Our Story
HighLife Studios, LLC was founded in 2019 by Joseph “JoJo” Miller shortly after graduating from Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recording Arts and Sciences in Rockville. While many of his classmates pursued internships in major music markets like New York City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, JoJo had a different vision. A Maryland native, he was determined to stay rooted in the DMV and help transform the region into a thriving artistic and entertainment hub.
Just 20 years old at the time, JoJo opened HighLife Studios in a small back room inside Raw Ink, a tattoo parlor located within a commercial warehouse in Gaithersburg. The building was already a thriving creative hub in Montgomery County-home to a live music venue and art gallery-making it the perfect setting for HighLife’s first studio. It wasn’t Quad, Abbey Road, or Capitol Studios, but it had heart, hustle, and all the essentials. With an opening show featuring local artists and comedians, HighLife Studios immediately established itself as more than just a studio. It became a community where music and creativity came together.
When the 2020 pandemic placed enormous pressure on small businesses, HighLife Studios persevered. Through resilience and imagination, JoJo continued building a loyal client base while working with some of the DMV’s top talent. Artists quickly discovered that he offered more than technical precision and engineering expertise, he brought unmatched energy, creativity, and an unwavering work ethic to every session.
In 2021, JoJo officially partnered with longtime friend and fellow creative Jaco. Their journey began years earlier at Towson University, where they bonded over sessions recording in the basement library studios. With a focus on the business side of the music industry, Jaco quickly became a driving force behind HighLife’s expansion. He played an integral role in growing the client base, organizing events, and building the operational structure that would position the company for long-term success. That same year Jaco launched HighLife’s second location in Rockville. The expansion marked a major milestone for the company, reinforcing its commitment to provide accessible, professional services to artists across the DMV.
2021 was also the year HighLife Studios established its flagship home in Cleveland Park, Washington, DC. JoJo leased the second floor of a century-old building and, over the course of two months, built the studio entirely from the ground up. Internal framing, soundproofing, lighting, a custom vocal booth, control room, podcast suite, and artist lounge were all constructed by hand on a modest budget. Two notable DC artists completed the transformation with custom murals, infusing the space with culture and character. The result is a thoughtfully designed, multi-purpose creative environment where artists feel inspired, supported, and fully at home. With the Rockville and DC spaces up and running JoJo said goodbye to Raw Ink, closing the original Gaithersburg location.
Together, JoJo and Jaco have transformed HighLife Studios from a modest room in the back of a tattoo parlor into one of the DMV’s premier recording destinations. Today, 12 engineers operate across both locations, serving a diverse and growing roster of clients. HighLife also hosts interns from local colleges, technical programs, and high schools, providing hands-on training, academic credit, and real-world studio experience alongside working engineers and producers.
Despite its growth, HighLife’s core values remain unchanged: artist first; fearless creativity; respect and integrity; adapt and innovate. Above all, HighLife Studios continues to invest in the local creative community—empowering artists from all backgrounds and at every stage of their journey to achieve their greatest creative and commercial potential.
