Olivia López on Being the Youngest and Most Confident Voice in The Room

Olivia López sees, feels, and translates music across every sensory format. Now creative development manager at MassiveMusic Madrid, her trajectory has been anything but linear. Olivia’s roots may be in film photography and agency-side creativity, but her present role bridges global music strategy with local insight – a juxtaposition she draws experience from. Today, she’s built a career on embracing the in-between spaces, the overlooked, and the ‘what ifs’.

At MassiveMusic, Olivia is redefining what ‘musical identity’ means for Spanish brands, amalgamating her global mindset and local ears. But it’s her collaborative spirit and infectious curiosity that sets her apart. From crafting immersive podcast episodes that borrow from cinema, to challenging young creatives to own their voices in rooms full of industry veterans, Olivia moves with intention.

Naturally, recognition came early – by 24, she was sitting on juries at Cannes Lions and Ciclope. She called it “a three-day MBA.” But, it’s recognising creative vulnerability and being prepared to play both “the hands that create” and “the bridge that supports” that show Olivia’s true creative range. And outside the studio, this range is even larger; she’s making dumplings, solving crosswords, and poking tattoos – creative obsessions adjacent to any gen z-er.

Today, LBB’s Zoe Antonov speaks to Olivia to find out more about her inspirations and hear what she has to say to young creatives globally.

LBB> You began your career in creativity and film photography. How did those early experiences shape your approach to music production today?

Olivia> I’ve learnt to appreciate how important a holistic view of the creative process is when working. At first, I felt more akin to the phrase ‘jack of all trades, master of none’, but over time, this approach has allowed me to have intel on all the different sides of the production process, providing experience-based insights, with respect to everyone involved.

LBB> What was the biggest shift for you when transitioning from working at creative agencies to leading in the world of music production for advertising?

Olivia> It all comes down to being the hands that create versus being a bridge for creativity. I’ve always been very protective of my creativity, and being in charge of the creative assets meant the world to me. After shifting to a more bridge-like position, my creative side has found some relief and only surfaces when needed, allowing me to encourage others to shine through the work.

LBB> MassiveMusic has a global presence. What’s been your main focus in building its identity within the Spanish market?

Olivia> Spain is now ready to take a more global look at things. Many brands have global teams that lead the strategy of campaigns across all markets, so why shouldn’t this happen with the music side too? A globally powerful team like the one at MassiveMusic is fully equipped to take on anything tailored to the Spanish market, and to act as a liaison between global brands and the Spanish market.

LBB> You were named to international juries like Cannes Lions and Ciclope before you were 24, that’s an incredible achievement! What did that recognition mean to you at such a young age?

Olivia> It felt like a three-day MBA. Spending so much time with such experienced professionals left a lasting impression – personally and professionally – in ways I never expected. It was nice being in a room where people had so many different perspectives, backgrounds, and opinions.

LBB> What advice would you give to young creatives aiming to break into leadership roles in the music and advertising industry?

Olivia> It’s not only OK to be the youngest in the room, it’s actually a great asset to benefit from as the youngest. Back in 2022, during the first jury session at Cannes, the president of the jury approached me after noticing that I was confident with expressing my thoughts without hesitation. She said something to me that completely changed my perspective on being the youngest, “You are the only one who’s part of the target for most of the campaigns we’re judging here, your opinion is the most important in this room. Own it.”

Most of the time, especially when starting your career, the impostor syndrome will take over and make you doubt your ideas and opinions, but that youth is something inherent that can be very useful for creative processes, and when used correctly, can be your greatest asset to grow from.

LBB> Tell us about your creative process behind the transmedia expansion of Gabinete de Curiosidades. How did you approach bringing audio storytelling to life in new formats?

Olivia> The podcast industry felt really saturated when we started working on this project; every podcast followed the same structure and was relying mainly on conversational formats. Nuria Pérez’s idea (creator, writer, and voice of the podcast) was to take it a step further, into something Ira Glass would listen to, and our job as her team was just helping her with new, out of the box ideas that would normally live in other formats.

The choose-your-own adventure episode came from a ‘Can we do this? How do we do this?’ type of conversation. We found a platform that allowed us to create an interactive video format, and made it happen. The success of this project was getting people in the room who would not give up trying to turn our vision into reality.

LBB> How do you maintain that very important personal connection to music while working in a commercial context?

Olivia> My family has always been pretty musical – my grandma taught me how to play guitar before the age of five, my parents supported me when I wanted to learn how to play piano when I turned six, and the way we told our loved ones my youngest sister was coming to our family was through a song my brother and I wrote and performed.

It’s an honour to work with music on a daily basis. When I was a kid and dreamt of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, the work I do today was not a career path I knew existed. However, I’m happy to be doing what I do every day.

LBB> How do you stay creatively inspired outside of work? What fuels your imagination?

Olivia> I love words and I’m a big fan of the New York Times crossword puzzles. My partner and I do the Monday puzzle together every week, and it’s such a brain-scratching activity. It requires thinking laterally and searching for answers in the back of our minds, which is something we enjoy doing together.

Also, like the queer gen z that I am, I’ve tried every creative hobby on earth, from weekly visits to the movies to stick-and-poke tattooing, which is my latest micro-obsession. So, if you want a tattoo, reach out!

LBB> How does your passion for food connect to your creativity in other areas?

Olivia> Cooking is something I enjoy doing as an act of service for the people I love around me, making them feel at home and filled with delicious food. I love the feeling of friends and loved ones gathered around a table enjoying a homemade meal. However, cooking also entails working with our hands, paying attention to the smallest details, and being focused on something that isn’t a screen for a long time. It’s a meditative act of self care I enjoy, from the simplicity of boiling an egg to the intricacies of preparing an elaborate 45-step recipe.