By Andrew Hughes & Scott Greeson

Nick Ponti is an audio engineer and producer currently based in Lafayette. Having just graduated from Purdue University, he has benefited from additional opportunities offered by SAMI and REC Room Recording. He started off as an intern before eventually taking on clients of his own. We’ve noticed his progress, and it’s paid off.

This month, he's embarking on a new adventure. In a matter of days, he’ll be moving to California to start an internship with TikTok as an audio engineer. We were glad for the opportunity to sit down with him to discuss his journey to this point. Naturally, we started at the beginning.

“What drew me to audio production is the feeling I get when I listen to a song I love. I like the idea of creating that feeling for someone else, and that’s what keeps me going.”

Ponti studied at Purdue University, majoring in Sound for the Performing Arts while also earning a certificate in Music Technology. When we asked him about a standout moment there, he first thought of his recent sound design work in a production of Our Town.

“That was significant because the show was very emotional and resonated with a lot of people. Seeing that impact showed me the effect music can have on people.”

In addition to these amazing opportunities at Purdue, REC Room played a vital role in developing Ponti's skills as an audio engineer. He started as an intern during his sophomore year, gaining hands-on experience running sound at The Arts Federation’s beautiful upstairs gallery.

“I had easy access to so many people to clarify gaps in my understanding. Their insight on sound and studio work helped me bridge the gap between my theoretical and practical understanding.”

Among the events he took part in was REC Room Live, a monthly concert series hosted by REC Room at The Arts Federation. Stepping behind the sound board, he played a vital role in the audience’s enjoyment of the show. He listened critically, adapting to unexpected shifts and quickly dialing in the sound.

Ponti also brought up the monthly Mixer-Mixer as a vital resource to his growth as a producer and engineer, in addition to SAMI’s DIY Workshop in 2024, particularly Ronan “Chris” Murphy’s recording class. He has valued every opportunity to meet face-to-face with music producers like himself, building his mixing knowledge and forging friendships along the way.

All this culminated in the release of his first original music in July 2025. He named his debut track “Now or Never”, and released it under the artist name romeo.

“My goal was to create something that stands out while also matching the quality of the music I love.” When we asked if he was still happy with the song a year later, he replied: “Overall, yes. But looking back, I can now hear aspects of the song I could have improved, like lyric writing. That's something I've worked on more recently.”

Since then, he’s continued releasing music. In fact, he just released a new song last Friday, called “don’t know the time”. We encourage you to give it a listen to support a local musician. While you're at it, please wish him luck on this exciting new chapter. Congratulations Nick!