Indie-Pop
Before Gum Wrapper, emily the band and I had already collaborated on several singles and an EP. But this track stood out — it had a distinctly personal feel that set it apart from their earlier work. Built entirely from real instruments (no MIDI), the song felt closer to home, yet still carried a signature dreamy sunshine vibe. Alongside their familiar ukulele-and-acoustic-guitar sound, I helped shape the arrangement with fretless bass and layers of electric guitar textures. The result was a love song that feels like honey in the sun — warm, tender, and effortlessly bright.
“If you are looking for a inviting, friendly, and collaborative studio environment, working with Connor is a great way to go. He strikes a perfect balance between always letting the client lead the way to their vision, and contributing his own ideas, enhancements, and experience along the way. Working with him has always been really, really fun, but he does not fear to challenge his clients and work with them to create the very best version of a project. Ever the efficient, flexibile, and communicative person, Connor makes a great colleague and producer for artists of any experience level with virtually any idea!”
~Camryn Proctor of emily the band
Pop-Punk
When Terribly Happy approached me, they had a clear vision: an album with two distinct sonic identities. Together, we crafted a record that balanced raw, stripped-down tracks with more synth-driven, “phantom” textures — each category having its own depth and variety. The final product showcases the band’s greatest strengths, staying true to their live sound in some moments while fully embracing their creative imagination in others.
“Connor Billard is masterful when it comes to all things music, and I mean that. He puts his whole being into whatever song he works on and it absolutely shines through.”
~Kenny Dahlstrom (Terribly Happy)
Alternative
Jealous Lot’s Casino Buffet was an ambitious project — an album that ended up at 20 tracks built on variety and surprise. From the start, we knew it needed to constantly shift gears to stay engaging, without losing its sense of identity. I worked closely with Milo and Jake to shape a record that moves seamlessly between Midwest emo, cult-metal, electronic breaks, and even comedy skits, all while maintaining a unified sonic thread. The result is a bold, energetic album with a signature sound that’s as unpredictable as it is cohesive.
Folk
Eddie came to me with a demo and a clear goal: transform it into a full-band arrangement that was irresistibly easy to sing along to. After re-tracking the acoustic guitar and lead vocals, we brought in his cousin to lay down drums — tambourine included, naturally. To capture that welcoming, “join in!” energy, we layered plenty of raw, imperfect backing vocals and harmonies that build throughout the track. Those little imperfections became a strength, reinforcing the heart of the song’s message. The whole process came together quickly and intuitively, making it one of the most enjoyable and collaborative arrangements I’ve worked on.
“At a time where nothing in my music sounded good to me, Connor helped me find the sound that I was looking for.”
~Eddie Tangel
Prog/Metal
Delta was by far the most challenging album I’ve worked on to date, but co-producing with Silas Gillman and mixing with Kevin Rendleman made the journey smoother. The album is packed with intricate parts and standout contributions from incredible artists like Thomas Lang and Josh Martin. I recorded everything in the studio, except for drums and features, and after our first mixing pass, we took the tracks to Hive Mind Studios for additional drum processing and mixing. The biggest challenge was balancing the raw energy of a live performance with the polished punch needed to sound just as powerful in a car stereo. By combining unconventional recording techniques and thoughtful arrangement adjustments, we achieved a sound that feels both expansive and authentic.
Below is a general playlist of songs I have worked on: