Already well on her way to a successful career in the music industry is senior Elle Delozier. New to Cleveland this year–originally from Brooklyn, New York–Delozier spends her time outside of school working in sound booths and backstage concerts. Don’t be surprised of some of the music you listen to has been made possible by the work Delozier does as a sound engineer.

What exactly is sound engineering?

So, there is live sound engineering, and then there’s sound engineering in a recording studio. In a recording studio, I’m in the booth behind a desk that has all these buttons, and basically all it does is edit the sound. I edit the sound as it’s being recorded, and I edit it after it’s been recorded, and then mix the two back together. In a live setting, while the show’s happening, I’m editing volume and effects.

 What got you into sound engineering?

I grew up in Brooklyn, and my mom is an artist. She has all of these friends who are really creative people and I’m eight years old plucking away on a keyboard, and they’re were like, “Oh! She’ll be a musician!” And so I just kept up with it and my parents have friends who are in the business and connections.

 Did you teach yourself or did you take classes on sound engineering?

Originally, I started off recording my friends and using garage band, but then I got signed to a label, and now I’m mentored by other people and use actual technology and the programs they use.

When did you move to Oregon?

I went to Gresham High School last year, but I moved to Portland last June.

When did you get signed to a label?

I got signed when I was 15.

What label are you signed to?

I’m signed to RCA [Radio Corporation of America].

What are some opportunities you’ve had through sound engineering?

I get to go to a lot of festivals for free. Next month is Burgerama and South by Southwest, and I’ll go to Coachella in April, and a whole bunch of other festivals that I get to go to for free. And there’s kind of this joke with my boss that if there’s ever a young British indie band that’s coming to the US, I want to be in on it. Swim Deep, their record is coming out in March, and I did a lot of things on that.

What would you consider your biggest success in the industry?

In the beginning I would get sent files to edit together and it was just to practice one and I would never get any credit. Or sometimes they would say, “Here’s $500, your name’s not on the track anymore,” which is kind of lame. My name is going to be on Swim Deep’s record. Peace and Kodaline, as well. Their records came out on the ninth and my name’s on that.

 What is your favorite artist you’ve worked with?

There’s a producer named Max Martin–he actually just won a Grammy–and he’s a hero of mine because he does exactly what I want to do. And he’s also just really good at everything, and he’s such a nice person in general. He doesn’t make his own music, but he does what I want to do.

Who would you like to work with in the future?

There’s a band called Catfish and the Bottlemen, and I’ve heard a lot of stuff about them and I was planning on working with them, but schedules didn’t work out. I’ve heard a lot about how down to earth they are as well, and I feel like that would be a very good relationship.