
Student Spotlight: Mateo Londo o The producer talks about leaving Berklee to grieve the passing of a close friend and fellow student and then returning to finish his degree. He chronicles these emotions in his new song Pachanga.
By
Editorial Staff
September 6, 2024
Mateo Londo o
What's it like to study at Berklee? Our Student Spotlight series asks students all about their Berklee experience-what they're learning in class, what kinds of projects they're involved in onstage or behind the scenes, how they recharge, and of course, what they're listening to. In this edition, get to know Mateo Londo o, a percussionist and producer from Bogot , Colombia, who recently completed his degree in music production and engineering (MP&E).
Check out Londo os work on his website and follow him on Instagram.
Tell us about your path to Berklee. What made you decide to come here?Music has always been my true passion in life. I am the only musician in my family, and growing up, I was constantly immersed in some form of musical art, driving my parents crazy with all the noise in the garage. Berklee is a dream school for many contemporary musicians, and obviously it was a dream for me too. I knew I would regret not applying, even if it felt out-of-reach. So I prepared my absolute best work and focused all my effort on the potential opportunity of a Berklee acceptance letter. And you know what? It paid off!
My experience at Berklee has been everything and more than I could ever imagine. It wasn't easy, but I wouldn't trade a single moment for the world. In fact my experience was a bit unique, in that I took a seven-year hiatus before returning to finish my degree. In 2015, with only two semesters left before graduating, my close friend and Berklee peer Stacey Park passed away. Her death was extremely unexpected and traumatic. Transparently, my sadness was so consuming that I wasnt able to focus on my education; so I stepped away from Berklee for a little while. It took a long time (a lot of personal growth and healing) to be ready to return to a place that I associated with tremendous pain and joy.
I might not have gone the traditional route, but I accomplished something that I am so proud of.
- Mateo Londo o
Going back to school farther into adulthood meant working multiple full-time jobs, while also balancing classes and more responsibilities than I had my first time around. If I'm being honest, it was really hard. But here I am-a Berklee graduate! I might not have gone the traditional route, but I accomplished something that I am so proud of. I now think of each new opportunity and endeavor with a similar mindset-always give it your all; you never know unless you try.
Whats been your favorite class so far, and what has it taught you? I have truly enjoyed so many of my classes. One that I found endlessly engaging and interesting was MTEC-420 Advanced Mastering, Editing, and Delivery with Jonathan Wyner.
Whats a project youve worked on since coming to Berklee that youve been especially excited about? Pachanga has been my biggest vision goal in all of my Berklee career since joining the MP&E Department. During my first orientation with MP&E in Studio 1 (Shames Family Scoring Stage), the department leaders explained the capability of recording all three Berklee studios simultaneously. It was at that very moment that I made it my mission to be the first student to make it happen. After months of organization, dedication, creative collaboration, and persistence, I received approval from the MP&E Department to move forward with my huge team to make this dream a reality.
Watch Londo os ambitious project come to life in the video for Pachanga, featuring vocalist and Berklee student Gaby Villamizar, who performs as Zesi:
How did the song Pachanga come about, and what does it mean to you?
The Pachanga artwork is an original design by Berklee student Pierangela Dozsa.
In Colombia, our culture is very rich in music, food, and community-but above all, we are joyful. We try to have the mentality that even when life is hard and brings you down, there is still a reason to celebrate. I wanted to write a song that encompassed the feeling of community, with a Latin twist that honored my Colombian heritage. The meaning of pachanga roughly translates to party in Spanish, and I wanted to create something that portrayed the importance of celebrating life regardless of life's ups and downs. Pachanga is meant to take the listener on a celebratory journey of emotions-where a melodic hornline is repeated throughout the song in variations, demonstrating a party through all seasons of life. In addition to pursuing a unique and never-done-before engineering challenge, this project provided the platform for representation and appreciation of Latin culture.
What's next for you? Any projects or opportunities you're looking forward to?I am currently packing up my life in Boston and preparing for a cross-country move to LA. I am mixing three albums, all to be released within the next few months, and I am trying to find a mastering assistant position out in LA.
5 Songs from Mateos Favorite ArtistsWe asked Mateo to pick five songs from some of his all-time favorite artists. Heres what he said:
1. PaMayte, Carlos VivesCarlos Vives is a Colombian artist that I grew up listening to. My parents would play his music while cleaning the house or driving to the store. Carlos Vives's Pa'Mayte is the epitome of happiness in my opinion and always lifts me up when Im feeling down.
2. Beat It, Michael JacksonNeed I say more? The king of pop will always hold the crown, and this song combines my two favorite genres: pop and rock.
3. Halleys Comet, Billie EilishHalley's Comet is an absolutely beautiful song that has had a choke hold on me since it was released. From the pro
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
25/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/04/2026
Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes from 1/...
24/04/2026
Daktronics has partnered with DCL (Design Communications, Ltd.) to design, manuf...
24/04/2026
Chyron has announced PRIME Translate, a workflow solution that produces live content simultaneously in multiple languages within the PRIME platform. The system ...
24/04/2026
Eutelsat has announced a new partnership with Co-op Cable, introducing an expand...
24/04/2026
Pitch Dublin, an indoor golf simulation and hospitality venue on Dawson Street i...
24/04/2026
G&D and VuWall have announced two senior leadership appointments, effective Apri...
24/04/2026
Victory , the free sports streaming service from A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC), has announced a multi-year agreement to become the exclusive local streaming ho...
24/04/2026
The former business major from Massachusetts has found his home in graphics and bug operation while contributing to live ESPN productions
In the live-sports-vi...
24/04/2026
The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and Spectrum have announced a multiyear carriage agreement making MASN available to Spectrum customers in areas of southe...
24/04/2026
The NFL Draft is rebuilt from the ground up in a new city every year. The three-day fan festival is expected to draw 500,000 or more attendees, with millions fo...
24/04/2026
Diversified has continued expansion of its sports and media capabilities to supp...
24/04/2026
NAB reports that the 2026 NAB Show wrapped with more than 58,000 registered atte...
24/04/2026
Clear-Com has announced significant updates to its Arcadia Central Station and E...
24/04/2026
NAB reports that the 2026 NAB Show wrapped with more than 58,000 registered atte...
24/04/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
24/04/2026
B/R NFL Draft Live' refines the digital giant's productions around footb...
24/04/2026
Study highlights five pillars shaping modern fan engagement as broadcasters reth...
24/04/2026
The 2026 event, the first Draft with NFL Network under the ESPN umbrella, will b...
24/04/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
24/04/2026
Integral to the Draft production for three almost decades, the company tells the...
24/04/2026
Championing documentaries that illuminate and expand the artform is at the core ...
24/04/2026
The Peabody Awards spotlight excellent work that endures. This year's winner...
24/04/2026
Earth Day is a chance to reflect on our connection to the natural world. To mark the 57th Earth Day on April 22, Spotify's editors have pulled together a co...
24/04/2026
This past weekend, Spotify was at the heart of the largest literary event in the...
24/04/2026
All data tells a story, and in our case, that story is written by you. To celebrate 20 years of Spotify, we're sharing bite sized moments that capture how t...
24/04/2026
Over the past 20 years, Spotify's look and feel has evolved with the way people use our platform, while ensuring we preserve an intuitive, personal, and fam...
24/04/2026
It's been 20 years since Spotify began, but the real story is what the world chose to play. For the first time, we're unveiling the most streamed artist...
24/04/2026
Whether you're relaxing at home or on the go, Spotify is there across more than 2,000 devices, ready with your favorites or something new to discover. Now, ...
24/04/2026
Nintendo and Spotify are welcoming fans to the Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary and the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with new playlists and a speci...
24/04/2026
30 October - 1 November 2026
The Audio Engineering Society (AES) have announced that the AES Show 2026 will be held on Halloween weekend - Friday 30 October...
24/04/2026
New closed-back design promises honest' low end
Sennheiser have just announced the launch of a new pair of flagship closed-back headphones which they s...
24/04/2026
Powerful 12-channel hardware sequencer announced
Cre8audio are renowned for their innovative, and often visually striking designs, and although their latest...
24/04/2026
Room correction now supports full 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos setups
The software element of IK Multimedia's room-correction system has just received an update th...
24/04/2026
New content for BBO Tutti & BBO Riffs
VSL have recently introduced some new free content expansions for two of their most popular Big Bang Orchestra Packs: ...
24/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to highlight its R&S EVSD1000 UAV-based navigation analyzer at I...
24/04/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
24/04/2026
ITV's Director of Drama Polly Hill has commissioned six part propulsive, lun...
24/04/2026
The NASA 777 aircraft departs the L3Harris facility in Waco, Texas....
24/04/2026
WASHINGTON, April 23, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has closed a $1 b...
24/04/2026
In partnership with Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc., L3Harris Technologies is advancing autonomous aviation for the U.S. Marine Corps' Aerial Logistics Co...
24/04/2026
L3Harris' hC2 software, powered by Systematic SitaWare, strengthens battlefield decision-making by using open architectures to connect platforms, sensors an...
24/04/2026
Artist rendering of L3Harris' AERIS X next-generation airborne early warning...
24/04/2026
AgileTV presents in Las Vegas its technological proposition to power safer, more scalable and efficient TV ecosystems for telecom operators, ISPs and entertainm...