Malibu Studio Where Nicki Minaj & Doja Cat Recorded Albums Destroyed in Palisades Wildfire

Harbor Studios in Malibu, where stars including Nicki Minaj and Doja Cat have recorded blockbuster albums, has burned down in the Palisades wildfire, founder Zach Brandon revealed in a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday (Jan. 8).

“I am profoundly sad to announce that Harbor Studios has been lost to the Palisades Fire,” Brandon wrote alongside a photo showing the studio’s charred remains. “Harbor has been a staple in the music community since the 1990s — first, it was the recording studio for Joe Zawinul and his world famous Jazz Fusion group, ‘The Weather Report.’ Finally, in 2021, it became Harbor Studios. Named after one of the most important memories from my childhood, Harbor Studios quickly grew from a big, dreamy concept to a beloved staple in the recording industry.”

Plenty of star power walked through the Harbor Studios doors including Minaj, who recorded Pink Friday 2 in its entirety at the studio, while Doja Cat worked on her Scarlet album there.

Brandon continued: “I cried this morning, but not because Harbor burned down. I cried because it settled in with me that Harbor was taken from so many artists who cared so deeply about Harbor. It was a place of musical freedom… a sanctuary in the most literal sense of the word. I loved it.”

Brandon promised this isn’t the last of Harbor, stating that he and the studio builder have already begun taking steps toward reviving it in another iteration.

“This is not the end of Harbor. We are restarting from scratch (again)… nothing we haven’t done before,” Brandon wrote. “Not only that, but I have gained so much knowledge and experience from Harbor 1 that I will be implementing into the rebuild. I’ve taken the initial steps forward — the original studio builder and I have already begun planning what the new Harbor Studios is going to look like. Thankfully, the magic that has been bestowed upon us by our clients is something that can never leave. It’s in the soil, it’s in the air, and it’s in our souls. We will come back stronger from this.”

Thousands have been left devastated by the widespread wildfires across Los Angeles County this week, with three major blazes — also including the Eaton and Hurst fires — destroying homes and businesses and leading to mass evacuations. The fires have killed at least five people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures, with the Palisades Fire alone leaidng to the evacuations of more than 70,000 people, according to the Associated Press.

For health alerts, evacuation updates and shelter information, check out L.A. County’s emergency website here.