SESSION 6: THE SCIENCE OF A HIT RECORD - Feat : Leslie Brathwaite | MIXING & MASTERING AS AN ART

Hosted by Bryan-Michael Cox & Johnta Austin Featuring special guest Leslie Brathwaite Welcome back to SESSIONS — where the architects of R&B talk about craft, legacy, and the records that shaped the culture. In this session, B. Cox and Johnta tap in on the final stage of a record — the mix. From records that sound great to the moments when a mix completely changes the song, this conversation sets the tone for what people don’t always hear, but always feel. Then we sit down with Leslie Brathwaite — Grammy-winning mix engineer and one of the key forces behind the sound of modern music. With credits spanning Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, and Madonna, his work has helped define how records are experienced. We get into his early days at DARP Studios, working on records with Boyz II Men and OutKast, and walk through era-defining projects like FanMail, The Boy Is Mine, and Happy. From there, the conversation breaks down how mixing shapes a record — balance, space, emotion, and what makes a song feel polished versus powerful. This is a real masterclass on the part of the process that brings everything together. A great song gives you the emotion… but the mix decides how the world feels it. This is SESSIONS. ---------------------------------------- EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: HENRY LEE BRYAN-MICHAEL COX JOHNTA AUSTIN SHOWRUNNER / PRODUCER: DANTERIOUS “DANTE” BROWN CREATIVE OVERSIGHT: TAMAAR LEE DANTERIOUS “DANTE” BROWN PRODUCTION TEAM: FRENCH SPENCER