Composer Spotlight: Danilo Stankovic

Composer Spotlight: Danilo Stankovic

August 30, 2022

Perspectives

Music galvanizes both users and brands on TikTok, thanks to its culture of participation and co-creation. For many brands, TikTok's badgedSound Partnersare a key way to harness the power of sound and connect with the TikTok community. One sound partner isScore a Score,a Cannes Lion-winning music company specializing in custom music production and connecting brands with the perfect sound collaborators.

One of Score a Score's signed composers, Danilo Stankovic (@danilostankovicmusic)is a Vienna-based composer whose passion and drive are drawn from his curiosity and love for music in all its forms. Danilo is formally trained as a classical pianist and composer, but his music can be heard in TikTok videos and ads, short films, radio and TV ads, movie trailers, TV shows, digital campaigns and arrangements for vocal artists.

If you spend any time on TikTok, you will likely recognize his music from your For You page, notably his compositionPieces,which has been used in over 3.5 million TikTok videos to date.

It goes without saying that Danilo is well-versed in the art of creating TikTok-first music. We spoke with him to learn more about his experience as a music creator, his process for creating custom sounds, his advice for others, and what it's like to write a trending track—providing an intimate view of what it takes to spotlight a genre and make great music for TikTok.

My music journey started at an early age as I started playing the piano by ear when I was about four or five years old. I would usually play things I'd heard on the radio, and since my older brother was learning piano at music school, I would also play his piano exercises by ear. At age six, I was accepted into the same music school where I dove into classical music and music theory, playing piano and taking trumpet lessons. From there, my interest in music took off, and eventually I went on to pursue a career in film scoring.

It was a surprise for me that it went viral very quickly. I couldn’t believe that it had reached so many people around the globe. Not to forget that part of the success is thanks to the people who used the music in their TikTok videos, sharing their stories. I am very grateful for that.

“Pieces” was initially composed for an image film, a project that I was working on a couple of years before it appeared on TikTok. The idea was to create a minimal piece that told a story; as the film had no voiceover, the music needed to convey a lot of meaning. Once it was released on TikTok, it was interesting to see how the same music worked well for so many different stories, and that so many were inspired to use it as a soundtrack for sharing their special moments. One of the most touching videos that I still remember going viral was by @camifrobabe, showing a toddler saying goodbye to her grandfather. That video has reached over 77 million views and I think it is still holds the record as the most viewed video that uses “Pieces” on TikTok.

Through the success of “Pieces” I have received a lot of positive feedback from the TikTok community which I am very thankful for. Some people reached out to me saying that they just started to play piano for the first time because of “Pieces” and some are getting back to practice piano again. For some people, it reminds them of their childhood or helps them get through a difficult time. For example, one user told me, "I feel like I've been listening to this melody my whole life. It's comforting".

The response to this piece definitely inspired me to branch out from orchestral film scores and write more music for piano. For example, my most recent EP release was a series of piano compositions inspired by the TikTok community. As a composer, I am very happy that a classical piano piece found a place on the TikTok platform.

On the top of the list is definitely the “Pieces” release on TikTok. A more recent one was a track called “Perplexus,” written for a Trailer Music Mixtape for Score a Score. I wanted to write a piece with a very minimal idea that evolves into a more complex and dramatic piece, using mainly string instruments. It was inspired by great masters like Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi but modernized into a film trailer style. It has since made appearances in trailers for major films and television programs.

It’s always an exciting process as every project is different. I always try to find something unique, some idea that will match to the brand or project, and then “paint” it with my own musical language.

From a professional perspective, working with the great team at Score a Score simplifies the process as well as giving me the opportunity to work with brands around the world. It’s a great way to collaborate with amazing and creative people who share knowledge and passion in music. It's also important to find the best solution and fulfill the brand’s vision, and this is where good teamwork comes into play.

Follow your passion and don’t be afraid to try something new as there are no limits to being creative. Get the music out there and see what other people think. Using platforms like TikTok is a great way to build a community and to find people who are passionate about music.

For music creators like Danilo, TikTok is a place where they can naturally thrive, share their passions, and connect with millions of people through not only their completed works, but also their composition process. Through Sound Partners like Score a Score, brands have the ability to partner with the platform's top music creators and collaborate on custom tracks, creating a powerful opportunity to reach, connect and co-create with new audiences.

👉 If you are interested in working with Danilo or learning more about Score a Score,you can reach out through the TikTok Marketing Partners site.