Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Tracy.
Steve, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My path into music and community work wasn’t linear—it was shaped by loss, responsibility, and a deep belief that creative spaces can save lives. Years ago, I lost my close friend Kate to suicide. Not long after, I was stabbed in the chest with a pair of scissors while stopping a teenager who was attempting to take their own life. Both moments changed me permanently. They made mental health impossible to ignore, and they clarified what kind of work I wanted to dedicate my life to: creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and safe enough to express what they’re carrying.
I started where a lot of musicians do—recording in bedrooms, learning by doing, building small studios wherever I could. Eventually I renovated a garage into my first real workspace and officially began Seize The Night Records. As the vision grew, so did the responsibility. I made the decision to take on a 110-year-old commercial building—knowing full well it was beyond what I was “supposed” to handle. For over two years, I worked full-time graveyard shifts while spending my days single-handedly renovating that building. It was exhausting, uncertain, and at times overwhelming—but it was also purposeful. Every wall rebuilt and every cable run was part of building something bigger than myself.
Today, that building is a fully operational recording studio and creative hub centered on mental health, community engagement, and artist development. Seize The Night Records has grown into Northern Utah’s highest-rated recording studio, record label, music school, and DJ/event production service. I’ve now recorded and produced over 150 musicians, with music reaching more than 150 countries and surpassing 500,000 streams worldwide.
But the numbers and recognition aren’t the point—they’re a byproduct. What matters most to me is that Seize The Night Records exists as a place where artists don’t just create music, they rebuild confidence, process life, and find community.
Everything I’ve built came from adversity, persistence, and showing up even when it would have been easier to quit. I didn’t inherit a studio or follow a traditional path—I built this one brick, session, and sleepless night at a time. And I’m proud that what stands now isn’t just a studio, but a space rooted in resilience, purpose, and care for the people who walk through its doors.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Almost every stage came with its own set of challenges—financial pressure, burnout, self-doubt, and long periods of uncertainty. Building Seize The Night meant taking risks before there was proof it would work. There were times when I was investing everything I had into the studio while barely scraping by personally, working overnight graveyard shifts just to keep the lights on and fund the build during the day.
Renovating a 110-year-old building largely on my own came with constant setbacks—structural surprises, outdated infrastructure, code requirements, and moments where one unexpected expense could derail months of progress. At the same time, I was learning how to run a business, support artists, manage equipment, and grow a community without a safety net or roadmap.
Emotionally, the weight of past trauma and the responsibility of creating a mental-health–focused space wasn’t easy either. Holding space for artists who are vulnerable means you have to keep showing up even on days when you’re exhausted yourself. There were moments when quitting would have been the logical choice—but it never felt like the right one.
None of it was easy, but every struggle shaped the studio into what it is today. The challenges forced me to build with intention, resilience, and empathy. Looking back, the road wasn’t smooth—but it was meaningful, and I wouldn’t change it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At its core, my work is about translation—taking feelings, sounds, and ideas that people don’t always know how to express, and turning them into something tangible and powerful. I specialize in taking any idea, no matter how rough or unconventional, and shaping it into a fully realized, radio-ready song. I have a deep love for sampling real-world sounds—things people might normally overlook—and revealing the beauty hidden in what seems “pointless” or ordinary. A creaking door, a heartbeat, a voice memo, ambient noise—anything can become music if you’re willing to listen differently.
What I’m known for is helping people realize they’re far more creative than they believe. I genuinely believe anyone can make music, regardless of age, background, or experience. I’ve seen it firsthand—from kids as young as ten discovering confidence through songwriting, to adults in their seventies and eighties creating music for the first time and surprising themselves. With a little guidance and encouragement, people unlock something they didn’t know they had.
A huge part of my work focuses on education and mentorship, especially with kids, troubled youth, and individuals on the spectrum. I use music production and songwriting as coping mechanisms—tools for processing emotion, regulating stress, and building self-worth. For many of them, music becomes a safe language when words are hard to find. Watching someone channel anxiety, anger, or pain into creativity instead of self-destruction is one of the most meaningful outcomes of what I do.
What sets me apart isn’t just the technical side—it’s the intention behind it. Seize The Night Records was built around the idea of Carpe Notem: take control when the darkness doesn’t want you to. Take back the night and create your own light. That philosophy shows up in every session, every lesson, and every artist relationship. I don’t just help people make songs—I help them reclaim agency over their voice.
What I’m most proud of is that I never gave up, even when there were countless reasons to stop. Many things should have ended this journey, but instead they shaped it. Knowing that a single idea—rooted in resilience and hope—has gone on to impact so many people is the achievement that matters most to me.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is dancing and singing with my mom to the music she grew up with in El Salvador. She would play her favorite songs from the 50s through the 70s and teach me how to dance and sing along with her. In those moments, I saw how much joy music brought her—it was like watching a light turn back on.
We moved often when I was young, and that instability was hard on her. Depression would take hold, and as a kid, I didn’t have the words to understand it, but I could feel the weight of her sadness. So I started collecting her CDs and tapes and playing them for her. In my own way, I used music as a weapon against her depression—watching her smile, sing, and dance with me again made me feel like I could protect her, even if just for a few minutes.
Looking back, I truly believe that’s where my desire to become a DJ came from, and how it eventually grew into a recording studio and a lifelong relationship with music. Music wasn’t entertainment to me—it was emotional medicine. It was how I learned that sound could shift a room, a person, even a moment in time.
That experience was balanced by time with my dad, who taught me the opposite side of sound. He would take me fishing, where silence mattered just as much as noise. Sitting by the river, listening to the wind, the water, and the absence of people gave me a deep appreciation for subtlety and space. Those moments taught me that peace can be loud or quiet—it just depends on how closely you listen.
Between my mom’s music and my dad’s silence, I learned early on how powerful sound can be—and that understanding still guides everything I do today.
Pricing:
- Music Production – Hourly $75 per hour A fully hands-on production session that covers recording, production, composition, mixing, and mastering. This is ideal for artists who want to develop a song from any starting point—whether that’s a rough idea, voice memo, or concept—and leave with a polished, release-ready track.
- Music Lessons & 360° Artist Development $65 per hour Available as individual sessions or discounted monthly packages. Designed for all ages and experience levels, these sessions guide students from the fundamentals of their instrument through songwriting, recording, production, and artist branding. A complete, start-to-finish approach to building both skill and confidence as an artist.
- All-Inclusive Song Packages Starting at $499 A streamlined, full-song production experience that includes writing support, recording, production, mixing, and mastering. Perfect for artists looking for a clear, upfront path to a professional, release-ready song.
- Practice & Performance Room $45 per hour A fully equipped rehearsal and creative space featuring a professional PA system, HD video capture, and high-quality audio recording. Ideal for band rehearsals, solo practice, live session recordings, and performance preparation.
- Merchandising Services Starting at $50 Support with merch design, setup, and production coordination to help artists create professional merchandise that aligns with their brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seizethenightrecords.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seizethenight.records/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeizetheNight.Records
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seizethenight.records
