The Xylo Aria Grant
For Recording Artists, Ages 8+, Who Want to Write and Produce
The Xylo Aria Grant will make our Recording Artist Program's Performance, Songwriting, and Music Production Track accessible at a fraction of our rate. Grounded in our Layer One, Layer Two, and Layer Three curricula, artists who want to sing/rap, write, and produce their own songs will develop studio skills while exploring social dynamics (ages 8+), romantic relationships (ages 13+), and bodily autonomy (ages 18+). While applying for our roster, clients will select their preferred rate and, if accepted, gain access to Marcelland, our private online community, as Princes and Princesses—allowing them to attend workshops, participate in challenges, and take courses.
Every recording artist on our Performance, Songwriting, and Music Production Track will get 1 weekly, one-on-one, 60-minute artist development session for branding, vocal training, and recording. Our grant structure will offer four flexible rate options to meet different artists' needs: 100% of our rate ($2,000/month) for the highest amount of outside support; 75% ($1,500/month) for substantial support; 50% ($1,000/month) for moderate support; and 25% ($500/month) for foundational support. After 12 months of initial development, annual guaranteed releases will be 12 per year at 100%, 9 at 75%, 6 at 50%, and 3 at 25%. To learn more, please visit our Programs page.
Xylo Aria is an artist, producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Music Production for Women (MPW)—a global platform empowering women and gender-diverse musicians in music technology. Born in India and based in Australia, her production journey began after facing barriers as a self-produced artist, prompting her to build an international movement supported by industry leaders like Ableton. Recognized globally for creating accessible pathways into production and engineering, Xylo advocates for creative independence, proving that technical self-sufficiency is key to absolute sovereignty.
For Marcellé, learning under Xylo and MPW was transformative. “Even after working with industry leaders, I believed I would always rely on others to protect my work,” Marcellé shares. “Learning from Xylo changed my production and engineering skills dramatically, allowing me to finally create music that matches the quality I dreamed of as a child.” Xylo’s guidance proved that mastering production tools unlocks full creative agency, a philosophy that now forms the core of how triple threat recording artists are mentored at Once Upon a Voice.
To join our roster as a recording artist, performers will apply and select how much of our rate they want to pay. If accepted, creators will join our roster at that rate—learning to write, produce, record, release music, and perform with absolute sovereignty. Through weekly 1-on-1 development, studio sessions, and annual release guarantees after year one, recording artists ages 8 and up will build technical control, industry stamina, and artistic identity without financial strain, preparing them to release music sustainably.
This institutional grant will honor Xylo’s commitment to technical independence, gender inclusion, and artist empowerment. By making complete recording artist development affordable, we will ensure that creators—including those navigating trauma, neurodivergence, or disabilities—receive trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming guidance. While fiscal sponsorship will support finishing, pitching, and releasing music across our label and publishing pipelines, our institutional grants will guarantee that professional studio recording and complete production training remain accessible to as many artists as possible.