MICHAEL KOLAR

From brain to speaker, Michael Kolar has been guiding the vision of talented artists for over twenty-seven years. Raised in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, he developed an ear for music at the age of seven, landed an internship at Bzipp Studios at fifteen, and had set up his own home studio by seventeen. At twenty-two, Michael was on the road with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, learning artist relations and logistics while simultaneously handling audio engineering duties. After time on the road, he returned to his hometown to hone his craft and complete his bachelor’s degree in Recording Arts & Sciences at Columbia College Chicago. Upon graduation, his focus switched fully to his Chicago studio, and he began recording albums for some of the world’s most distinct artists for decades to come.

While always called Soundscape Studios, what began as a small production studio in the corner of the garage of his family home eventually grew into a large multi-room recording studio. Michael Kolar has worked on albums for artists including Action Bronson, FKA Twigs, Raekwon, Jamila Woods, Zayn Malik, M.I.A, Chance The Rapper, Curren$y, Ludacris, 2 Chainz, Naked Raygun, Wyclef Jean, Talib Kweli, Chingy and many others. He formerly served three terms as vice president of the Engineering & Recording Society, is currently a voting member of The Grammy’s, as well as a NAMM and A.E.S member. Michael’s work boasts a combined total of over one billion streams with 7 R.I.A.A. certified gold/platinum/double platinum albums to his credit. In addition to his engineering work, Michael co-founded Closed Sessions in 2009, a Chicago-based incubator, record label, and artist management company, and has toured multiple times internationally, managing an array of marquee artists. 

Never one to be content with business-as-usual, and feeling ready to step back, reflect and re-align, Michael sold his stake in Closed Sessions in 2022 – and after twenty-six years, sold his studio compound on Chicago Ave to fellow Chicagoan Chris Classick to expand his Classick Studios footrprint. Leaving the space in Chris’s capable hands (in addition to retaining Mike’s entire staff) helped to continue Michael’s legacy of fortifying Chicago’s music scene, allowing future generations to experience what it’s truly like to record in an old school, custom built temple of sound.

After taking a year long sabbatical & relocating to Palm Springs, CA in 2023, Michael is again equipped to mix records.

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