What lessons have you learned from 2021 that you will apply to 2022 and/or what processes and practices necessitated by the pandemic will continue even when the pandemic is (hopefully) over? (Remote work, use of Zoom enabling more people to be involved in the creative approval process, etc.)
I believe remote work has forced us to be more creative with our communication. How do we talk about music when we aren’t all in the same room, when we can’t say, “Stop - that part right there!” because you can’t be sure who has a delay and who doesn’t? Even a timestamp has proven to be a difficult measure, as a lot can happen in one second. It has challenged us to speak more explicitly about what we’re seeing and hearing and why we feel the way we do about certain moments in order to evoke a specific emotion or message. I think there is an improved musical language I’ve seen myself and others develop out of necessity, and as we move back to in-person work, I hope we can use that to enhance our discussions.
I also hope we continue to use Zoom instead of traditional phone calls when we review music with people who aren’t in the office with us - being able to see everyone’s reactions in the moment is valuable information. Zoom also enables some interesting interactive collaboration and participation, with use of the chat box to gather thoughts in the moment, rather than relying on participants to write their own notes and wait their turn to speak.
How do new technologies, markets and platforms figure in your creative/business plans in 2022? For example, with NFTs gaining momentum, do you foresee related sound and music work resulting? Same for VR/AR? Will increased content spurred on by the emergence of additional streaming platforms open up music and sound opportunities for you? Any growth prospects in the advertising and/or entertainment industry?
I do believe new technologies naturally result in a need for creative, adaptive music solutions and bring opportunities for artists to break into the scene in exciting ways. Each growing platform carries with it a new community of people who are devoted to its success and invested in finding ways to use that platform to their advantage. It’s exciting to see innovation happen so quickly in front of our eyes and learn how to navigate uncharted waters, in a way. It can also be scary to pioneer projects in these spaces, since they are constantly evolving and require a bit of trust from our clients, but there’s an incredible opportunity for brands to be seen as forward-thinking by embracing these spaces and their communities.
Specifically with regards to music and NFTs, the potential is incredible. Musicians now have an intimate way of engaging with their fans and putting their content out there, while generating income. The challenge for creatives and brands is to figure out ways to enter that space while supporting those artists and actively engaging with the community to show some commitment to the technology.
What was the biggest creative challenge posed to you by a recent project? Tell us about that project, why the challenge was particularly noteworthy or gratifying to overcome, or what valuable lesson you learned from it.
I got the chance to work on an NFT project for Bacardi’s Music Liberates Music program in 2021, which was incredibly challenging and rewarding. We launched three unique NFTs on Sturdy.exchange, as well as an NFT Mixtape on streaming platforms, featuring artwork from Serwah and original music from three emerging and talented female producers: Denise De’ion, PERFXN, and Bambii.
The mission was to give these producers a platform and opportunity to showcase their talent, alongside a mentorship from Boi-1da. Each NFT purchase also provided fans with a piece of the royalties for the respective song, which is a really unique way of connecting fans and artists, giving fans an incentive to be directly involved in the success of the music they listen to.
The learning curve for NFTs was immense, and everyone who took part in the production would agree it was a true team effort - we all leaned on each other and stepped in to help out where it was needed, regardless of our official titles and responsibilities. I think that’s the best way to tackle something new and challenging like this, and we were all really proud of it. Seeing the drop result in hundreds of NFT sales, which directly benefited the artists, made it all worth it.
What recent work are you most proud of and why? Or what recent work (advertising or entertainment)--your own or that of others--has struck a responsive chord with you?
I’m incredibly proud of our Sandy Hook Promise work last year, which saw real survivors of school shootings speaking (and singing) about how the teenage dream isn’t what it used to be (set to the lyrics of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”). Being on set with these survivors, my first in-person shoot since COVID, was a moving experience that can’t be compared to anything else. The survivors also really embraced the process and demonstrated a desire to show up and perform as any other talent would. We worked with some incredible partners on this who stuck with it for over a year, despite multiple delays due to COVID, and were deeply and personally committed until the very end. The resulting film is hauntingly beautiful and it is an honor to be involved with work for Sandy Hook Promise.
A growing number of superstar artists and songwriters have been selling their music rights/catalogs in megabuck deals. What will be the ripple effect of this on music creatively and from a business standpoint relative to the advertising, film, TV and streaming platform markets?
I think there will be an increased motivation for sync placements with those catalogs, and I’m always excited to see how music will appear across advertising, film, and TV--especially songs that may not have seen placement before.