Berklee Artists Collaborate on Song for Grammy-Nominated Album Marianna Matyja and V ctor Badillo B.M. '22 contributed to Lupita Infante's Amor Como En Las Pel culas De Antes, which is up for Best M sica Mexicana Album.
By
Daniel Pesquera
November 30, 2023
Marianna Matyja
Image courtesy of the artist
Numerous members of the Berklee community, both alumni and faculty, received 2024 Grammy nominations or were recognized for their contributions to Grammy-nominated projects. Among them, two standout artists received their first Grammy acknowledgments: student Marianna Matyja, a cellist, producer, DJ, songwriter, and composer; and V ctor Badillo B.M. '22, a producer, songwriter, arranger, and artist.
The duo, who are frequent collaborators, contributed to Lupita Infantes Amor Como En Las Pel culas De Antes, which is up for Best M sica Mexicana Album. Matyja played a cello solo on one of the album's standout tracks, El Amor Perfecto, and Badillo produced and engineered the solo. Badillo also worked on the songs Bailando Penas and Esta Ranchera, on Flor de Tololoche's album Motherflower, which is nominated in the same category.
Matyja, from Poznan, Poland, is a contemporary writing and production major whose first album is set for release this spring. Badillo is an independent producer and songwriter originally from Mexico City who earned his degree in music production and engineering. Hes worked alongside many notable Latin artists in his young career, including Mon Laferte, Grupo Duelo, Man Jalil, and ureo Baqueiro.
We talked to Matyja and Badillo to hear how a small recording project produced a much bigger moment.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
How did each of you get involved in these Grammy-nominated projects?Marianna Matyja: I got involved in the spring of 2022 during my second semester at Berklee. We were in V ctor's apartment recording cello parts for different projects, and he asked me to record for El Amor Perfecto. At the time, I didn't realize who it was for or how big a project it would be.
V ctor Badillo: I was invited to participate in Lupita's album by producer Carlos Alvarez. He was producing some mariachi tracks on the album, and he wanted another perspective to give the traditional genre a modern pop twist. I introduced steel-string guitars and cello to the arrangement, and that's where I got Marianna to record strings for me. I played and recorded all the guitars on the track. With Flor De Tololoche's album, I have a friend in Mexico City who asked me for a writing session to specifically create a cumbia and a ranchera. We managed to merge the traditional aspects of both genres and the more catchy R&B melodies from the band.
V ctor Badillo B.M. '22
Image courtesy of the artist
What were your initial thoughts when you heard the albums were nominated for a Grammy?Badillo: It was a surprise, but both albums were done by hardworking people and talented creators. It was an honor and a well-deserved recognition for the whole team that participated.
Matyja: I never expected my first Grammy would be for cello on a Mexican music album! The way that it happened was unusual. Last May, Victor told me the album might be nominated for a Latin Grammy, but then in September, he let me know we didn't get any nominations. I told him it was okay, and I felt like there was a bigger thing coming, but at the time I didnt even think about the American Grammys. Recently, I was having a Zoom meeting when Victor called me. He said to go look at Instagram-I couldn't believe it. I started screaming into the phone! I am still shocked and am so grateful. I feel very satisfied because cello is the first thing I touched with music, and I've been playing since I was 6 years old.
Can each of you talk about your mindset as you approached these projects?Badillo: In every creative process I've been involved in, I always keep in mind the artistic vision of the project and the essence of the artists. We want to do something different and creative, but without losing the essence of the original vision.
Matyja: Of course it depends on the person I'm working with. With Victor, he knows that I know what to do when it comes to recording a song. For El Amor Perfecto, at first I was analyzing the feeling and what I could add to make it more colorful. I remember thinking I had to put a lot of expression and energy into it because it's a love song. It's hard to describe the emotions when you're giving your heart to it; you feel the playing, emotion, and music all happening together-it came naturally as I worked on the emotional aspect of it. I usually like to work fast, but I took my time with this part. I remember saying, No, another one. I was determined to play every note perfectly from the technical side and to make sure that it reflected how I imagined it emotionally.
Can you talk about the personal impact this nomination has had on your life and career, particularly for you, Matyja, as an international student?Matyja: It's hard to put into words what this means for me. Poland is a very important country with a beautiful history, and I'm glad that I'm from a country like this because it taught me a lot about life. As a classically trained musician for 12 years, I experienced mental and verbal abuse from when I started playing at 6 years old. Very often I was told I am bad at my instrument and I had to work more. I was away from home for over 13 hours a day. It felt like my life was my music and I was a machine in a box. It put me in a cycle of thoughts that I was never enough. My parents asked me many times if I wanted to change schools, but I never agreed to it because music education was important to me. I was fortunate to have parents who were extremely supportive and bel
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Multiview available via SaaS for streaming platforms and operators through broadpeak.io, with live demonstrations at IBC2026
Broadpeak , a leader in streaming ...
20/08/2026
Techex, a leading provider of live broadcast infrastructure solutions, has appointed Stuart Almond as Chief Revenue Officer, further strengthening its executive...
20/08/2026
Avid today announced that MediaCity Studios has upgraded its production infrastructure with an enhanced end-to-end Avid production ecosystem, including the dep...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
20/08/2026
It's a new way into the cloud.
GeForce NOW welcomes Firefox support to the cloud, opening up another way to jump into high-performance PC gaming straight ...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
Berklee Artists Collaborate on Song for Grammy-Nominated Album Marianna Matyja and V ctor Badillo B.M. '22 contributed to Lupita Infante's Amor Como En Las Pel culas De Antes, which is up for Best M sica Mexicana Album.
