OUR HISTORY
A LEGACY THAT SPANS OVER TWO DECADES
Bay Eight is a Staple in Miami’s Music Culture & a Worldwide Influence
Of all the recording studios in Miami, only a few, like Bay Eight, have historically impacted the music industry. This iconic recording facility is rich in history and has a record for producing armloads of awards and chart-topping hits.
The Timeline
2000 The Beginning
Born at the turn of the century, Bay Eight Recording Studios, formerly known as Midnight Blue Studios, was founded by Grammy-award-winning producer and hit-maker Fabio’ Estefano’ Salgado.
Salgado was a colossal figure in the music scene during the turning point of Latin American crossover, producing platinum-selling albums.
2007 The Grammy’s
Midnight Blue gained popularity between the years 2001 and 2007 as a recording facility responsible for numerous Billboard number-one hits that dominated the Latin music scene. The studio was highly recognized for Grammy award winners like “Cree en Nuestro Amor” and “Sentir” by Jon Secada,
2008 The Transfer
In 2008, Bigram John Zayas, also known as DVLP, a record producer and songwriter from New York City (Eminem, J Balvin Lil Wayne), and Grammy Award-winning hip-hop producer and three-time DJ World Champion Marco “Infamous” Rodriguez-Diaz took over the facility.
2012 The Split
After a split, four years later in 2012, Infamous would reclaim the facility on his own, this time using the entire space as his personal production studio.
With his extensive list of high-profile clientele credits and accolades, Infamous would use the studio to produce his A-list celebrity comrades.
Lil Wayne and Infamous worked very closely during this era.
2015 New Ownership
In 2015, engineer Formatt DeFreitas took over the 2000-square-foot space and began restoring and remodeling this historic facility, renaming it Bay Eight Recording Studios. Bay Eight would be open to the public for the first time in its history. Retrofitting the long history of a personal studio space into a commercial studio was a challenge.
“The Studio, with its over 20-year history, is a testament to Estafano’s original vision. Our renovation was a massive modernization and expansion, bringing the studio up to date with state-of-the-art equipment and acoustic technology, all while preserving the essence of Estafano’s original vision.” -Matthew DeFreitas.”
2021 to Present
In 2021, DeFreitas teamed up with Ross Alexander for their third renovation. The latest updates included a complete restoration and modernization of Studio A, renamed The SSL Room.
History is a driving force in this facility. Ross Alexander has the experience to take on a project like this. He has been the most sought-after designer since the beginning of the recording studio boom in Miami, and his expertise has been in demand worldwide. He’s built and redesigned classic studios like South Beach Studios and The Seati. Ross knew exactly what the facility needed to be relevant but stayed true to its Midnight Blue Sudio roots.
The renovation transformed the space, including installing custom Augspurger Duo 15s with matched 18″ subs, aspect mood lighting, and custom sound diffusion. This reinvention of a relic into a modern, state-of-the-art room is a testament to our commitment to staying relevant in the industry.
