Esjay Jones (Billy Corgan, Dave Navarro, Grey Daze)

Yucca Valley-based, Grammy-featured metal, and rock producer Esjay Jones has worked with songwriters and artists such as Billy Corgan, Dave Navarro, Grey Daze (Chester Bennington) Krewella, Justin Tranter, Head (Korn), Jasen Rauch (Breaking Benjamin), Alien Ant Farm, Mike Elizondo, Nile Rodgers, and The Underdogs. She is also the songwriter, producer, guitarist, and vocalist for the band We Are PIGS.

Tell us about your current studio setup.

I am currently producing out of a small studio space in Yucca Valley, California. My primary monitors are Genelec and the 1K Multimedia iLoudMTNs. I am a big fan of Universal Audio and produce and mix in Logic.

How do you stay excited about making music every day?

Every artist and band I work with is like starting a new relationship: there is the ‘dating period',' which is exciting and still makes me feel nervous. This energy drives and fuels every song I am involved in and makes it feel like the first time writing or producing a song all over again. But with much more experience.

How do you approach the production and writing of a song?

I am very much a ‘fully-immersive’ producer and writer. I believe that in order to get the best songs, I need to know the artist intimately to channel their art, sound, and vision.

What advice do you have for aspiring producers looking to get better at what they do?

Take EVERY opportunity and every session that you can!