About

I’m Colleen Livingston — a mastering engineer, producer, and artist.

My work is rooted in deep listening: to music, to intention, and to the spaces between sound. For me, mastering is not about making music louder or more impressive, but about helping it arrive at its final form with clarity, balance, and emotional honesty.

 

I began mastering my own songs out of necessity. After writing and producing music myself, I often felt disconnected from the masters I received — technically correct, yet distant from the feeling I had put into the songs. Wanting to understand that disconnect, I started mastering my own work. That process became a turning point, teaching me how subtle decisions shape emotion and how important it is to listen to what a song actually needs rather than forcing it into a predefined sound.

 

I approach mastering from an artist’s perspective. Having spent most of my life around music — on stage, in rehearsal rooms, and in studios — I’m especially attentive to the emotional core of a track and how that feeling translates once it leaves the studio. I believe every piece of music already carries its own direction; my role is to recognize it and support it without getting in the way.My professional development has been shaped by both hands-on work and close mentorship.

 

I worked as a mixing and mastering engineer with Nils Kacirek, learning directly through daily studio practice, observation, and discussion. In addition, I was mentored by Philipp Welsing (Original Mastering), Julia Borelli, and Linda Dag, whose different approaches to listening, decision-making, and sound deeply influenced my own.