Interview: LANDR’s Bruna Pontes
NxtNow Music connected with Bruna Pontes from LANDR for an in-depth Q&A to discuss how the creative platform has evolved way beyond its roots as an AI mastering tool. From professional-sounding masters to a full suite of Creator tools, including plugins, unlimited distribution, and online courses, LANDR is now focused on helping emerging artists and producers build real, sustainable careers.
Below, Bruna shares her thoughts on the company’s vision, what ethical AI means at LANDR, and much more!
LANDR started as a pioneer in AI mastering and has grown into a full music creation and release platform. How has LANDR’s vision evolved, and what does this mean for emerging artists and producers seeking a complete workflow in one place?
LANDR started with a pretty focused mission: making high-quality mastering accessible to everyone. Since then, the vision has expanded into something much bigger: giving creators a complete, end-to-end ecosystem to make, release, and grow their music without bouncing between platforms. Today, that means seamless access to mastering, samples, distribution, plugins, collaboration and more.
For emerging artists and producers, this shift removes friction at every stage. You don’t need multiple tools or a big budget to sound professional anymore, you just need an idea and a place to build it, and LANDR is that place.
What does ethical AI look like at LANDR, and how do the Layers and similar tools help music creators spark ideas or speed up their process without replacing their creativity or voice?
At LANDR, ethical AI means ensuring our models are trained responsibly, creators are compensated, and their intellectual property is protected. Through our Fair Trade AI program, users can opt in to contribute their music for model training and share in the revenue generated by the resulting AI tools.
That approach has led to creative assistants like LANDR Layers, which is designed to help artists spark ideas and move faster without replacing their creativity or voice. Layers helps creators generate musical parts, sketch ideas faster, and explore directions they may not have considered. Most importantly, the artist remains firmly in control.
How do LANDR’s unlimited mastering, music distribution, and creator tools specifically help music creators build sustainable careers?
Sustainability for emerging artists often comes down to two things: cost and consistency. LANDR tackles both. Unlimited mastering means you can iterate as much as you want without worrying about per-track fees, which is huge when you’re still refining your sound. Distribution keeps things simple too, with unlimited releases, access to 150+ platforms, and full control over royalties. On top of that, creator tools like samples, plugins, collaboration and analytics help you continuously improve your sound and strategy without the need for extra services. The result is a setup where you can create, release, and learn continuously without hitting financial or technical roadblocks every step of the way.
Looking ahead, what excites LANDR most about the future of music creation and distribution over the next 3–5 years?
What excites us most right now is how fast the gap is closing between idea and release. In the next few years, creators will be able to move from inspiration to a finished, distributed track faster than ever, without sacrificing quality.
AI will play a role, but more as an assistant than a replacement. More artists will own their entire workflow, collaborate globally in real time, and build audiences independently. LANDR is focused on making that future seamless, where your tools, data, and creative identity all live in one place, helping you create more, release faster, and grow smarter.
What advice would you give to the NxtNow Music community—emerging artists and producers just starting to create and release their music?
Start before you feel ready, and stay consistent. Your first tracks aren’t supposed to be flawless, they’re supposed to teach you something. You don’t need perfect gear, perfect mixes, or a perfect plan. What matters is finishing music and putting it out into the world.
Build a simple workflow you can stick to, and learn as you go. Collaborate often, and don’t be afraid to experiment, your sound comes from doing, not overthinking. Most importantly, build your own path. Today, you can create, release, and grow on your terms. Stay curious, stay persistent, and treat every track as a step forward.