Congratulations on your HMMA nomination for Sean the Baby! Can you take us back to the beginning of that project? What was the “sonic heart” of the score, and how did you approach capturing that specific emotional world?

Thank you very much, that is very kind of you. Sean the Baby is one of the projects I am most proud of. I co-composed the score and several songs with Cameron Adams, and our director, Jee Suk Kim, truly gave us the freedom to shape the musical world of Sean in a very organic way.

Cameron and I quickly gravitated toward an orchestral pop language, blending the warmth of a string orchestra with a small woodwind section and touches of brass, all anchored in a cinematic pop sensibility. “Sean Is Three” leans more toward a theatrical style, especially through the back-and-forth between the parents and the more incisive lyric writing, while Sean’s lullaby was written as a true pop lullaby, with a clear and structured harmonic progression.

What made this process especially meaningful was working closely with Cameron to capture exactly what Jee was envisioning. This project was a gift to his son and his family, and being able to bring a sense of musical magic into something so personal was one of the greatest honors of my life.

You’re currently diving into the world of video games with your upcoming project, Unchained: Tale of Enra. How does your creative process shift when scoring for an interactive medium compared to a linear film or series?

I wrote the score for Unchained about a year ago with what felt like complete creative freedom, which I believe is every composer’s dream, regardless of the medium.  When working on Will Alvarez’s project, my goal was to encapsulate the sound of an entire world. Writing for a game is fundamentally different from film or television. In linear media, you move from point A to point Z, whereas in a game, the experience is much more circular. Music needs to loop seamlessly, evolve naturally, and transition fluidly depending on the player’s journey.

On Unchained, I truly felt like I was bringing my own color to the painting. In contrast, when working on films, my role is to serve very precisely what the director and producers are envisioning. Both approaches are incredibly fulfilling, but this project allowed me to explore a more personal and expansive musical voice.

What has been the most exciting or perhaps most challenging aspect of building the soundscape for Unchained?

I had the opportunity to record the score live here in Los Angeles with six incredible musicians, all string players. Most of the score features them, alongside vocals that I recorded, piano, percussion, and synth textures.

One of the main challenges was that I did not want the score to sound like a traditional adventure video game score. I wanted to create a sound that truly belonged to Unchained. To do that, I had to connect deeply with the characters and build a sound palette that instinctively represents the world itself. What do the trees of the forest sound like? How does the temple resonate? What does the central conflict at the Chain feel like musically?

I strongly believe that when crafting a soundscape, the goal is not just to create sound, but to build the entire sonic identity of a world.

What have been some of the highlights of your career so far? 

I feel incredibly lucky to say that I have had many meaningful moments already. Being nominated with Cameron for an HMMA Award for Best Song was surreal. Seeing the projects I have worked on reach festivals and being able to support directors who pour their hearts into their work has been one of the most exciting parts of my career. There is something very special about watching your music come to life alongside their vision.

Through my work with Peter Rotter, I have learned more than I ever imagined, and I am deeply grateful for that opportunity. It is something I will never take for granted. I have also had the chance to meet and speak about our industry with some of my heroes, including Alexandre Desplat, Ariana Grande, and many others, which has been incredibly inspiring.

Co-founding the California Post Alliance with such passionate and talented individuals has also been one of the great honors of my life. Being commissioned to write for musicians I deeply admire, like Alyssa Park, has been equally meaningful and something I hope to continue doing for many years.

I feel very fortunate to be part of such a supportive and inspiring community. Learning from artists like Jasper Randall and Ben Parry, especially on the vocal side, has been truly invaluable. I could go on and on about the people and experiences that have shaped me, and I carry a deep sense of gratitude for all of it.

Looking ahead, what are you most eager to explore in your music? Are there specific instruments, technologies, or genres you’re itching to experiment with next?

At my core, I am a vocalist who dreams of making the orchestra sing, and I believe I want to dedicate my career to that idea.

I love blending genres, bringing elements of jazz into classical scores, and combining textural sounds with more traditional orchestration. I tend to follow what feels right instinctively, even if it means changing direction later on. That sense of exploration is essential to me.

I also believe there is something powerful in failure. It often leads me to the most honest and meaningful music I create.

So ultimately, my goal is to keep exploring who I am as an artist, and to let that evolution be reflected in my music.

What is one piece of advice or a “lesson learned” from your recent successes that you’d want to share?

Never take any opportunity for granted. Always take a “no” as a “not yet,” and do not let the realities of our industry bring you down.

One thing I have learned is that nobody can do what you do in the same way. There is space for everyone, you just must find your place and grow into what feels right for you.

I am also very aware of how long and rare it is to “make it,” but my definition of success is rooted in something deeper. It comes from the musical legacy I grew up with as a young girl in a French conservatory. I want to leave behind something that enriches both the musical and cinematic worlds.

If I could give one piece of advice, it would be this: believe in your intuition.

What is your dream project? 

I would absolutely love to work on a period drama feature. Projects like Pride and Prejudice directed by Joe Wright or Sense and Sensibility directed by Ang Lee are incredibly inspiring to me. On the other end of the spectrum, I am also very drawn to movie musicals like La La Land or Sinners.

I have a deep love for cinematography in both film and television, and that visual language inspires my music in a very direct way. Series like Succession or Bridgerton are very different from one another, yet both are stunningly beautiful in their own ways.

I am also a dreamer, so I have many personal goals I hope to bring to life. I would love to write a musical, complete some of the concert works I have started, such as concertos, and release my debut EP. There are always so many ideas I want to explore.

Interview by Nami Melumad 

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