From Rock Roots to Industry Innovation: Joey Serlin on Leading Vapor Music’s Creative Evolution
Joey Serlin’s journey is a testament to the power of creative evolution. As the president and executive creative director of Vapor Music, Joey harnesses his upbringing in Winnipeg and his rock band roots – originally honed with The Watchmen – to drive innovation and artistic excellence in Toronto’s competitive commercial space. His unique transition from a dynamic touring musician to a visionary leader in the competitive industry of post audio and production music highlights a seamless blend of artistic passion and strategic acumen.
In conversation with LBB, Joey shares insights into how his early experiences shaped his approach to commercial music, the challenges and triumphs of leading Vapor Music for almost two decades, and his vision for the future of the industry. LBB’s April Summers delves into the story behind Vapor Music’s standout projects, the strategic risks that paid off, and what’s next for this creative powerhouse.
LBB> Let’s go back to the start! How did your upbringing and early experiences in Winnipeg influence your creative voice and passions? Can you share how elements from that environment have permeated your work in both The Watchmen and your role at Vapor Music?
Joey> I believe that while Winnipeg has a vibrant arts scene, the geographical isolation gives you some valuable space to find your own creative voice. The music industry isn’t in your neighbourhood, telling you what you need to do to succeed, so you figure it out on your own. This lends itself to unique artistic expression. The city and the people influenced me as a songwriter, giving The Watchmen a bit of a gritty edge. As a result, we are fortunate enough to have a devoted fan base that relates to us lyrically, spiritually, and has supported us for many years.
LBB> How did your music career influence and shape your approach to commercial music production and your role as president and creative director of Vapor Music?
Joey> Touring, particularly as we did independently in the early days, is a real grind. It quickly weeds out those that don’t have the work ethic and hardcore drive to keep pushing. The same can be said for post audio, in that it is highly competitive and you can’t let up in your desire to be the best. We look for this mindset from every member of our team.
LBB> Transitioning from a band environment to leading a production company involves balancing artistic vision with business demands. How did you navigate this shift, and what strategies did you employ to ensure that both creativity and commercial success were achieved at Vapor Music?
Joey> I’ve always been fortunate to be able to tap into both sides of my brain. While I am a passionate songwriter and musician, I also have a business background and took care of all the business aspects for my band. I learned how to run a business from a young age and have always had a “take charge” mentality. You also need to have the confidence to take risks. Parallels can be drawn between having the courage to attempt to have a career in music and starting a company. The safer route would have been for me to stay in university and get a job somewhere – that wasn’t for me.
LBB> Vapor Music has gained a reputation for its unconventional ideas and attention to detail. Can you discuss a project where your creative vision or a risk you took was instrumental in achieving standout results?
Joey> I have to be honest, in my time in the advertising industry, I’ve watched a shift away from taking risks. There is a lot of risk aversion, in fact, which I understand in this environment of industry contraction. I have four kids and can relate to the need for job security. Fortunately, there are still creatives out there fighting to push the boundaries. When you are fortunate enough to be a part of a special creative project that allows for taking chances, you need to be ready to make the most of the opportunity.
LBB> The acquisition of RMW Music in 2016 was a significant milestone for Vapor Music. How did this merger impact the company's creative direction and operational approach? Were there any unexpected challenges or opportunities that arose from this expansion?
Joey> The opportunity to acquire RMW was a pivotal time for Lindsey (managing partner, Vapor Music) and I. We had to ask ourselves if we were content with where we were, which was creatively satisfying and profitable, or take a chance on becoming one of the largest post audio firms in Canada. Once again, the stomach to take chances comes into play. I am very grateful that we made the right decision. The biggest challenge was in the assimilation of cultures, which I think is fairly standard. The biggest opportunity was having access to more incredibly talented people and making them part of the team.
LBB> Your work on projects like ‘Lily and the Snowman’ and the Dove ‘Evolution’ campaign received international acclaim. What strategies do you use to ensure that your projects resonate emotionally with audiences while also meeting the objectives of your clients?
Joey> We try to avoid the expected or easy way out. Regarding music, we are highly collaborative and want to help creatives execute their vision and follow the brief, but we also strive to find an outside of the box approach. The same applies to sound design. It’s easy to rely on an SFX library and deliver the expected, but we have a team of sound designers that pride themselves on bespoke and proprietary sound creation. This was the case for Dove ‘Evolution’, where Andrew Harris (now Vapor Music Vancouver CD) took the entirety of the location sound from the shoot and time compressed it to 30 seconds, and then edited the audio.
LBB> Given your extensive experience with both live performance and commercial projects, how do you approach the challenge of creating music that connects with audiences on a deep emotional level, whether for a live audience or in a commercial setting?
Joey> Whether working with the band, or with Vapor, the common thread is listening to my gut instincts. I have the confidence to know if something feels right or wrong. There are many commonalities between the two worlds I live in. For example, when I am directing a voice actor, I treat it like producing a singer. Does the cadence feel right? Does it connect and feel genuine? The same can be said for the music. In both worlds, the music needs to make the listener or viewer feel something and elevate the emotional response.
On a recent Christmas campaign for OLG, the task was to secure a sync license and create a new master of a popular song. We looked at an endless number of songs. I finally put my hand up and said that nothing is working because our approach is wrong. These spots are like short films and we need to create an original score. Fortunately, the creative team felt the same way. We composed an underscore and brought in a string quartet and vocalists. The end result was fantastic.
LBB> Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians and producers who are looking to make a similar transition from performing to working in commercial music production?
Joey> I’ve watched some of my peers from the music industry successfully transition into commercial production. I think the ones that have done so, share a survival mindset. Making a living as a musician is a difficult life and requires a ton of drive, patience, and work ethic. You typically have to be prepared to put in the time and pay your dues. It’s the individuals that try to enter the business with a sense of entitlement that don’t survive. You have to have a thick skin, never turn down a gig, never deliver late, and always be available for revisions.
LBB>Looking to the future, are there any upcoming projects or new directions for Vapor Music that you’re particularly excited about? How do you envision the future of the commercial music industry, and what role do you hope to play in its evolution?
Joey> I’m very excited about the launch of our new long format company ‘Long Division’. We are working on a number of fantastic animated series, as well as some fantastic live action productions. Our team loves having the opportunity to work with a wide range of talented directors and producers.
On the advertising side of things, we also have some exciting projects queued up for this fall.
We are also getting ready to launch our Vapor Music library, which we have been developing for quite some time. Our library has been a fantastic internal tool but we are about to take it client facing.
I do think that commercial production is at a crossroads, at least from an audio perspective. We are waiting to see how the legalities of music and audio copyright infringement gets sorted from an AI perspective. It is a massive thing to get figured out but I’ve learned that you can’t fear or fight change. You need to embrace it and figure out how to make it work for you. If you don’t, you will get left behind.
