Kabir Sehgal of Tiger Turn on New Music Tools

And how brands should let artists do their thing

Kabir is a Grammy and Emmy winning producer, artist, composer and DJ. He is the founder and CEO of Tiger Turn, a record label and production firm. He is also the bestselling author of 19 books including Coined and Carry On. Previous stints include J.P. Morgan and First Data. He is a U.S. Navy veteran who graduated from Dartmouth College and the London School of Economics.

We spent two minutes with Kabir to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired. 

Kabir, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up and reside in Atlanta.

Your earliest musical memory.

My parents singing and playing Indian music. I also remember my sister bringing home a Miles Davis recording. That changed everything for me.

Your favorite bands/musicians today.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Internet, Snarky Puppy, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Thana Alexa, Emmet Cohen, Veronica Swift, Andrés Prado, Anoushka Shankar

One of your favorite projects you’ve ever worked on.

Cuba: The Conversation Continued Arturo O’Farrill and I brought several musicians to Havana to record an album. While we were there, the U.S. government normalized relations. It was a historic time to be in the country, and we tried to capture that vibe in the music.

A recent project you’re proud of.

Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration. We collaborated with Jimmy Carter and his family by bringing his final Sunday school teachings at Maranatha Baptist Church to a wider audience. We want to recognize this remarkable humanitarian by turning his wisdom into art. We hope that more folks learn about the president’s everlasting wisdom through this project.

One thing about how the music world is evolving that you’re excited about.

As a music producer, I’m excited about the advancement in tools that make my job easier. For example, vocal removers and instrumental splitters make it easy to separate tracks. These AI-supported plugins isolate music so that I can quickly work on producing the sound that we’re looking for. Some of these tools use machine learning to separate frequencies and detect patterns, delivering clean, usable stems. They’re invaluable for remixing, sampling and live performances.

Someone else’s work, in music or beyond, that you admired lately.

I’ve been listening to Duke Ellington’s 1963 album Afro Bossa lately. It has some of my favorite big band music of all time, like “Purple Gazelle.”

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

Book: Isaac Butler’s The Method. I knew almost nothing about method acting. After reading this book, I still can’t tell you exactly what it is. That’s because even those who created and evangelized this technique fiercely debate it. But I like how Butler tells the story, and I was intrigued with how he captured my interest.

An artist you admire outside the world of music.

Joaquín Sorolla, a Spanish painter known as the “master of light.” He captured bucolic vistas with vibrant colors and composition. I saw his paintings in Spain many years ago. I often refer to them for inspiration.

Your favorite fictional character.

Hercule Poirot. He was meticulous about his eggs.

How musicians should approach working with brands.

Work with brands that fit your style. Don’t force it. Keep your voice authentic, even if it’s a paid gig. Think bigger than cash. Aim for partnerships that boost your career and connect with your audience.

A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.

Doug Davis. He’s a mentor and friend. I didn’t know much of anything about the entertainment industry before meeting him. It’s fun and inspiring to brainstorm with him.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the music business.

I love to write. I’d definitely still be an author. I would probably still be working at a bank.