Women in Pro Audio: Mikaela Tsangari Women in Pro Audio: Mikaela Tsangari...
In the demanding industry of professional audio, where technical skill converges with artistic vision, meet Mikaela Tsangari. “I’ve worked in nearly every corner of the audio world. From FOH engineer to monitor engineer, stage tech to stagehand, ticket seller to production coordinator, and backstage crew—I’ve done it all, and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Mikaela’s Journey into Pro Audio
Mikaela Tsangari brings a unique depth to the audio industry, having navigated its complexities from multiple perspectives. While her resume boasts a wide array of technical roles, she also has a deep understanding of the artist’s experience. “I’ve also been on the other side of the mic, performing with my band on both tiny club stages and bigger venues, so I know how it feels,” she shares, offering a glimpse into the empathy that informs her work. Today, Mikaela is based in her vibrant hometown of Nicosia, Cyprus.
Her path into the audio world was anything but a straight line, demanding persistence and resilience. Mikaela’s initial foray into the industry began with a bold, grassroots approach. “I called every studio owner I knew on the island and asked for an internship,” she recounts. Despite a string of rejections, her determination paid off when one studio owner recognized her drive and offered her a chance.
However, securing an internship was just the beginning. Mikaela quickly learned that true mastery in the studio transcended the technical acumen. “Technical knowledge aside,” she explains, “the combination of being efficient while running a session, dealing with all sorts of clients, in all sorts of genres and their issues, while recording and editing fast on the spot, maintaining time constraints, maintaining equipment, and troubleshooting, took me many years to achieve.” She candidly reflects on the years-long journey to hone these diverse skills, adding, “I’m still not perfect at it, but it took me at least a decade of working in and out of the studio to feel like I’ve mastered this epic juggle of information.” Her words paint a vivid picture of the dedication required to excel in such a multifaceted field.
Women in Pro Audio: Challenges and Encouragement
While Mikaela acknowledges that the demands of the pro audio industry are inherently challenging for everyone, she’s particularly attuned to the unique hurdles women often face. She vividly describes the constant scrutiny early in her career: “Constantly being watched while working, especially as a fresh stagehand or studio intern, and being expected to mess up, not be able to lift heavy enough, not have enough technical knowledge, meant I had to work twice as hard to get ‘accepted,’ whatever that means.” This pervasive pressure extended to the expectation of flawless performance. Mikaela candidly admits, “I’ve messed up gigs as FOH, I have delivered horrible mixes, and ran terrible sessions in my career, but I always felt like I didn’t have permission to be bad, because being female, I was expected to be bad.”
Visibility and Resilience
Mikaela believes that the underrepresentation of women in pro audio is largely a matter of visibility—or lack thereof. “If young women don’t see other women working in these positions, it might not cross their mind that this career path is an option,” she explains. While long hours and male-dominated environments are often cited as deterrents, she points out that women thrive in other industries with similar conditions, suggesting deeper societal factors at play. From Mikaela’s perspective, organizations dedicated to connecting women in audio, such as WomenInLiveMusic.eu, Women’s Audio Mission, and SoundGirls, are invaluable. She emphasizes the critical role they play, stating that “maintaining and nurturing these hubs is extremely important, both for established engineers and completely new ones.”
When faced with the inevitable professional challenges and discouragement, Mikaela has developed a resilient strategy. “I hide how discouraged I feel, and keep calm, while delivering the job to the best of my abilities.” To continuously develop her skills and stay current in the ever-evolving industry, she relies on “listening to what’s out there, and keep discovering new music,” complemented by occasional deep dives into episodes of Mix With The Masters.
Advice, Wisdom, and the Essence of Audio
If Mikaela could institute one change in the audio industry, her focus would be on quality over quantity. She envisions “more quality, less quantity,” with “a bigger focus on songwriting, a slower output of releases.” Her conviction on this point is unwavering: “Even as an engineer, I’d pick listening to a terrible phone recording of a great song over a fat-sounding lukewarm track, any day,” she asserts, highlighting her passion for the art of music itself.
For other women considering a career in pro audio, Mikaela’s advice is both direct and empowering: “Go for it and keep at it.” She offers reassurance that persistence pays off: “You’ll build more physical strength, your mixes will improve, and you can learn as you go.” Crucially, she reminds them of their inherent right to be there: “You’re allowed to make mistakes and you’re allowed to be here.”
Beyond encouragement, Mikaela provides practical wisdom gleaned from her own experiences. “Always lift with your legs, not your back,” she advises, along with the fundamental, yet often overlooked, “Read the manual!” The most impactful piece of advice she’s ever received underscores the core principle of good audio: “If they sound bad in the room, they’ll sound bad through the speakers.” Essential for success in audio, regardless of gender, is “being a little bit thick-skinned.” If one isn’t naturally so, her pragmatic advice is simply to “pretend like you are.”
Mikaela also shared a memorable, slightly unexpected, anecdote from her time working: “The drummer suddenly grabbing the overhead mic to sing unprompted, two hours into the set.”
The Joys of the Craft
For Mikaela, the rewards of working in audio are profound and deeply satisfying. “There’s nothing like the high of recording a great take, or that moment when the mix finally comes together,” she shares, capturing the magic of creation in the studio. The thrill extends to live performance, where she describes a unique euphoria: “When there’s a long break between soundcheck and the gig, you turn those faders up, and those first notes hit and it sounds great? Nothing can describe that feeling.” These moments of sonic perfection are what fuel her passion.
As a new mother and freelance studio owner, Mikaela admits that balancing motherhood with her demanding career has been more about sheer adaptability than planning. “I don’t feel like I’ve been given time to consider how to navigate motherhood other than just to work whenever I can,” she says. She recounts a vivid example of her dedication, humorously recalling, “I was delivering the final mixes for an album a few hours before entering the clinic to deliver the baby, and checking the masters on my way out.” Her most immediate advice for fellow parents of young children? “Take care of your ears from screaming little newborns.”
Mikaela strongly believes that the industry still lacks adequate support for pregnancy and early parenthood. She notes that it “still doesn’t really support women.” While she, herself, has worked gigs while pregnant. “It is absolutely possible to work gigs while pregnant.” However, there are inherent challenges. “Live sound is a physical job. It has long hours, and often under strenuous conditions. It can be dangerous if you’re not careful, or part of a supportive crew.” This highlights the need for greater understanding and infrastructure within the industry.
Envisioning the Future of Live Events
Looking ahead, Mikaela observes a growing trend in live events. She predicts a future where shows may increasingly leverage “MIDI/playback and impressive lighting/pyro for the sake of a good show.” While she acknowledges this potential shift in emphasis, she also expresses a personal hope that the raw energy of performance will always remain paramount. Her perspective offers a valuable glimpse into the evolving landscape of live production. It hints at a future where technology and artistry continue to intertwine in new and exciting ways.
You can connect with Mikaela Tsangari on Facebook, and on both her Instagram accounts.
Read last month’s Women in Pro Audio interview here.