Jaap van der Kleijn started out as a drummer at the age of 8. Playing in bands all of his teenage life, he started attending the Amsterdam Conservatory pop course at the age of 17. During music school he became more and more interested in the art of recording and producing music. Graduating 4 years later, he was already producing full length albums. Shoelace Productions grew from there.

Jaap mostly works out of his home out in the countryside of Wassenaar, The Netherlands. But he doesn't shy away from traveling and working on location if the project demands it.