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Kelly “Madame Buttons” Sheehan BiographyShe may be a woman and she may be young, but Kelly Sheehan’s exemplary work with Chris Brown, Tyrese, T.I., The Game, Akon, Ne-Yo, Charlie Wilson, Toni Braxton, Avant, Keri Hilson, the Underdogs, Moncia, Tank, the Clutch, Musiq Soulchild, Mario Winans, Letoya Luckett, Rick Ross, Ray J, Jazzy Pha and others is what has helped establish her as the engineering world’s fastest-rising star -- even if she still has to prove herself to unsuspecting artists. “I usually have to explain to them, ‘No, I’m not a groupie and no, I’m not the artist. I’m the engineer and I’m going to be running your session,’” Sheehan says with a chuckle. “At first they don’t believe it, and for the first hour or so, they’re just waiting for me to mess something up. But, by the end of the day, they’re asking to work with me again. I love the shock value and being able to change a stereotype.”Sheehan’s current roster includes superstars Nelly, Ashanti, Babyface, Brandy, Scott Storch, Eve, and Neff-U, as well as Dr. Dre protégé Bishop Lamont -- a testament to her ability to cater to the diverse array of sounds her clients demand, and to her alacrity. “When people talk about my sessions, they usually say that I’m really quick on Pro Tools,” she says. “Being one of the few working female engineers in the industry, I had to learn to be as fast, if not faster, than everyone else. Also, as a producer/songwriter myself, I understand the importance of keeping the creative momentum going so that you don’t lose the vibe or the idea.”Sheehan got interested in sound engineering at a very young age. As soon as she heard “Thriller”, she knew she had to be involved in music. When she was about 13, she read the Quincy Jones biography, in which he describes his engineer as being his right hand man. She knew, then, that engineering was her way in.At 16, she enrolled at LARW (Los Angeles Recording Workshop) and pulled double duty at both LARW (now known as LARS, short for Los Angeles Recording School) and high school. “I was the youngest person and one of the only girls in any of my classes,” she recalls. “Most of the girls in my classes didn’t graduate, or if they did, they became administrative assistants at studios. I kind of stuck out because I got really into it. I loved it.”When Sheehan graduated from high school, she worked at an underground hip-hop store called The Basement, running its sound system for in-stores. Within a year, she was tracking, mixing and producing records for many of the artists passing through.With her impressive work ethic and resume, Sheehan was hired to work at a studio owned by Aftermath Records at the age of 18. From there, she landed a first-engineering position with the production wizards, the Underdogs, after which she began freelancing.Now, as her career expands at breakneck speed, Sheehan is well on her way to her ultimate goal: being the next Quincy Jones. In 2006, Sheehan built her own studio in Universal City and launched her own production company called Lynx Entertainment, where she is delving into producing and writing her own music. “I want to use my engineering background to help make my production, composing, writing and arranging as good as it can be,” she says. “I want to set a new mold for female entrepreneurs. I believe that we can be just as strong and successful as the men in the industry without compromising our femininity.”And if you couldn’t tell, Kelly Sheehan is well on her way to being a prime example of just that.