‘Music is meant to enhance the story not take away from it’

Music Kaline Music, the composer behind the AMVCA 2024 Best Film, Breath of Life, is quickly making her mark in Nollywood, showcasing her talent and masterful attention to detail.

Pulse Nigeria had the pleasure of sitting down with this talented composer to discuss her journey, her creative process, and her impressive repertoire, which already includes acclaimed works like the web series Men’s Club and King Woman, as well as feature films such as Wedding Party 2, Flower Girl, Eyimofe, and Royal Hibiscus Hotel. But it’s her work on Breath of Life that has catapulted her into the spotlight, where she not only wrote the theme sound but also composed the score and curated the soundtrack. 

During our conversation, it became clear that her passion for music and storytelling is the driving force behind her success. She shared insights into her creative journey, the challenges of composing for different genres, and how she brought Breath of Life to life through its soundscape.

Can you walk us through your process of composing music for a film?

Every production is different, directors are very different. The process is different based on the client you are working with. But in general, you get to have a sit-down session with the director and get to talk about his/her vision and what they want their sound world to sound like in the film. If they do have an idea, that’s amazing for a composer because they can sort of give you references. A lot of the time, it becomes difficult to interpret what the director wants when they aren’t even sure how to describe it. So with the reference, we have the spotting session where we watch the film entirely to figure out where the music should be. We talk about character themes, instrumentation and then I put together a temporary score just to give an idea of what the music would sound like. Then after that, we start scoring. I give the director the chance to hear the music as often as possible throughout the process. 

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What was the most challenging aspect of composing music for film and how long does it take?

In this part of the country, post-production is often rushed but nonetheless, we work with their time. You don’t want to be the reason someone’s film didn’t get submitted at a festival. The most important thing for me is for the director to know what they want because then you don’t suffer the back and forth. So, I deliver as quickly as possible.  

What do you think makes a film soundtrack memorable or iconic?

When you can match the emotion you feel on screen to the sound or lyrics of the song. If you can find ways to use the lyrics of a song to explain in more depth what is not said in the dialogue, it takes it to a whole new level. For the score, my professor always says that if people don’t remember the music, then you’ve done a phenomenal job. And what he means by that is, as a composer, you’re not supposed to be taking the glory, you’re supposed to be telling the story or enhancing the storyline through the music. The music shouldn’t take away from the story, It is supposed to work together. 

What is your proudest moment in terms of your musical contribution to film?

It definitely has to be Breath of Life, because it won best film. That’s such a huge achievement for me.

Winning the AMVCA for Best Soundtrack is a huge achievement. What does this recognition mean to you?

It’s just wonderful to know that people appreciate good stories. When I read the script, it was incredible. Because that father-son dynamic is rarely talked about. Also, the fact that when I made a fuss about the omission of the music composer category for the AMVCA, they actually listened. That gave me so much pride; to know that if you speak about something, something can be done. And to also encourage other composers to know that if they continue, they will get recognition and the industry will also change. It will make the industry get better and other composers will know that there’s actually a chance for us to be seen and heard and there will be a better budget created to accommodate high-end scoring. 

What are your goals for the future, and are there any upcoming projects we should look forward to?

I’d love to work on a horror film. I would love to work with Kunle Afolayan, Disney, and Marvel. 100%, my dream is to work with these big productions.

What advice would you give to aspiring sound designers and music composers?

Create your own opportunities. I did that with film. I also did that with performing until I started having other opportunities. How I got Breath of Life was that I was just constantly creating and a film director saw me. I created opportunities for myself by putting my own show together, collaborating and inviting my own community. That’s how I got called for other gigs. As regards film, that would mean creating music and putting it online. I have gotten opportunities with other films and I’m getting better every day.