audio’s professional facilities
As the program returns for its second year, Sony Audio continues its collaboration with the Larrabee Studios Creator series as an overall partner, supporting the production and program while providing participants with access to cutting-edge tools and technology. Participants will have access to a range of Sony Audio’s professional products, including MDR-M1 and award-winning MDR-MV1 open-back headphones, select microphones such as the C-80 and C-100, and its 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME), a spatial audio technology that recreates the acoustic experience of a professional studio over headphones. Beyond technology, participants will benefit from mentorship and direct support from members of Sony Audio’s Pro Audio team.
The Larrabee Studios Creator Series reflects the kind of creator-first initiative Sony Audio is proud to support. By working alongside Manny and the Larrabee team, we’re helping emerging creators step into a professional studio environment, engage directly with the technology and people shaping modern music, and leave with tools, relationships and perspective they can carry into their careers.” – Ross Caravati, Manager of Content Development, Sony Audio
2025 Larrabee Studios Creator Series
PROGRAM DETAILS
Dates: August 11–15, 2026
Location: Larrabee Studios, North Hollywood, California
Participants: 15 total
Eligibility: U.S. residents, age 21+, all music genres welcome
Cost: Fully funded (travel, lodging, meals, and programming included)
Application Window: May 18 – June 26, 2026 (11:59 PM PST)
Winners Announced: July 10, 2026
Apply: larrabeestudioscreatorseries.com
Marroquin will personally select participants through a competitive national application process. All travel, lodging, meals, and programming are fully covered. There is no fee to apply and no fee to attend.
“The Larrabee Creator Series gave us a chance to witness how music is made at the highest level. Not only did we experience the love of art from some of the greatest creators of our time, but we also saw how they merge artistry with groundbreaking technology.” — Danny Dash, Music Producer / Songwriter and 2025 Creator Series Participant.
For emerging creators ready to take the next step in their careers, the Larrabee Studios Creator Series offers a rare opportunity to learn, collaborate, and build relationships inside one of the most respected environments in music.
ABOUT LARRABEE STUDIOS
Larrabee Studios has been a leader in the Los Angeles music industry for over 50 years, with a reputation as one of the top recording and mixing facilities in the world.
Originally founded on Larrabee Street in West Hollywood by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, the studio evolved under the ownership of the Mills family and later Kevin Mills, expanding into one of the first SSL-equipped studios in the country.
In 1991, Larrabee North—now Larrabee Studios—was established in North Hollywood, quickly becoming home to landmark projects including Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. Since then, it has hosted recordings from Beyoncé, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Kanye West, Bruno Mars, Adele, Taylor Swift, Dr. Dre, Rihanna, Maroon 5, and many more.
Today, Larrabee remains one of the last full-service, state-of-the-art studio complexes in the country, offering a complete spectrum of audio services under one roof while continuing to shape the future of music through initiatives like the Creator Series.
ABOUT MANNY MARROQUIN
Manny Marroquin is one of the most sought-after mixing engineers in the music industry, known for his versatility and deep respect for artistic vision.
“A lot of mix engineers work at developing their own unique sound and that’s cool,” he says, “but I choose to act as a chameleon—bringing the collective ideas of the producer, label, and artist to life for each individual project.”
His credits include Bruno Mars, The Rolling Stones, Alicia Keys, Imagine Dragons, Lizzo, Kanye West, Rihanna, John Legend, and Christina Aguilera, among many others.
With over 250 million albums sold worldwide, Marroquin has contributed to more than 40 #1 albums, 100 Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, and 12 #1 singles on the Hot 100. He has earned 18 GRAMMY Awards from 48 nominations.
ABOUT SONY CORPORATION
Sony Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and is responsible for the Entertainment, Technology & Services (ET&S) business. With the mission to “create the future of entertainment through the power of technology together with creators,” Sony continues to deliver Kando to people around the world.
Kando is a Japanese word that describes the sense of awe and emotion experienced when encountering something beautiful and meaningful for the first time.
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