Senior Producer Jeanne Montalvo: ‘I Thrive on the Creative Aspect of Producing in Cohesion With the Technical’

By Tara Terranova

For the past five months, Futuro Studios has switched things up with “Stars and Stars with Isa”—an astrology podcast.

Guided by the Pulitzer Prize-winning studios’ mission of centering experiences and voices that have historically overlooked in the world of audio, the podcast uses birth charts as a lens to interview celebrity guests each week and has featured Roxane Gay, Jia Tolentino, Stephen Satterfield, and Rico Nasty, to name a few. 

Although Isa Nakazawa is the public face of the podcast, as the host and resident astrologer, Senior Producer Jeanne Montalvo, a.k.a. “La Sondista,” is the one behind the scenes —and the screen— ensuring a seamless listening experience.

Jeanne first joined Futuro in 2016 as the full-time engineer. Since then, she has tackled numerous projects. She produced long-form narrative stories and “How I Made It” segments for Latino USA, created “Live from Latino USA,” a video series of LIVE (and mostly unplugged) musical performances. 

In 2022, Jeanne created Latino USA’s special series “Genias in Music.” Her hard work paid off. One episode, titled “Genias in Music: La Lupe,” won Gold at The New York Festivals Radio Awards. Another episode in the series, “Genias in Music: María Grever,” won the Clarion Award for Radio.

Here’s an in-depth look at Jeanne’s personal and professional lives, and how they have intertwined over the years.

Futuro Media: You have a Master’s in Music Technology from NYU. What inspired this career path?

Jeanne Montalvo: Working in music was my sole goal in life, but I didn’t know where to start. My roommate at the University of Central Florida was a Radio and Television major, and she introduced me to the campus radio station where I became the music director. One of my radio friends gave me a really old editing software, and I started editing dance and musical performances. I soon fell in love with audio engineering. 

I ended up in New York, where for five years I did archive and restoration work for the Metropolitan Opera. I hated opera before that, but quickly fell in love. But I wasn’t making enough money, so I found Music Technology at NYU. There, a friend of mine got an internship at NPR, and she encouraged me to apply as a freelance tech, and that’s how I started in radio.

FM: Tell us about your journey right before joining Futuro.

JM: Right before joining Futuro in 2016, I was nominated for a Grammy Award as Mastering Engineer for Vladimir Horowitz: The Unreleased Live Recordings. I was also eight weeks pregnant when I went to the Grammys (and hid some sandwiches in my purse during the ceremony!). I was also fortunate to collaborate with veteran Sony engineers on projects such as recording a live band for a Spike Lee film. One of the band’s organists was John Batiste, who has since become a major star.

Two years into my being at Futuro, I left for six months because I was offered the EQL residency at Spotify Studios and Electric Lady Studios, which is Jimi Hendrix’s studio in New York. I made so many great connections from there.

FM: We know you as one of the senior producers who steers the ship at Futuro Studios. Why did you transition from working as an audio engineer to a producer? 

JM: I made this analogy to Maria Garcia the other day, but I feel like when I deliver a sound to an engineer, it’s like delivering an egg with my baby in it. I don’t think I could ever go back to strictly engineering because I feel like engineering is 100% technical. Some people are very good at that, but I crave creative work. Growing up, I didn’t even realize producing was an option. But now, I thrive on the creative aspect of producing in cohesion with the technical. 

FM: As the senior producer of Stars and Stars with Isa podcast, what are you most proud of in your work so far? Is there an episode in particular that stands out to you?

JM: I’m just proud of the sound, and not just on a technical level, but the feel of it, and the vibe of the show. I really liked the W Kamau Bell episode. I’ve always been a fan of his work. He doesn’t strike me as an astrology guy, so hearing him have his birth chart read by Isa was really cool. Also the Jia Tolentino episode. The way she bridged motherhood and her career was really an enlightening experience for me.

FM: Did you always want to produce across a wide range of genres? How are you able to adapt to the variances in each project you are working on? 

JM: I produce what I’m thrown at. I didn’t sign on to do an astrology show, but I’ve grown to love it. My soft spot is music, but I’m always open to adapting to whatever I am asked to do. If you don’t adapt, you don’t grow.

FM: Do you have any routines in your personal life that allow you to feel prepared for the work that you do?

JM: It’s easy to speak to a lot of different people if you stay humble. Just because I have “senior” in front of my name doesn’t mean I feel any better than anyone else compared to when I first started out. I try to talk to everyone the same way, with patience and understanding. It is important to know when to take a step back. If I need a breather, I like to go take a walk. I also learned it is very important to never respond to something in the heat of being upset. 

This year especially I am learning that health is a priority. Do whatever you need to do in your personal life to make sure you’re healthy. I started dancing again—it’s what I need. Moving your body is important for everything. I am rediscovering the person I was when I last danced. 

FM: Who are your inspirations?

JM: María Grever. She was a Mexican composer. I produced a story about her three years ago. She came to New York with two kids in tow by herself and went on to compose like 800 songs for movies in the 1930s. I think, in general, the qualifications of a person who always inspires me are women who break barriers and shatter glass ceilings.

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You can learn more about Futuro Studios here and Stars and Stars with Isa here.