Track & Trace: Tanja Bliek
There’s almost nothing as personal as music. Take one look into someone’s record collection and you immediately know what type of person you’re dealing with. Within the Amp.Amsterdam // The Sonic Branding Company team, music flows through our veins. So what better way to get to know us, than to take a sneak peek into our playlists?
In this edition, we’re talking to Tanja Bliek, senior project manager at Amp.Amsterdam. She’s certain she’s the least (if at all) musical person of the bunch, but enjoys listening to music nevertheless - especially when it comes to musicals. Tanja loves singing along (loudly) to ‘80s hits without shame and appreciates its ability to set the mood, whatever it needs to be.
“I suspect I’m the only person at Amp.Amsterdam without any musical hearing. We had my grandfather’s piano at my parent's house, but this was mostly used as a base for fort-building by my siblings and me since it was the perfect height to attach sheets to. That doesn’t mean I don’t like music: whenever I get home, the first thing I do is play one of my ‘80s hits playlists and sing along. ‘Take On Me’ by A-Ha, ‘You Can Call Me Al’ by Paul Simon, or any of Whitney Houston’s hits: yes, please! These optimistic and catchy tunes everyone knows are sure to create a positive mood and a feeling of togetherness. If I like a song, I can easily replay it repeatedly and focus solely on that single artist’s repertoire for months - as I did with Christina and the Queens and Fleetwood Mac. As such, I’m not actively looking for new artists, and it could take a while for an artist to be featured in my music collection for good.”
“I’m a big musical nerd. Growing up, we went to several musicals with the whole family. The way a story is told through music and dance, combined with the visual aspect, is very special to me. It pulls me right into the story. The melancholic emotion in some musical songs, such as in ‘Memories’ (Cats) brings the message across, even without the lyrics. For that reason, I even went to Miss Saigon twice. There’s a moment in the musical where a helicopter lands on stage, which completely blew my mind as a ten-year-old. That’s a feeling I don’t get at a regular concert or a sporting event.”
“To me, music is a big factor in togetherness and good times. For example, I associate Gloria Estefan with gourmet nights with my sisters and parents, Eros Ramazzotti with sing-a-long family car rides to campsites in France, and Peter Paul & Mary with dinners at my in-laws' house. My music taste is highly influenced by my parents and two-year-old sister Carlijn, who made me appreciate The Beatles, Gloria Estefan, and Westlife. It wasn’t until I went to university that I discovered my musical preferences. I noticed I mostly went to festivals for the vibe rather than the music. Unless there was a Silent Disco with ‘80s or ‘90s hits, of course. In that case: I’m game.”
“I do like going to concerts, though. I went to Kings of Convenience recently and to Elton John’s farewell concert in The Netherlands, which was fantastic. My husband Koen and I have seen Chef’Special perform live on multiple occasions - we’re big fans. At our wedding, I walked down the aisle to ‘Everywhere’ by Fleetwood Mac. That song represents our story together and our unbreakable connection.”
“Originally, I started in the visual world. During my study of media & culture at the University of Amsterdam, I learned what the importance of music in film can be. That’s something I see happening in our studios daily. It’s amazing to see music improve a story. By adding sound to a film, it can suddenly become feel-good, scary, or melancholic. If you remove the sound and rewatch the footage, you realise its impact. We help our clients turn their goals into reality by creating bespoke sound and music, following their wishes. Although I had already learned about the importance of music and sound during my studies, I didn’t fully understand them until I started working at Amp.Amsterdam.”
