Nashville, TN (November 18, 2025) – True Romance Sound, a relative upstart in Nashville music scene, is already making waves in their first year by capturing a live in-studio video session with Canyon Lights, an upcoming full length record from the “friendship punk” band Tayls, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Crystal Rose, and Kumite, the unexpected new hardcore musical venture fronted by Brittany Howard, the Grammy award-winning, powerhouse frontwoman of the Alabama Shakes. True Romance Sound captures these projects and more utilizing a diverse array of AUDIX microphones including the OMX-T dynamic vocal microphone, the i5 dynamic instrument microphone, SCX25A large diaphragm condensers, and the D6X dynamic kick drum mic.
The seeds of the Kumite project, described by Jared Colby, co-founder of True Romance Sound as “insane beat-down music, unlike anything her fans have ever heard,” were sown from a shared passion for hardcore music between Brittany Howard and Colby. “Early on, we bonded over our love for hardcore, particularly the band American Nightmare,” said Colby. “Late 2024, she was putting together a benefit show and reached out to book my hardcore band, Second Spirit. Soon after, she said she wanted to get in the mix and play the show and asked if we could co-write some songs. Hardcore is the genre I know best. I’ve been playing and recording it my whole life. Between that and Britt’s undeniable talent and love for the genre, it was a natural fit.” The result, Kumite, debuted live in January 2025 with Second Spirit as the backing band.
Alanna Royale, co-founder of True Romance Sound, shares the recording ethos they apply to these and other sessions. “Our guiding principles are strong: we encourage live performances. We embrace natural imperfections if the overall performance is good, a philosophy we’ve adopted from our experience with tape.” Jared continues “I always encourage bands to play live and embrace mic bleed to recreate the feel of a stage or rehearsal space, which I believe is why records from the 60s and 70s sound so good.”
A testament to this live, spontaneous approach, Brittany and Jared decided to record the new songs, seizing a narrow window of opportunity days before the benefit show. The session proved to be incredibly dynamic. “Brittany walked into True Romance around 10:30pm after a full day of studio work on another project. She used the AUDIX OMX mic, handheld in the live room with the drums and amps and absolutely crushed it! The AUDIX OMX-T is perfect for artists like Brittany, who like to record using a handheld because it doesn’t pick up cable noise if shaken or change tone if cupped,” enthused Colby.
“We ran down all three Kumite songs live within an hour, and we were outta here by midnight! This was possibly the most fun I’ve had recording aggressive music in my 21 years of making records.”
Other AUDIX i5 is also instrumental. “I combined the i5 with a ribbon mic and got some of the heaviest guitar tones I’ve ever tracked on the Kumite sessions and now others,” Colby said. “I also regularly use two i5 microphones for snare, but rather than the standard top/bottom placement, I place the second i5 facing the side of the snare and kick drum. It’s a cool way to catch more punch from the kick drum and get a heftier, less papery, snare bottom sound.”
Colby also relies on the AUDIX D6X to capture kicks, floor toms, and the bass guitar cabinet. “I use the D6X on every session. I like it because I can still get that classic D6 sound with the advantage of mid-range control,” commented Jared. “I also use a pair of SCX25A for drum overheads, because they provide non-harsh condenser sound, which provides a nice, bright, hi-fi tone without being excessive.”
While Brittany is currently on the Alabama Shakes reunion tour, Colby is continuing to write and record material for Kumite and track other exciting projects that come to True Romance Sound for their unique sonic signature. “Jared came to Nashville from the hardcore world, moving from very loud, present music to now also working on singer-songwriter projects where there might just be vocals, an acoustic guitar, and lap steel,” shares Royale. “Even though it’s the other end of the spectrum, Jared has dug himself into where he can find sonic parallels and has been able to take the things he’s learned about heavy, fast, punk music, and find ways to apply it to music that is so tender and touching. It’s been awesome to watch.”
As True Romance Sound gains momentum, Jared Colby continues to rely on AUDIX microphones. “I can put AUDIX microphones up and they simply sound like the source, which significantly reduces the need for extensive post-production work. Plus, AUDIX microphones last forever and don’t require kid gloves. I’ve used AUDIX mics since 2004, and in the past year, I’ve used them more than ever,” concluded Jared.
About AUDIX
Celebrating the milestone of four decades of audio excellence, AUDIX has been a trusted companion for musicians, engineers, and audio enthusiasts since 1984. From the introduction of the groundbreaking OM1 in 1985 to the distinctive design of the legendary D6, AUDIX has consistently set new standards for innovation, performance, and quality.
Proudly designed & crafted in the U.S.A, the company’s cutting-edge facility based in Wilsonville, Oregon is a hub of creativity and ingenuity where artistry meets technology, and we continue to push boundaries to redefine industry standards. Every AUDIX microphone undergoes a meticulous process to guarantee it attains the pinnacle of performance and reliability, a reflection of our dedication to quality and meticulous attention to detail. That is why AUDIX is recognized among musicians, vocalists, sound engineers and other industry professionals for delivering microphones that capture audio with clarity and precision for an exceptional audio experience. www.AUDIXusa.com
