Utica native opens dream business

UTICA — As a creative child, Nazaria (Nazzy) Deloach had a dream for a space where he felt free to be himself and create.

As an adult, Deloach is making that dream come true with his new business, Dreamer Studios, LLC, which opened in June at 2507 Genesee St.

“I fell in love with music early in life,” Deloach says. He was in band all through school, but things really changed in high school when he got a computer and a microphone. That opened up more opportunity for him to create and record music.

Eventually, that turned into recording music for others with equipment set up in his mother’s house. Deloach also attended Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), receiving an associate degree in business administration. Along the way, he met Shehryar (K-Twist) Khan, who produced his music for him.

Last year, Deloach had the idea that maybe he could turn his home studio into a business and began asking clients if they’d be interested in working with him in a professional studio.

After several months of polling his clients, Deloach decided to go for it and asked Khan if he’d be interested in working with him to launch a studio. Khan agreed to sign on as a producer and engineer, and the pair has been working since November 2022 to start the business. 

It was a lot of legwork and planning behind the scenes, Deloach says, to figure out budgeting and what they could afford now or what needed to wait until later. They decided to inventory the equipment they each already owned and what they needed to purchase.

“We invested a lot of time into making sure this is something,” he says.

What does he mean by something? A lot of different things, actually, but firstly his goal was to create a safe space for youth and creatives. Of course, Deloach also wants it to be a successful business, but his goals stretch further than that.

Ultimately, Deloach wants the studio to be a multi-media company and maybe even have its own music label someday.

His current clients include a little bit of everyone, from individuals wanting to record something to businesses that need something recorded. He plans to add audio-podcast recording soon, with plans to add video recording later on.

“I take anyone who shares the same passion as us,” Deloach says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re an 8-year-old or if you’re 65. You can come here and make beats. You can come here and make a commercial for radio.”

Some of his commercial clients include KISS-FM radio and the Levitt AMP Utica Music Series organizers. Deloach’s home-studio clients are still with him, and new clients are reaching out regularly, he says. He credits word-of-mouth advertising from existing clients and his membership in the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce, along with a need for another professional recording studio in the area.

Dreamer Studios (www.dreamerstudiosny.com) celebrated its grand opening on June 14 with a ribbon-cutting event with the Greater Utica Chamber.