Multi-platinum producer Mike Feist returns home, bringing international expertise to discover new talents through Hitmakers Entertainment.&nbsp;

From the bustling studios of Los Angeles to conquering international sounds, Mark Feist&rsquo;s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. But for him, Manila remains the place where it truly feels like home. The Filipino-Australian producer, whose impressive catalog spans global icons like Destiny&rsquo;s Child, Celine Dion, and John Legend, as well as local legends such as Regine Velasquez, Zsazsa Padilla, and Martin Nievera, has returned to the city &mdash; not only to reconnect with his roots but also to carry a new vision.
Through HITMAKERS ENTERTAINMENT, Feist is shaping the next wave of talent &mdash; collaborating with celebrated artists like Jay R, while discovering new voices across the globe, including breakout Australian artist TASH. In this exclusive interview, he talks about his journey and lessons he&rsquo;s learned, his approach to artist development, and why Manila continues to be a source of inspiration.

How does it feel to be back in the Philippines?
It's always just familiar. This is where it started for me and it's always a special place in our hearts. I love the energy because when I started my career as a producer-songwriter, this was it. In fact, this street [Chino Roces Avenue] possibly was called Pasong Tamo extension, and there was a studio here called Audio Captain, which was I worked there all the time. I've worked with Martin Nievera and Zsazsa Padilla and so many different people. So, yeah, it's always familiar and it's always great to be back.
You mentioned working with Zsazsa and Martin, and now, with Jay R. How does it feel like to reconnect with the local music scene?
It's amazing. I mean, you know, I'm part Filipino &mdash; it's just no effort. I think one of the great things about Jay R, and why we connected, is that I've lived in Los Angeles for the past 30 years, and he was born and raised there and then moved to the Philippines in his 20s to start his career. So, I think that because he grew up there and I'd spent the last 30 years there, we had the common connection of the Philippines. But also, you know, L.A. has been our home. So, you know, that also, I think helped Jay R and I with the chemistry.
But yeah, look, music is a universal language. It doesn't matter where you're from. So, it's always familiar and always great to work with new people. I think that at my stage of the journey, I have to be inspired. I have to be moved. I have to feel. I have to be excited. I have to be passionate about it &mdash; like any other, you know, producer, artist, whatever you want to call it. So, it's great.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier, you said you wanted to be inspired. Is this the reason why you created HITMAKERS ENTERTAINMENT?
Yeah, a little bit. I mean, like I said, I think the music business, like all industries, has become like any business, right? Like, it's about quarterly growth, it's about numbers, there's structure, there's financials. And I think that the art of artist development has definitely started to become a more rare thing.
My wife and I are real music lovers, and I think that, you know, that does excite me. I'm very passionate about trying to find the next Michael Jackson, trying to find the next Pilita Corrales, trying to find, you know, and help them see their full potential. I am so blessed and lucky that I moved to the United States and I was able to reach, you know, a level of success that now I can use to help some of these younger talents. So, I think that, yes, definitely. Starting the label is about, you know, being inspired to help other young, new artists and help discover them.
One of the missions of HITMAKERS is to discover new artists. Will you be focusing on local talents or will you also be introducing international acts?
We're open to finding artists from all over the world. The first artist that we signed to the label was a 15-year-old Australian girl, and she's now 23. Her name is TASH. We just signed a girl who was born and raised in Germany, and her name is Shanice. She has an amazing song with Jay R coming out on August 22nd. And then we have another artist that's from Atlanta, who's L.A.-based.
So, I think, primarily, we don't care where the talent comes from. I'd like to see and spend more time &mdash; you don't know where the next superstar is going to be born, right? But I think that as Filipinos, we are so like musically, you know, music is such a big part of our culture. I think that if we can find another world class talent and help discover them from here that would be great. But we're open to it coming from anywhere.
As the world becomes more technologically-driven, do you use online platforms, such as social media, to scout artists?
Absolutely. I mean, when we were in our teens and falling in love with music, as music consumers, we have to go to a record store to buy. Nowadays, TikTok and Instagram is&hellip; that's it. &ldquo;Oh, what's that song? What's that song in the background?&rsquo; That's how people discover music now.
That's the first thing that we look at. What's their social footprint? What's their Instagram look like? How often are they posting? Are they relatable? The music consumer now wants to buy into not just a song &mdash; they want to buy into the artist's lifestyle, their culture, their brand, the world they live in. You know, is it relatable?
Billie Eilish has created a whole world, right? So that's very, very important. And that's definitely one of the most important parts of the process: what does their social footprint look like, and how savvy are they on the social media side of things.
I think, too, because we're able to see data in real time these days, it's so great that you can look at no matter how small an artist's footprint is, you can look at it and go, this is their demographic, these are their fans It's this, it's that. And we can make adjustments if we need to. So, yes, to answer your question.

Speaking of the artists, like brands and their lifestyle. What can the people expect from the artists of your label?
I think that you can expect the best version of themselves &ndash; the best version of what they feel is authentic for themselves. I think that the modern-day music consumer has to believe it. So, it's up to the artist. Every artist is going to have a different brand, a different version of authenticity. So, you know, our mission, our goal is to bring that version of authenticity out of the artist, so that they can connect with new fans and keep existing fans very happy.
What makes Hitmakers Entertainment distinct from the others?
I think that we really take a long-term approach to artist development. We take our time. I think that, of course, we want things to happen fast. But sometimes, it just takes time for an artist to figure it out for themselves, right? You can't fool the music consumer of today and the only way to find a version of the artist that's authentic, that sells is to, sometimes, you got to make mistakes, right? So, I think that's what separates us. Most businesses these days, they want three-month turnaround &ndash; they make this, that, the other. For us, we think of it as a career more than just a quick thing.
After this launch, do you already have future plans?
Yeah, so with Jay R, there's about six songs already in the can. We're going to keep putting out great music. We're going to keep giving his fans something new. We're going to keep giving, you know, fans that have not discovered him yet, too, great music. And we're just going to keep, you know, putting out amazing music until, you know, as many people in the world can discover it and appreciate it.
What's your advice to aspiring producers or artists?
Look, I don't think there's one piece of advice that I could give &ndash; maybe I give three different things.
I think, the first lesson is you only get what you put in, man. Like, people think things happen overnight. You have to be obsessed with the journey. It's not a job; it's a lifestyle. You got to give every piece of you. At this point in the journey, I still do that, right? That's number one. So, [you] got to put in the work.
Number two, be aware of your surroundings and the competition, right? If you want to sell water, you want to sell a chocolate bar, you want to sell a new brand &ndash; you have to understand the other brands that are selling and that are popular because that's the standard.
The last thing is I think never forget that this is a business. It's a business. And yes, the art is important. But at the same time, you have to find a version of the art that there's a demand for. If you just keep doing something and no one wants to hear it or see it, then you got to figure out another version of yourself.

Hitmaker at Work: Mike Feist’s New Chapter

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Hitmaker at Work: Mike Feist’s New Chapter

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