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Our Thing: While continuing to develop her career as an independent rapper and recording artist, SAAVI is also creating a dynamic, one-of-a-kind environment for musical creatives at Cosa Nostra Studios (“CNS”), the independent state-of-the-art Burbank studio she developed from the ground up after she relocated from the Bay Area in 2022. SAAVI’s passion for hip-hop came from her dad, and when he passed away when she was 19, she abandoned her industry ambitions, went to UCSB, and became a paralegal for years at an intellectual property law firm. At some point, while still with that job, she decided to revisit her early ambitions and connected with veteran engineer Renson Mateo, who convinced her to pursue a career as an independent artist.
Having once had to work four jobs to support her family, SAAVI applied her DIY work ethic to building up an arsenal of equipment and launching Cosa Nostra Studios—one of the few female-owned facilities in the L.A. area. Partly an homage to her mother’s Sicilian heritage,” the clever moniker translates in Italian to “our thing”—which reflects her mission to develop not only a room for commercial recording but a safe gathering space for a close-knit group of creatives to develop their craft. While men are welcome, she is actively working to build a tight-knit community of talented female creatives. Cosa Nostra Studios’ grand opening was on Aug. 12, 2023.
Creator’s Camps: Driven by SAAVI’s “La Famiglia” concept, CNS is now hosting regular creator’s camps, inviting people to meet other creatives and, as she says, “pressing play” on any body of work they would like to share and receive constructive feedback on. The gatherings are intended to bring artists, songwriters, and producers together. At the event in September, a female rapper came in and inspired SAAVI to create bars of her own on the way to a deeper collaboration. “We let the results speak for themselves,” she says. “In an industry that sometimes marginalizes females, I want to give women a sanctuary where they can feel comfortable and, most of all, where they can feel appreciated and heard.” SAAVI also hopes to launch educational camps around different creative disciplines.
Now Available for Booking: Cosa Nostra Studios is a two-room, Mac-based studio with an Apple Studio display. The vocal chain consists of Neuman Neve 1073 SPX, into an LA 2A, then an Apollo Twin, which goes into either Protools or Logic. The mics for recording include Neumann U87 and a TLM-103. There is also a podcast recording space featuring two Shure mics. For clients who need engineers, she has contracted top local talent. The walls are blacked out while the space is white accented and illuminated by cool LED light strips. SAAVI says, “When someone walks in here, I want them to experience a great vibe that makes them feel like they’re at home.”
Contact Cosa Nostra Studios, 818-732-9118
