“It’s all part of the learning process” – Sounds by Diāna on growth and creativity
"The quicker you can let go of the need to be perfect, the more you can enjoy your work, artistry and the growth that comes with it."
From classical pianist to recording engineer and content creator, Sounds by Diana has built a career fueled by curiosity and creativity. Whether behind the piano or mixing console, she’s constantly evolving—embracing mistakes, refining her craft, and championing inclusivity in music production. In celebration of International Women's Day and Women's History month, we asked Diāna to share how she found her place in the industry, why community matters, and why growth comes from showing up, learning fast, and lifting others along the way.
Can you share a bit about yourself and your musical journey? What led you to pursue a career in music, and how has your artistic style developed over time?
Hey! My name is Diāna and I go by ‘Sounds by Diana’ everywhere on social media. I started playing piano really early, around 5 or 6 years old. I was always interested in music and I loved being on stage as a kid whether singing, dancing, playing or acting and my parents encouraged that, so I started my classical piano lessons. As a musician, my personal style is something I’m still looking to narrow down, however, since learning to play piano I have also progressed into content creation, recording, mixing and mastering within the music industry.
Transitioning from a classical pianist to a more electronic and technical-focused career as an engineer is a significant shift. What motivated this transition, and how has it impacted your personal and musical growth?
I moved from Latvia to England when I was 16 and started studying a music performance course there. We had to learn some production basics, which is where I discovered Logic Pro and music production - admittedly, I never thought I’d be interested in the technical side of music making as I didn’t even know that was an option, but I also never really quite ‘clicked’ with the classical music world, I just felt like something’s missing. I started to practice improvisation, songwriting and arrangement, which I never did while studying classical piano. After college, I was trying to make music at home and realised I just didn’t know how to make myself sound good, so I studied Music Technology and Production at University. That’s where I discovered how much I loved working with other artists while learning about recording engineering and mixing.
The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “Accelerate Action” — What does this mean to you, and how do you embody this theme in your work and career?
I love this theme! To me, this would mean continuously supporting women’s development across a range of industries. While I think the initiative for more inclusive and diverse spaces is great, offering continued support and development to women and minority background professionals, and ensuring you are creating safe spaces where people are heard, listened to and empowered is necessary to ensure they can thrive in their careers for years to come. Having employers, clients and collaborators who embody this approach has made the biggest difference for me.
What does your usual production setup consist of? How do you incorporate both classical and electronic elements into your production process and music-making or performance?
It’s changed so much in the last few years! I started with a simple Mac, Midi keyboard and entry level speakers setup, then I got my first job as a recording engineer where I had access to vintage microphones, analogue desks and outboard, which was a huge shift. Now, I’m kind of ‘back to basics’ with a laptop and headphones at home and I simply go and dry hire studios or production suites when I need to, which is a good mix of being able to work from home and connecting with other musicians and creatives in a collaborative space. My background in piano has given me such a good foundation in music theory, however, I am currently working on my music production and sound design skills especially - and I love using tools like Seaboard 2 to help me. I think it’s so good to find instruments that elevate your performance possibilities and it’s so nice to be able to manipulate different parameters through playing rather than programming it in.
How have you created a space for yourself as a woman in such a predominantly male industry as engineering and music production? For example, were there any initiatives, peers, or communities you’ve found to help you grow or was it a more individual effort?
Community is so important for me and it’s taken a while to find ‘my people’ in this industry but I wouldn’t be here without the relationships I’ve built over the years. Through experience, I’ve become a lot more selective about who I work with and who I surround myself with as it can have a tremendous impact on how you feel about yourself and your ability to keep going and overcoming obstacles. I think any meaningful success takes a village and it’s important you don’t take other people for granted, and give back to your friendships and communities whenever possible.
Your YouTube channel is a space where you’re documenting your progress as a musician, engineer, and producer, sharing your knowledge as you grow and learn. How has the online space changed for women in music since you started and do you consciously try to make these online spaces of creativity more inclusive for aspiring women artists, engineers, and producers with your videos?
Oh massively! I remember when I first started watching production tutorials, I hardly saw any women do them - I think the first one I came across was Lil Bad Snacks and then Sarah, The Illstrumentalist. Now there are so many women absolutely killing it and the content is always so engaging and well produced. I think by just being visible in the music tech and production spaces, it helps for other women and minorities to see what’s possible for them - it inspires me all the time. Plus, it’s such a great way to build community and connections, especially if you don’t live somewhere with a vibrant music scene. I remember commenting on LNA Does Audio Stuff videos in the very early days of her channel and this has now led to us working together and me mixing a lot of her recent singles.
Reflecting on your journey, what advice would you give women aspiring to be musicians, producers, and engineers to help them as they build their careers?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! When I first started working in music, I was often the only woman in the room and I was so hard on myself and so scared to mess up that I inadvertently halted my own progress. There’s a lot of development in getting things wrong and having the skills to handle it well is so important. It’s hard but the quicker you can let go of the need to be perfect, the more you can enjoy your work, artistry and the growth that comes with it. I love the saying ‘fail fast’ - I’ve had SO many embarrassing moments in the studio, in content creation, many times where I’ve had to redo or try again, or sometimes having to accept that a project maybe isn’t the right fit for me. It’s all part of the learning process and I can promise that even the people you look up to experience the same things.
What’s next for you? Are there any projects you’re currently working on that we can look forward to later this year or in the near future?
I think the last few years for me have kinda been ‘throw everything at the wall and see what sticks’ and it’s helped me dip into many aspects of music and narrow down what my focus is. Right now, I am honing my mixing and mastering skills as much as possible, while also carving out some time to improve as a music producer and songwriter. I will be documenting this soon because I really miss my online community! But yes, there are already a few songs due to come out this year that I’ve engineered and maybe I’ll even be able to share some productions soon…
