Thinking In Sound: Why Music Is So Subjective with Alicia Leinot

Alicia Leinot is a music supervisor for Big Sync Music, she splits her time between Paris and London working primarily on the music for commercials with agencies and brands such as Magnum, Axe, Dove, Marmite, Google, Prada, L’Oreal, Coty, etc.

LBB> When you’re working on a new brief or project, what’s your typical starting point? How do you break it down and how do you like to generate your ideas or response?

Alicia> Usually, I get a brief from my client and ask for some musical references to gain a better understanding of what they are looking for. After a first search, I follow this up with a call to discuss the team’s feedback and preferred options. Music is so subjective and good communication is very important to establish what feeling they want to achieve with the chosen track or composition. It’s a collaborative process where essentially, you’re trying to translate their ideas and ambitions into music.

LBB> Music and sound are in some ways the most collaborative and interactive forms of creativity - what are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer to work solo or with a gang - and what are some of your most memorable professional collaborations?

Alicia> Although collaboration is essential with the client and creative team, I tend to work alone on most of my projects, occasionally involving the rest of the team to brainstorm creative ideas. This can be a valuable part of the process as it helps you consider different approaches and can sometimes lead to wildcard ideas that inspire you to explore options you would otherwise never have thought of. I’ve worked on many original compositions and a couple of re-records, and I always really enjoyed this collaboration with composers, artists, and producers.

LBB> What’s the most satisfying part of your job and why?

Alicia> We sometimes work on projects over the span of many months, and it is extremely satisfying to watch it come to life with creatives, producers, and a happy client at the end of it! It also makes me really happy when artists and producers get decent fees through sync that can in turn support their music careers and sustain personal projects. Being the link between the creativity and the work that sustains it!

LBB> As the advertising industry changes, how do you think the role of music and sound is changing with it?

Alicia> I’m not sure the sound of advertising is changing that much - it’s a bit like fashion where I see music trends come and go in recurring cycles. We see Social Platforms accounting for a huge amount of trends at the moment, and brands are attentive to this and the stats they can generate, but on the other hand we still have a strong demand for legacy tracks, covers, re-recording etc.

LBB> Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?

Alicia> Growing up I was extremely influenced by the Motown and the Soul/R&B from the '60s/early '70s. I’ve listened to my dad’s Marvin Gaye album hundreds of times, as well as Nina Simone, Etta James or Diana Ross amongst many others.. They were all massive pillars in my musical education. It’s such a timeless sound that I tend to go back to these influences, they still form the foundations of music even nowadays.

LBB> And when it comes to your particular field, whether sound design or composing, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?

Alicia> Björk is definitely one of them.

LBB> When you’re working on something that isn’t directly sound design or music (lets say going through client briefs or answering emails) - are you the sort of person who needs music and noise in the background or is that completely distracting to you? What are your thoughts on ‘background’ sound and music as you work?

Alicia> In general, I love to have music in the background. Online radios such as NTS, Rinse, mixes on Soundcloud or listen to new releases sent my way by labels and publishers.

LBB> On a typical day, what does your ‘listening diet’ look like?

Alicia> It really depends. I start my day with a shower playlist that I’ve had for the past 15 years - proper pop bangers that I still can’t shower without. Then it depends whether I’m working from home or going into the office, if it’s the latter and I need to take the metro I will set the mood Rage Against the Machine or Sade (you get the idea) The rest of the day will depend on my workload and whether I’m reviewing creative pitches or having more of an admin day where I can listen to some recent releases and discover new music.

LBB> Do you have a collection of music/sounds and what shape does it take (are you a vinyl nerd, do you have hard drives full of random bird sounds, are you a hyper-organised spotify-er…)?

Alicia> I do own a few vinyls at home, and a bit of an unpopular opinion.. still a bunch of CDs! (I love them) I also have many, many Spotify playlists that I’ve created over the years that are organised by mood or genre, some with over 1000 songs in them..

LBB> Outside of the music and sound world, what sort of art or topics really excite you and do you ever relate that back to music (e.g. history buffs who love music that can help you travel through time, gamers who love interactive sound design… I mean it really could be anything!!)

Alicia> I’m very passionate about ugly renaissance babies but I’m not sure I can link them back to music, although it would be quite interesting to do a track search for some curated paintings. I also really enjoy cooking and tend to listen to music that originates from the same country as the dish that I’m making - I found some amazing Peruvian gems last time we made ceviche!

LBB> Let’s talk travel! It’s often cited as one of the most creatively inspiring things you can do - I’d love to know what are the most exciting or inspiring experiences you’ve had when it comes to sound and music on your travels?

Alicia> I lived in Berlin for 10 years so the techno and electronic music scene was a huge inspiration over the years, but before that it was probably Spanish music. I lived in Barcelona for a few months when I was younger and was blown away with the intensity of Flamenco music, which later led me to Latin Music.

LBB> As we age, our ears change physically and our tastes evolve too, and life changes mean we don’t get to engage in our passions in the same intensity as in our youth - how has your relationship with sound and music changed over the years?

Alicia> My relationship with music has evolved so much over the years, in the sense that it has grown to include more styles and genres that only fuel my curiosity even further.

When I was younger, I used to be that person who would listen to an album a hundred times and obsess over a specific artist or genre trying to learn everything about it. Now I’m much more openminded, curious, and can listen to a blend of styles at the same time with less intensity but just as much passion.