With 1 in every 47 music producers being female, how did Alina Smith go against the odds to become a premier producer in today’s pop scene? Like many artists and creatives, Smith had the vision to make a “room of her own” in the music industry. She and her best friend, Elli Moore, founded an independent digital production business, LYRE, with the goal to carve out a safe space for women in a male-dominated field. Now, LYRE is an unstoppable force and working with names you may recognize from Top 40 pop music: Gabbie Hanna, Kenzie Ziegler, Nikita Dragun, and Niki and Gabi (to name a few). Alongside her role as a producer, Alina is also a musician, artist, novelist, and podcast host. Her new single, “Girl That Was Perfect,” is the first track she has released of her own voice in the past five years and served as an important moment of self-reflection for Alina. In our interview with Alina, she gives us her insights into navigating the barriers of the industry, her return to singing-songwriting, and where her multi-hyphenate creative pursuits will take her next.

Where are you based?
I'm based in LA!

You are a bit of a jack of all trades, but a master of many. Music seems to be at the forefront of your passions. Can you tell us a little bit about what inspired you to get into music, as a singer-songwriter, but also as a "producer without a penis"?
I've been involved in music pretty much as long as I can remember. I started out in a kids' singing group when I was seven, and, a decade later, when I was seventeen, decided to pursue a solo artist career. Producing came a little later for me. Mostly, I just didn't have any money to pay producer fees, so I figured, "I'll try to do this myself. How hard can it be?" It's funny, looking back, because producing ended up being a steep learning curve. But I'm still so glad I went through the learning process because I get to be one of the very few female producers in the music industry now. It's nice to be able to be here to support female and non-binary artists when there's so much male energy in the industry otherwise.

It's been five years since you’ve released your last single. What prompted your departure from your personal music? What inspired you to return?
About five years ago, the team I was working with at the time pitched me to every major label, and they all turned me down. I was told to buckle down and write some songs for other artists, otherwise, I was gonna be dropped. So, that's when I got together with my music partner Elli Moore and started our production team LYRE. We have been so busy since then, it hadn't really occurred to me that something was artistically missing for me until I started working with a life coach. Her suggestion was that I should write some songs for myself even if I don't release them. "Think of it as therapy!" she had said. So, the next night I sat down with my guitar to follow her advice, and that's when "Girl That Was Perfect" just sort of tumbled into my lap.

Can you tell us about your new single “Girl That Was Perfect”? What was the story behind this track? How was your curation process? How did you decide on which song should be the return single?
I'm very familiar with traditional song curation processes for artists because I'm often part of that for other artists. You basically write a lot of music and pick a few things out of that song pile to focus on. However, with "Girl That Was Perfect", it was super obvious that this should be the single because it simply felt right. This song is about overcoming body dysmorphia, which is something I struggled with as a young girl. I'm not really sure why the topic just burst into my mind like that - maybe there was a small unhealed part there, needing this type of healing - but I'm glad it did. I hope the song will help impart some of that healing onto other people facing similar issues.

It seems like you have been focusing a lot on production. We’ve interviewed Elli, the other half of “LYRE,” she made an analogy comparing your work relationship to missing jigsaw pieces fitting together. She also spoke on the female representation with music production. What was it like working in LYRE as a duo of female producers? What are your thoughts on the current state of women working music production?
Working with Elli as a part of LYRE has been one of the favorite phases of my life. Not only is it fun to work with my best friend, but I also feel supported whenever there are challenges or hard decisions to face. I think the only reason there aren't more female producers is because women aren't encouraged to go into production as much as men - which is why we have a Youtube channel, where we showcase production and songwriting techniques. We think it's important for young women and girls researching how to become producers to see some other women in the space.

Your writing skills are seriously impressive, especially considering the many artists you’ve helped throughout your career like Kenzie and Gabbie Hanna. Does your approach to songwriting change when creating lyrics for other artists as opposed to songs for personal use?
Thank you! And yes, lyrics are always personal to the artist you write it for, whether it's yourself or someone else. For example with Kenzie, especially when she was younger, certain topics would have been too mature to write about. Elli as an artist prefers a lot of vivid but conversational imagery in her lyrics. And as an artist myself, I have to feel a strong personal connection to the lyrics, as far as the topic and the particular ways it's expressed. It just has to sound like me, which is a bit of an ephemeral parameter. So, you end up using your intuition a lot as to what works and what doesn't.

Speaking of writing, you are also a novelist. Can you tell us a little bit about your book?
Yes! I've been writing for several years now, and the particular project I'm currently working on follows a teen protagonist trying to navigate what might be described as a social media hellscape: a futuristic society using social media metrics to determine one's worth. Writing has definitely been a trying new pursuit for me because unlike songwriting (which can take mere hours) it's a multi-year process. It's helping me curate a lot of patience LOL! But I'm excited to have a manuscript sometime next year.

Your podcast “Crossover Creative” really dives into a more inquisitive analysis of the music industry and the idea of being a multidimensional artist/creative. What was your goal behind your podcast?
The goal is to provide an inspiring space for other multi-dimensional artists! It can feel lonely out there for polymaths, who often feel like there's something wrong with them for wanting to do more than one thing, so it's exciting to be developing a hub for people like me to feel heard and understood.

What advice do you have for others who are inspired by many forms of art and creation? Can we be masters of many things? How do you stay effective and focused?
That's a great question! There's a lot that goes into it and most of it has to do with knowing yourself. We all have only so many hours in a day, so it comes down to adapting to your natural rhythms and using them effectively. To give you an example: I always write better in the mornings, while songwriting is much more inspiring for me in the afternoons or evenings. You also have to consider your sources of energy. What inspires you? And what expires you? For me, a short trip to the beach to watch the sunset can fuel me for days. While an upsetting conversation can piss me off for hours, really affecting my productivity. Not saying you should avoid all confrontation: but I do if it's petty or unnecessary. I also find social media a huge drain of energy. There is definitely great content out there, but much is negative. So I do my best to spend the time I would have mindlessly scrolled reading, taking a walk, or just playing a game I love.

Being a female in the music industry can be tough. What advice do you have for women wanting to break in? Do you think it will be harder/easier after COVID?
It is definitely tough, and both Elli and I have encountered some sexism on the way. I think it's a lot easier for us now because it's very obvious we're quite experienced in our craft. But it can be tough in the beginning when it's required for people to see through underdevelopment to the talent underneath. So, my advice is to hold onto your belief in yourself even if people aren't seeing your value yet and to keep improving your skills. I do think COVID has made a lot of things tougher, but one positive thing I've seen come out of it in the songwriting space is that people are much more willing to collaborate remotely now. So I'm hoping this will give an opportunity to some women who aren't currently in music hubs like LA or London to enter the space.

Since COVID put an indefinite end to live performances and festivals many artists rely on streaming, downloads, and other digital outlets to generate income. How has COVID impacted your life - both in regards to music and otherwise?
It's been an overwhelming year for us all, I think, and yes, it's definitely sad to see outlets like live music indefinitely shut down. Our studio work had slowed down in the first half of the year, although it's definitely picking back up again. But most importantly, without COVID, I don't think I would have had the thinking space to realize I needed to re-launch my artist project. So, I have to be grateful for that.

The digital music market, especially streaming, is proving to be increasingly of great importance. What is your prediction on the current state of live musical performances? Where does the music industry go from here?
I think, once, as a world, we have the COVID situation under control, live music will re-launch again. Although I do think, because COVID forced us as an industry to create so many digital performance opportunities, there will always be that element active now. Which, I think, is great because it allows people to perform whenever and from wherever!

How are you staying positive during shelter in place?
To be very real with you, I'm super introverted, so my life wasn't very different than it is now before COVID. I would say the most important thing about the stay-at-home life is balance: physical and mental. I make sure to get exercise every day - otherwise, I'm sluggish and don't want to do anything lol. I also make sure to meditate and repeat positive affirmations: that does wonders for my mental health!

What is your motto in life?
It shifts all the time, but right now it's to follow my intuition and be myself. Unapologetically so.

You can learn more about Alina’s projects by following her on her social media accounts below.
Instagram: thealinasmith
Twitter: thealinasmith
Youtube: Alina Smith
Cross-Over Creative Podcast: Cross-Over Creative with Alina Smith

Inspired by Alina? You can read our interview with Elli Moore, the other half of the creative prowess at LYRE, to learn more about the team’s efforts to re-define music industry standards.

Photography by Patrick Walsh

LYRE Producer Alina Smith Talks Sexism in the Industry and Going Digital