Drew Mantia
Music Producer
engineer & mixer
based in St. Louis, MO
R&B, Pop & Hip Hop
for Artists, TV, Film and Advertising
Examples of my work
my process
Phase 1: The Song
Pre-Production
Every project begins with a thoughtful pre-production process designed to clarify your creative vision and align our work with your goals—whether that’s streaming success, playlist placements, building toward a larger release, evolving your sound, or pursuing sync licensing opportunities. Some artists bring a batch of demos to choose from, while others prefer to co-write something new together. In some cases, the song is already written and lightly produced, and I step in as a co-producer to fully develop it. The goal at this stage is to end up with a mostly written song and a demo recording that I can use as the foundation for production. You’ll gain access to my onboarding tools and educational materials, including a simple home demo creation guide and an eBook to help you prepare for the post-release phase.
Phase 2: The Record
Production, Recording, Mixing, Mastering
Once we have the foundation of a solid song, I begin crafting the production based on our pre-production plan. As a multi-instrumentalist and engineer, I typically build beat-style or live band productions myself or in collaboration with the artist. When additional instrumentation is needed, I tap into my network of top-tier session musicians. Production sessions can be unattended, remote via livestream, or in-person for local clients or those traveling to St. Louis.
When the production is ready for vocals, local or travelling artists will work in my studio. I enjoy being involved with the vocal recording process, helping artists capture that magic in their vocal takes and collaborating on vocal arrangements with interesting backgrounds, harmonies and layering. I’m also skilled in vocal comping and tuning to create a polished, cohesive final take. For remote clients, I assist with optimizing home their recording setups or booking studio time, and I stay involved through remote sessions or detailed feedback as needed.
Once final vocals are in, I move into post-production, using creative edits and added instrumentation to further support the vocal performance and song. My mixing is known for clarity, warmth, and impact, and mastering is included unless requested otherwise—ensuring every part of your record is fully handled and release-ready.
phase 3: The Release
What happens now?
Finishing your recording is only the beginning. Once a project is ready for release, I’m here to support you. I provide all the final files you’ll need for live shows, radio, and sync licensing opportunities. When the fit is right, I will submit our songs to the sync licensing publishers I’m signed to. I can also help ensure your release is properly uploaded for distribution and registered to maximize your royalty collection. Need input on your promo strategy? Need an accountability coach to keep you pushing on? Many of my clients come to see me not just as a producer, but as a trusted advisor who’s invested in their journey.
A La Carte
Don’t need the full package? I may still have solutions for you.
I’m available to record vocalists who want to capture clean and crisp quality vocals but already have production for their song.
I can custom produce your instrumental then hand it off for someone else to handle recording, mixing and mastering.
I offer standalone mixing and/or mastering if you have a finished recording in need of the final touches.
I offer a post-production package including creative editing, beefing up production sounds, additional instrumentation, mixing and mastering.
What my clients have to say about working with me:
Based in the Midwest, Drew Mantia is a producer, mixer, songwriter, and singer specializing in Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, and Orchestral for artists, TV shows and advertising. After graduating from Webster University with a degree in Jazz Studies & Music Technology, a move to Kansas City sparked interest in Hip Hop production while interning with the engineer for Tech N9ne’s Strange Music record label. Also while in KC, Drew collaborated as a composer with local modern dance choreographers. One such collaboration, "Deliberation,” became a surprise hit after uploading a performance to YouTube.
In 2012, Drew relocated to Chicago and quickly became the go-to producer and engineer for rappers ProbCause and The Palmer Squares, leading to more collaboration within the Chicago Hip Hop scene, including with artists like Chance the Rapper ("LSD" with ProbCause) and Saba ("Down", "MIA"). Drew’s production and mixing work with ProbCause and The Palmer Squares has garnered millions of plays and views and has been performed on stages across most of the US and Canada.
In 2016, Drew made his return to being a singer/songwriter, forming a Pop duo, The Belief Cycle (TBC), with longtime friend and keyboardist Ryan Marquez. After moving back to St. Louis in 2019 and releasing a debut TBC album in 2020, Drew and Ryan signed their first sync publishing deal, which led to song placements on networks like The CW, CBS, Netflix, MTV, VH1, BET, E! and more. In 2022, “Nasty” produced by Drew for R&B vocalist Joshua Showtime Williams became a viral hit via TikTok, attracting over 3,500,000 views for the artist’s first-ever music video, over 30,000,000 streams, and radio spins. Williams and Mantia have been continuing their success under a new distribution deal beginning with the release of the album “The Good The Bad The Nasty” in late 2024. As of 2025, Drew works with exciting talent worldwide as a producer and commercial composer.
Contact me to discuss your project
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