We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alvaro Cadavid a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alvaro, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Our mission is to work with the most talented artists and provide them with the technological tools and teams to help them expand the boundaries of what is possible on the live stage. We are driven by the experience and the emotions that we enjoy ourselves as fans, and are constantly in pursuit of new ways to tell a story to a crowd no matter the size. Our approach to putting together a live show is radically new because it feels almost like producing an album, we focus on giving the musicians the best tools and sounds so they can give a new life to the songs while staying true to the songs that the audience is passionate about. As musicians who have stepped on stages of all sizes we have a soft spot for the rising stars; so part of our mission is to develop tools to help up and coming acts so they can be successful and impactful in their early shows where conditions can be rough and they are given little or no time to set up.

I am extremely fortunate that my work reminds me every day of the feeling I had when I started playing in bands with my friends, and going to live shows. I’m always trying to connect to the moments where I was mesmerized by how tens of thousands of people jumped at the Soda Stereo concerts, or how Nine Inch Nails created a unique sonic landscape for each song, and bring those emotions into my work. What we do is driven by emotions and supported by technology, in the end that human connection is the most valuable asset anyone can have in this industry.

Alvaro, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I feel very passionate about focusing my energy in doing the best work and not caring about the recognition it receives. I love what I do and every day I get to wake up and be a part of this world that is music. At Malvin Music Group we embrace challenges that push us beyond our confort zones. We are constantly working on improving our systems and techniques, learning from our experiences and from the people around us. From understanding what makes an audience explode in euphoria to developing playback systems that can adapt to any live circumstance. Our products give our clients the confidence that even when the unexpected happens they can be sure that the show to go on as the expect it.

Music has always been at the core of my life. I started out professionally when I was about 14 years old working for a Nickelodeon show in Colombia where I got my first experience in studio work and a bit of post production work. During the years I have had the pleasure of working with amazing people, many who I feel fortunate to call my friends. After graduating from Berklee College of Music I had the pleasure of working at Igloo Music and put in my grain of sand in projects such as Lala Land and Spider-Man (2018 video game). I had my first professional experience in live music working as the Production Manager for Raquel Sofía at the 2015 Latin Grammys, and after that signed under Sebastian Krys at Rebeleon music as a Music Producer and Composer. I’ve been nominated to a Grammy, as well as to a Latin Grammy. Some of my credits include Cami, Eugenia Leon, Elvis Costello, CYN, and Danny Ocean.

In 2022 my great friend Mauricio Guerrero was called to be the MD for Danny Ocean’s tour and he asked me to program and run playback. Little did I expect this would grow into the company that we started called Malvin Music Group. We currently offer Music Direction and Playback services, and our goal is to become a one-stop shop for touring artists offering Creative Direction, Backline, Staffing, and much more.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Honesty. Being honest to myself which has given me the power to be honest with my colleagues, my clients, and anyone else in my personal and professional life. When you are honest with yourself you are able to understand the areas you need to work on and you free yourself from needing to spend unnecessary energy on unimportant things. When you are honest with other people that enables you to build true relationships based on trust and respect, and that is the cornerstone of any business.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

It’s very easy to believe in the romantic success story of how one amazing move opened the door to a successful career, especially when you’re starting out. It’s easy to get lost in the hustle trying to move up the latter. I fell into this trap when I moved out to LA. I felt that everything I did was going to have a big impact in my career, and I created a ton of pressure on myself. I was working very hard but my work had very little heart. I learned that It’s important to understand the purpose behind what you’re doing. It’s important to give it all you have at everything you’re doing, but equally as important is to enjoy the process. If you’re not enjoying the process of making art then you need to stop and consider what you need to do to change that. We are lucky that we get to do what we love every day.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fetjay/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/malvinmusicgroup/