The Malibu studio where Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat recorded their latest albums has been destroyed in the wildfires raging through Los Angeles.
Zach Brandon, founder of Harbor Studios, confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Friday, writing: “I am profoundly sad to announce that Harbor Studios has been lost to the Palisades Fire. Harbor has been a staple in the music community since the 1990s — first, it was the recording studio for Joe Zawinul and his world famous Jazz Fusion group, “The Weather Report”. Then, in 2008, it became the home studio for esteemed film composer Paul Dinletir, where he worked on compositions for movies like Avatar, Avengers, and other record setting movies.”
He continued: “Finally, in 2021, it became Harbor Studios. Named after one of the most important memories from my childhood, Harbor Studios quickly grew from a big, dreamy concept to a beloved staple in the recording industry.”
Released in December 2023, Minaj recorded Pink Friday 2 at the studio and it featured the No. 1 hit, “Super Freaky Girl.” Doja Cat’s Scarlet, released in September 2023, was also recorded at the studio and featured the hits “Agora Hills” and “Paint the Town Red,” which earned a Grammy nomination last year.
“I cried this morning, but not because Harbor burned down. I cried because it settled in with me that Harbor was taken from so many artists who cared so deeply about Harbor. It was a place of musical freedom… a sanctuary in the most literal sense of the word. I loved it,” Brandon wrote.
“This is not the end of Harbor. We are restarting from scratch (again)… nothing we haven’t done before. Not only that, but I have gained so much knowledge and experience from Harbor 1 that I will be implementing into the rebuild,” he continued. “I’ve taken the initial steps forward – the original studio builder and I have already begun planning what the new Harbor Studios is going to look like. Thankfully, the magic that has been bestowed upon us by our clients is something that can never leave. It’s in the soil, it’s in the air, and it’s in our souls. We will come back stronger from this.”
English (US) ·