Fine Tuning a Musical Ear with Júlia Dos Santos
With over 10 years of experience in the music and media industries, MassiveMusic’s MENA director of partnerships, Júlia Dos Santos, started out in more of a journalistic role. Working for one of Switzerland’s private TV stations, she interviewed musicians – Hardwell, LMFAO, Fun., The Black Eyed Peas and GIMS – as she toured sound festivals and asked red-hot questions.
As her career took her across Switzerland and to London, Berlin and now the Middle East, Júlia began building a skillset and expertise at McCann Erickson, Nestle and CNN, before she joined the Dubai office of MassiveMusic at the beginning of 2023. With an extremely musical background - playing the guitar, keyboard, singing and writing music - it was the perfect fit for her to fine-tune her musical ear.
You’d think that with her musical hobbies and career, Júlia’s bowl would be full, but she also finds the time for hobbies in the ariel arts, and has even recently taken up classical ballet – a bucket list dream. Not to mention, with her journeying across the EMEA region, she’s picked up a grand total of seven languages!
Sharing all of her various passions and hobbies, and why she believes in the powerful effect of music and genuine human connection, Júlia speaks to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani.
LBB> It’s always a good idea to start at the beginning. What were you like as a child, and was there any inclination that you’d have a career in the creative industries?
Júlia> If we observe how children play and what they like to play with, we can tell so much about what they are passionate about and drawn to. For me, there was always no doubt that I would end up in the creative industry. I was never one to play with Barbies – unless it was to give them a creative haircut – but I was always doing something related to media and the arts.
You would catch me choreographing, directing plays (and getting frustrated with my playground friends when they didn’t grasp my vision), designing costumes, playing with clay, recording interviews, making my own newspaper, painting, performing in school plays and so on. Even at school, presentations were excuses for me to record videos. Oh, and I took costume competitions way too seriously – so I’ve been told (in my mind there is no such thing as taking dress-up way too seriously!). I guess it came as no surprise that, later in life, I found myself only working in the media/advertising industry.
LBB> What was your first taste of creativity and where did things go from there?
Júlia> I really can’t pinpoint the first taste of creativity, but I can tell you about my first taste of (the power of) music. My dad has always been such a music fan, so it was just a constant part of our lives. I grew up in Brazil, and my father used to travel a lot for work and bring back CDs from all over the world. One night – I was maybe about eight years old – we’re watching a film and in the very last scene, the lead was waving a bittersweet goodbye to his friend from a moving train, accompanied by melancholic orchestral music. My dad turned to me and my brother and said, “Now I’m going to show you the power of music”. He rewound the scene, muted it, and put on the CD player an upbeat Polish pop track and we burst out laughing at how the scene completely transformed into something light and humorous. That was a really standout memory for me. As I got into video editing, music selection became one of the most important and enjoyable parts of the process for me.
LBB> Can you tell us about how you honed your craft and what your first job in the industry taught you?
Júlia> I wouldn’t say I have a specific craft I have honed in on – I am much more a multi-purpose type of person. I like to ebb and flow with curiosity across different interests. So, I guess my secret move is to ask lots of questions, and stay curious – every person, every project, every industry, every niche has a whole universe of stories and knowledge, which I find fascinating. Perhaps that relates to my first job, where I was interviewing artists across music festivals, so I always had to research them and come up with questions that would be interesting both for audiences and for them! There’s something satisfying about asking someone a question that makes them light up because they are intrigued or excited to think about it.
LBB> What’s one lesson that you learned early on and that stuck with you throughout your career?
Júlia> I’m so blessed to have had people throughout my career who really empowered and supported me from the beginning. I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for them, and their support taught me some of the biggest lessons. The top three would be:
- Give people opportunities.
- Recognise people’s work.
- Call out the potential you see in people, especially the potential they might not even see themselves.
I have gained these insights in retrospect, and am now more mindful of implementing them. Back then, when I was considerably younger and in a rush, I was focused on moving from one challenge to another without allowing for much introspection.
LBB> Talk us through transitioning from the beginning as a music interviewer to your current role as a director of partnerships. How did you find yourself in this role?
Júlia> My career has been built out of relationships, meeting incredible people along the way who brought me into different opportunities. I never focussed too much on an ideal of what I wanted to do, but always followed the opportunities where I saw a lot of potential to learn and grow. After my first job as an interviewer at a radio/TV station in Switzerland, I moved to London and began working at McCann Erickson before starting university. There was a sonic branding agency that used to share the office with us, and that was the first time I was introduced to the world of music for brands. I instantly fell in love. At an office party, I became friends with ‘the music folks’ and asked if I could do an internship with them. I began working and studying at the same time, and eventually moved onto different opportunities that appeared along my path – but maintained relationships with some special people I had met at that agency. Ten years later, those connections led to my current role.
LBB> You’ve worked across the EMEA region in Switzerland, London, Berlin and the Middle East. What has working in each market taught you and how do you achieve a successful, international piece of work?
Júlia> All of these markets have their unique traits and cultures. I must say, the Middle East is my absolute favourite because there is a boldness of vision here which I find refreshing. Overall, when it comes to making an international piece of work, particularly when working within global companies where teams are spread across different locations, breaking down barriers of communication is key to getting the work done.
LBB> We know that you play the guitar, and the keyboard, sing and write music - how does your musical ear benefit you in this role?
Júlia> When you are passionate about music and rely on it to express yourself, it makes it easier to talk about its power and importance to others. That being said, I would answer this question the other way around – it’s the role that’s benefiting my musical ear. I am surrounded by such musically-talented colleagues who inspire me to want to learn more, hone in on my own musical skills, and who encourage me to pursue my personal musical projects. I’m starting a production course at Berklee Abu Dhabi in the fall, which I can’t wait for!
LBB> Can you share some of your favourite campaigns and why they resonate with you?
Júlia> I love the Coca-Cola® ‘Masterpiece’ ad that came out earlier this year. It’s simple but incredibly engaging. It’s such a feast for the eyes, with all of the iconic artwork it references, and it’s beautifully crafted through and through.
I also enjoy the Berlitz ‘German Coastguard’ commercial. I love a good punchline, and I think humour is a powerful tool to connect with people. We need more lightheartedness all around.
LBB> Aside from work, we hear that you are skilled at aerial circus. How did that come about and is it something you still keep up with?
Júlia> It came about quite randomly. About a year ago, I stumbled upon a studio near my house, tried it, and fell in love ‘at first flight’. I definitely still keep up with it – it’s become a bit of a necessity in my life. If I spend more than two days without aerial training, I start itching and looking for things to hang from on the streets… It’s an amazing way to train the body and mind to be more resilient, because you have to constantly push yourself through pain, fear, and assumptions of what your body can achieve. But, it’s always so rewarding when you nail a move you couldn’t do before.
Where I train, it’s also such a beautiful community of strong women (in every way), who really support each other because we have all been through the same journey and challenges. It’s a sport that is not easy for anyone - everyone goes through the bruises, the calluses, the journey to build up strength and flexibility, the blisters, burns and dizziness… so it’s a really shared bonding experience where everyone is really excited to see each other progress because we all know how much hard work and consistency it takes.
LBB> Other than that, are there any other hobbies you dedicate your time to?
Júlia> I’ve just taken up classical ballet, actually, in the hopes of being able to train to go ‘en pointe’ eventually – a bucket list kind of thing. I had thought it was too late for that goal, as I thought to do so you had to be training consistently from a very young age, but I discovered a whole world of adult ballet and learned that it is achievable! So, that’s a fun little passion project I have at the moment. I’ve also taken up running – trying to train for a 10k in the fall, and I enjoy outdoor activities like hiking or going to the desert. One hobby I wish I had more time for is painting, but there are only so many hours in the day and only so many days in a week!
LBB> What’s one thing that you believe is essential to forging a career in music and sound?
Júlia> You’ve got to have that burning heart and passion for music! That’s what’s special about MassiveMusic, we’re all so different but have this shared belief in the power of sound that unites us. If you want to work in the branding side of music, you also have to have a pretty small ego, because it’s about challenging your assumptions, keeping an open mind in how to approach things, and really, servicing a vision and what makes the most sense for a client, rather than pushing your own preference or aesthetic.
