Production Duos Nova Wav, Stargate Join Forces With New Mentorship Program Output CoLAB

Songwriting/production duos Nova Wav and Stargate will be sharing their creative expertise through a new community-building artist mentorship program. Christened Output CoLAB, the program is being launched by global music creation software company Output.

“The music industry is becoming increasingly more complex and challenging to navigate – especially for artists early in their careers,” said Output founder and CEO Gregg Lehrman in a statement announcing the program’s launch. “At a time when artistry is being threatened by AI-generated music, human collaboration and creativity are more important than ever. We created CoLAB with the goal of empowering music makers with the resources and connections to grow their music careers.”

Both Nova Wav and Stargate are well-known for their work in R&B, hip-hop and pop. Nova Wav — comprised of Brittany “Chi” Coney and Denisia “Blu June” Andrews — have contributed to  Beyoncé’s most recent albums, Cowboy Carter and Renaissance. The three-time Grammy-nominated pair have also rung up credits on projects by Rihanna and Ariana Grande, among other artists.

“With the abundance of music creation tools available, Output has always stood out to us in their ability to build tools that inspire real creativity,” stated Coney in the press release. “We are thrilled to partner with them to inspire the next wave of artists and set them up with the tools and skills to succeed.”

Grammy-winning duo Stargate is behind a host of hits such as Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable,” Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” and “Diamonds” and Ne-Yo’s “So Sick.” Stargate members Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen are also the founders of the Los Angeles Academy for Artists and Music Production (LAAMP). This summer, Output and Stargate staged a contest for one artist to secure a spot in LAAMP’s six-week online session. The winning artist was able to collaborate with other musicians and participate in workshops led by the likes of Benny Blanco, Emily Warren and Ne-Yo.

“With LAAMP, we wanted to create an environment where young, talented and driven music creators can collaborate and get real-time feedback from established industry pros to take their music to the next level,” said Eriksen. ”That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with Output to build a wide-reaching and accessible community for up-and-coming artists to create music and receive meaningful feedback.”

To celebrate CoLAB’s launch, Output is giving away a trip to Los Angeles during which the winner will also receive time spent in a world-class studio and a mentorship with support from Output partners including De-FI, Novation, Shure and Range Music. To enter the contest, visit the Output website.

Gail Mitchell

Billboard