Spotlight On: Katy Hustwick & Emilie Krogh – Producers, Sprout

Hi Katy, Emilie, can you tell us a little about why you took part ReBalance ’24?

K: Me and Sprout have written songs together since we were 18 and they are one of my if not my favourite collaborator, so when they asked if I wanted to be involved there was no hesitation.

E: When you get the chance to work with Sprout, you say yes – and you do so with your whole heart.

Do you always work as a duo, or was this new for you? How do you adapt the way you work to each new project? 

K: Me and Emilie hadn’t worked together in this capacity before – she had mixed things of mine before but that was it. We’ve been friends for 10 years though and it was great to see how our strengths and weaknesses really complimented each other.

E: Producing someone else’s songs was new for us, but we know each other extremely well and have witnessed each other’s musical journey over many years. To adapt well to each new project it’s important to talk about expectations (beforehand), clarify roles and be open to making changes to your process – and I felt we did that very well with this project.

When working with an artist, do you find it’s best to let them lead, or for the engineer/producer to take control and guide the session?

K: 100% bit of both. I think it’s important for the artist to feel in control yet looked after, if that makes sense. No one should feel like they’re being overridden and it’s important to remember that the work is often quite personal to the artist – and that needs to be respected.

E: I second that! It’s important for the producers/engineers to make a safe space for the artist so that they feel free to experiment and be vulnerable. At the same time, there is most likely a reason why they asked you to work on their project, so it’s important to speak your mind – as long as it’s for the benefit of the song and not the ego.

How do you balance the creative direction of a project with any technical requirements?

K: That’s where Emilie came in – I’m a terrible technical engineer but we were in great hands with Emilie.

E: I am a fan of working with what you got – whatever that may be. And to set up everything beforehand – so that when you have an idea, you can easily jump to whichever instrument and start playing/recording without having to wait for any technical prep.

Do you have any current favourite production tools or techniques?

K: I love sampling and recording bits in the room and making instruments out of them or adding them in for a vibe. Also, the human voice is probably the most versatile instrument so I like to make good use of that.

E: Again, second that! Logic Pro’s Quick Sampler and Sampler are such great tools and endless fun. Currently enjoying the Sketch Cassette plug-in as well.

Are there any producers you look up to? Where do you find you take inspiration from?

K: I really admire Mica Levi and I just watched Ryuichi Sakamotos documentary Coda. I find him incredibly inspiring – especially his curiosity.

E: A couple of my favourite producers are Eivind Helgerød and Nick Sanborn. Their main projects Emilie Nicolas and Sylvan Esso have been, and continue to be a big source of inspiration for me.

Thinking back to your time at Middle Farm, do any key moments stand out for you?

K: It was such a magical few days: the freedom and space in that room, the piano I adored, the countryside, being there with two of my closest friends and being able to create and record was brilliant. And seeing Sprout’s talent was quite moving – I do think they’re one of the best musicians I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing.

E: The whole experience feels like a collection of key moments to me. Every time Sprout started to sing, every time Katy started playing the piano and every time I got to walk into that beautiful studio and pretend it was mine. It was also quite special when we listened back to ‘If Only You’ for the first time after having done all of the recording, and collectively being so proud of what we’d managed to create together. Working with Sprout (and Katy) was so inspiring, humbling and empowering.

Do you think Middle Farm being residential, and in the countryside, altered how you were able to work?

K: 100% – everyone being from a city we all appreciated being able to wake up in the morning and enjoy the calm. It was incredibly helpful.

E: Without a doubt. It made us more present and calm, and that is a good combination for a creative process.

What’s been your biggest lesson from the last few years of your own work? And what advice would you give anyone starting out in engineering or production?

K: To not think about the end product, the point is the process. It’s not going to sound professional at first – it just isn’t – but keep making things; use YouTube as a guide or other producers. And that there really aren’t any rules. It’s all playtime at the end of the day – nothing more, nothing less.

E: Don’t be afraid of making mistakes! If you don’t make any mistakes during a process I would argue that you’ve probably not experimented enough. And don’t be afraid of things sounding bad in the beginning – it’s part of the process. It’s important to give the ideas a chance before you delete them.

Any words on ReBalance ’24, or your time being part of the programme?

K: It was an invaluable experience for all of us that wouldn’t have been possible financially without it – so we’re incredibly grateful we were able to make something.

E: What Katy said! Truly grateful that there are programs like this out there.

Lastly, any favourite tracks you’d like people to listen to right now – that you’ve worked on or otherwise?

K: I mean check out Sprout‘s previous EP of course, Emilie’s album (artist name mimskrogh) and for an old hidden gem I recommend No Other Love by Chuck Prophet for Valentines Day.

E: And you should check out Katy (Katy Hustwick)’s beautiful gems – and Saya Gray’s discography.