We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brad Smalling. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brad below.

Alright, Brad thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

Dolby Atmos is the big one. A few years ago, it was a novelty — now it’s quickly becoming the default. About 2.8 billion devices already support Atmos, roughly 20 streaming services worldwide carry it, and around 20 major auto manufacturers are building it into their cars. Apple Music plays Atmos by default if your device supports it — with 93 million subscribers, that’s potentially 93 million Atmos plays a day. And 95% of Billboard’s Top 100 artists released music in Atmos in 2024.

Consumers are getting Atmos whether they realize it or not — from TVs (over 440 models support it), to soundbars and speakers (over 230 models), to their car stereos. I predict stereo will become the new mono. We made the call early: Dolby Atmos isn’t an add-on here — it’s included in every flat-rate mix and master we deliver.

For us, the biggest shift has been Atmos moving beyond brand-new releases. Labels are revisiting their catalogs, and artists are rebuilding older stereo mixes in immersive. It’s not about gimmicks — done right, Atmos brings you closer to the music’s emotion.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Brad Smalling, owner of Evergroove Studio in the Colorado Rockies and a mixing/mastering engineer specializing in Dolby Atmos and stereo. My journey into audio started like a lot of us — playing in bands, tinkering with gear, and chasing better sound until it became a full-blown career. Over the years, that passion has taken me from indie EPs to multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated releases for some of the biggest labels in the world.

But no matter the size of the project, my approach stays the same: make the music feel as powerful and emotionally true as possible. I work with artists and labels of all sizes, delivering both stereo and Atmos mixes that translate everywhere — from earbuds to luxury cars — without losing the intent behind the art.

When Dolby Atmos started showing up in streaming by default, I realized something: immersive audio was about to become the standard. So instead of treating it like an expensive add-on, I made the decision to include Atmos in my flat-rate mixing and mastering. No upcharge. No gatekeeping. Just another way to give artists the best possible version of their music.

Sometimes that means helping a songwriter adapt their home-recorded stereo mix into Atmos without losing its intimacy. Sometimes it’s rebuilding an album from limited stems so it can live on streaming in full 3D detail. One of my favorite moments was watching an artist hear their song in Atmos for the first time — they just sat back, smiled, and said, “That’s exactly how I always imagined it.” That’s why I do this.

What sets me apart? A blend of technical precision, creative sensitivity, and a track record with labels like Warner, Interscope, Republic, Nick Music, Platoon, Red Bull Records, and Island — plus the privilege of serving on the Dolby Atmos team for mastering legend Chris Athens. I’m most proud of the fact that whether you’re a chart-topping act or recording in your bedroom, I’ll bring the same attention and care to your project.

At the end of the day, my goal is to make every mix — whether in Dolby Atmos or stereo — feel emotionally authentic and technically flawless. From the Colorado Rockies, I work with artists and labels worldwide to create music that connects deeply with listeners, no matter where or how they hear it.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When the pandemic hit, I had to rethink everything.

A few months earlier, at NAMM 2020, I’d heard Dolby Atmos for the first time — The Beatles playing in an open trade show booth. Even in that noisy hall, I got it: this was something different.

Fast-forward to the shutdown. Most of Evergroove’s work was still coming in, but all remote. One day, I was telling my wife and co-founder Jenny about this new immersive audio format, explaining how it worked and where I thought it might be headed. She listened, then asked, “If we had Dolby Atmos right now, could we bring in more work from outside the studio?” My answer was yes. Her response: “Then I think we should do it.”

The thought of taking on a rebuild of this scale for a small studio was nerve-wracking. But if we were going to do it, we’d do it the Evergroove way: no shortcuts. I designed the system, spec’d the gear, and leaned on the incredible support of Focal and PMT Audio. Then, right as we placed the order for the monitors, Apple announced full Atmos integration with Dolby — and in that announcement, J Balvin (an artist we had just worked with) endorsed the format. It felt like a sign.

In October 2021, we shut down completely and rebuilt our control room for Atmos. The install took longer than expected, with plenty of late nights and moments of doubt. But I still remember the first time I sat in that finished room and hit play on Rocketman. The sound filled the space in a way I’d never experienced — and I felt this rush of relief, excitement, and possibility all at once.

That winter, I delivered my first Atmos mixes. Today, I’m fortunate to be mixing for some of the best in the business — proof that taking a leap, even in uncertain times, can open doors you never imagined.

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

I think our reputation has grown because we’ve never treated projects as “just another job.” Whether it’s a major label release or an independent artist’s debut, we put the same care into making sure the music sounds like them — not like us imposing a style.

That mindset has shaped how we work. We listen more than we talk, ask the right questions, and make decisions in service of the artist’s vision rather than chasing trends or shortcuts. Over time, that consistency built trust. People know that when they bring us something — stereo, Atmos, or otherwise — we’ll protect its integrity and elevate it without losing its heart.

We’ve also stayed visible in the right ways: showing up for the music community, sharing knowledge, and being transparent about what it actually takes to deliver high-quality work. That’s led to word-of-mouth introductions, repeat collaborations, and opportunities we couldn’t have engineered if we tried.

Reputation, for us, hasn’t come from one big “breakthrough moment” — it’s been the sum of a thousand small, intentional choices to put the music first.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://evergroove.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evergroove/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evergroove/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evergroove
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@evergroove

Image Credits

Ethan Kotel, Brad Smalling