How Majelen Records Music in a Converted Tour Bus

Most musicians head to a recording studio when it's time to make an album. Australian singer-songwriter Majelen takes a slightly different approach.

Her recording studio is a converted Toyota Coaster bus, which doubles as a home and creative workspace while travelling around Australia.

It's an unconventional setup, but it brings together two important parts of Majelen's life: making music and exploring the world.

For an independent artist who writes, records, mixes and masters her own music, having a recording studio on wheels offers a unique way to create music wherever the road leads.

A recording studio with a difference

Majelen is a professional recording, mixing and mastering engineer, as well as a singer-songwriter and solo loop artist.

Rather than relying entirely on external recording studios, she produces much of her own music from the converted bus.

The setup allows her to work across the entire recording process, from developing musical ideas and recording instruments through to mixing and mastering the finished tracks.

It's a very different environment from a traditional commercial recording studio, but it offers something that is particularly valuable to an independent musician: the ability to create and produce music while living on the road.

The bus isn't simply a place to sleep between performances. It's an important part of the creative process.

Making music while travelling Australia

One of the interesting things about Majelen's approach to music is the connection between travelling and creativity.

The bus allows her to move between locations while continuing to write, record and produce music.

That means the environment around her is constantly changing, bringing new experiences and inspiration along the way.

Some of Majelen's music has been created while travelling through Australia, including recording sessions at a horse property and on an island off Australia's east coast.

Her RED Vol II and RED Vol III album's were particularly special in this regard, with all 24 songs recorded from start to finish in the bus while based on an island off the east coast of Australia.

It's a reminder that an album doesn't necessarily need to be made in a conventional studio environment. With the right skills, equipment and creative approach, music can be made in some rather unexpected places.

Recording, mixing and mastering independently

Being able to record, mix and master her own music gives Majelen a great deal of creative control.

Rather than handing different stages of production over to separate studios, she can oversee the entire process herself.

This is particularly useful for an independent artist releasing a substantial amount of original music.

In 2026, Majelen embarked on an ambitious project to release music throughout the year, resulting in three RED albums, each containing 12 tracks, alongside a Christmas EP.

Producing that much music requires considerable organisation, consistency and dedication, particularly when the recording studio also happens to be a travelling home.

Her background in professional audio engineering means she's not simply recording demos in the bus. She's creating and finishing the music herself, with the intention of releasing professionally produced recordings.

Can you really make professional music in a bus?

The idea of recording an album in a converted bus might sound unusual, but the location itself doesn't determine the quality of a recording.

Recording and producing music involves a combination of musical performance, equipment, engineering knowledge, listening skills and careful production decisions.

For someone with experience in recording, mixing and mastering, a mobile studio can provide a practical creative environment without requiring a permanent studio location.

Of course, working in a smaller and more unconventional space comes with its own considerations. A mobile recording setup requires planning and an understanding of how the recording environment affects the final result.

But it also offers something a traditional studio can't quite replicate: the freedom to take the creative process along for the journey.

More than just a place to make music

For Majelen, the bus studio represents a lifestyle as much as a recording setup.

It's a way to combine independent music, travel, creativity and everyday life without having to choose one over the other.

The approach also reflects the independent nature of her music career. From writing and performing to recording and producing, Majelen takes an active role in almost every part of bringing her music to the world.

As an Australian artist looking towards international performances and new audiences, having the ability to continue creating music while travelling remains an important part of the journey.

Discover Majelen's music

Majelen's music blends acoustic guitar, pop and rock influences with live looping, heartfelt songwriting and a strong focus on positivity.

Her three RED albums explore themes of love, courage, relationships, freedom and making the most of life.

For listeners interested in discovering the music created in this rather unusual recording studio, there are plenty of songs to explore.

A converted bus might not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about making an album, but for Majelen, it's become an important part of how the music gets made.

Sometimes the best recording studio is the one that lets the music — and the musician — keep moving.

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