Getting to Know… Monster Music

Monster Music is a boutique powerhouse for high-end music production, sound design, and sonic branding. Founded in 2010 by producer and composer Roy Shen Zoor, Monster Music was created with one driving force: to craft music so powerful and precise that it turns every film into an experience and amplifies the emotion of every frame that matters.

Monster Music operates globally with studios in New York, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, and Thailand, producing original compositions, sound design, orchestral recordings, artist-driven tracks, as well as music clearance and licensing for some of the world’s most exciting campaigns.

Every project receives the attention, precision, and creative care it deserves. No templates, no shortcuts, no generic cues – just honest collaboration and world-class music made by real artists.

Over the past decade, Monster Music has shaped the sound of global campaigns for brands including Jaguar, BMW, Bentley, L’Oréal Paris, Audi, Volkswagen, Cadillac, Nissan, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Sprite, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Butterball,Citi Bank and many leading fashion and luxury houses. Their strength lies in deeply understanding the brief, reading the emotional architecture of the film, and composing authentic music that becomes part of a brand’s identity.

Paula Valstein, composer and partner at Monster Music, sat down with LBB to look back on 15 years of Monster Music, from large orchestral recordings such as the 64 piece Prague session to intimate emotional scores.

LBB> Tell us a bit about Monster Music – when did you form and why?

Paula> Monster Music was born in 2010 out of a deep love for storytelling through sound. From the start, our mission has been to create tailor-made music and sound design that truly elevates the film on an emotional and creative level.

Over the past 15 years we have grown into a global boutique studio specialising in original compositions, analogue synth and electronic music production, and high end sound design for commercials, TV series, films, and major brand moments.

We have helped craft advertising campaigns for brands including Jaguar, BMW, Bentley, L'Oréal Paris, Audi, Volkswagen, Samsung, Cadillac, Nissan, Coca Cola, Carlsberg, Sprite, American Airlines, Citi Bank, and many leading fashion brands. Our strength is understanding the creative brief and delivering authentic, top quality music for film, as well as sonic branding that becomes part of the brand’s DNA.

Today Monster Music operates across the US, Europe, and Asia, collaborating with leading agencies, filmmakers, and global brands. We are also proud to welcome Koby Hass as our new head of creative business in New York, expanding our partnerships across NY and LA.

At the same time we have opened a new Monster Music studio in the beach jungle of Koh Phangan, Thailand, a long time dream come true. The new studio allows us to work more closely with clients in the US, Europe, China, Singapore, Japan, and the entire region while maintaining the same high standards we are known for.

From large orchestral recordings such as the 64 piece Prague session for L’Oréal Paris Men Expert to intimate emotional scores, analogue synth textures, and modern electronic sound design, Monster Music continues to push forward with passion, precision, and a deep love for the craft.

LBB> What’s the story behind your name?

Paula> ‘Monster’ started as an inside joke between friends, it was our way of describing anything bold, badass, unforgettable, and beautifully over-the-top. The kind of track that gives you goosebumps and sticks in your head. Eventually, we realised that’s exactly what we were trying to create with our music. So the name stuck. Monster Music isn’t about volume – it’s about presence.

LBB> Tell us about a few campaigns that epitomise what you do as a company.

Paula> OYSHO – Worldwide campaign. Directed by Hans Emanuel, this global fashion film needed a score that would make the dancers move and flow – something raw, stylish, and full of energy. Monster Music crafted a gritty, elegant beat that fused electronic textures with bold percussion and melodic instrument lines echoing the vocal hooks. The result was cinematic, physical, and unapologetically bold.

The music didn’t just follow the movement, it powered it.

Stardust Audio – Global launch campaign. Monster Music composed the original music and crafted the full sound design for Stardust Audio’s global launch campaign, an AI-driven film directed by Tamir Avidor. As Stardust Audio announced its worldwide platform release, redefining how agencies, filmmakers, and brands find and license music, our score and sound design were created to mirror that innovation. Blending emotional musicality with bold, modern sonic textures, we helped bring the film’s vision to life and amplify the power of a platform where creative teams can discover and license the perfect exclusive track in seconds.

L'OREAL Paris – Men Exper t– with 64-Piece Orchestra. For this campaign, Monster Music recorded a 64-piece orchestra in Prague, bringing our own creative twist to the iconic “agent” vibe. It was an incredible experience collaborating with the Prague Film Orchestra, combining the power of a full cinematic ensemble with a live band feel to deliver a bold, modern interpretation that elevated the entire film.

Madrid Turismo – Global Campaign. For this tourism film, we composed an original piece that captured the passion, rhythm, and rich cultural soul of Madrid. By fusing beautiful beats and layered elements with a fresh, contemporary sonic landscape, Monster Music gave the city a signature sound that resonated far beyond the screen.

Bentley GT – ‘You can count on me’. For this luxurious and cinematic piece for Bentley Motors (agency: Keko London), we composed and produced an original song titled ‘Count on Me’. The challenge was to create something that felt both classic and forward-thinking-sophisticated, but with a modern soul. The result was a rich blend of live and synths instrumentation, powerful vocals, and emotional dynamics that elevated the film into a full sensory tech experience.

LBB> Tell us something fun about your company.

Paula> Earlier this year, we worked on a LEGO campaign with the amazing director Hans Emanuel, shot in vibrant Bangkok. After the shoot wrapped, Hans and some of the crew hopped over to visit our new Monster Music studio in the beach-jungle paradise of Koh Phangan. Cue a wild tropical storm, and suddenly we were all stuck together, making music, trading ideas, and drinking the world’s best margaritas and coconut shakes. It turned into one of the most unexpected, joyful jam sessions we’ve ever had. That’s the Monster spirit: a little chaos, a lot of creativity, and always good vibes.

LBB> What are your strongest opinions about your industry?

Paula> We believe music is still too often treated as an afterthought in filmmaking and advertising, and that’s a missed opportunity. Music isn’t just an accessory, it’s a story fire engine. It has the power to completely shift perception, tone, and emotional direction.

At Monster Music, we’re convinced that custom, tailor-made tracks bring unmatched value and emotional resonance. Music deserves to be in the room from day one, not the last thing added. If you do your music research early and get everyone aligned creatively before jumping into composition, it becomes much easier to hit that sweet spot – and when you do, the music doesn’t just support the campaign, it elevates the entire film in the most powerful way possible.

LBB> What are you proudest of as a company?

Paula> That we’ve kept our creative fire and soul. Even as we’ve grown and collaborated with major global clients, Monster Music has stayed fiercely independent, curious, and committed to originality. We’re proud of the trust our partners place in us and of the long standing creative relationships we’ve nurtured across the world. We’ve built a team of composers, producers, and artists who truly love what they do, and that passion drives every note.

We also worked incredibly hard to reach a point in the industry where, when people need something one-of-a-kind, a special piece of music that carries a spark no one else can produce - they call us. Because they know we will always deliver that magical quantum particle they’ve been searching for. It’s never one person, it’s always a true collaboration between the director, the agency’s creative team, and our artists to find that perfect emotional sweet spot.

On top of that, we’ve built a global network in New York, LA, Amsterdam, and Paris, working with some of the most talented singers and top-tier musicians in the industry. Depending on the idea and the brief, we record live performances that bring each project to life in a unique, powerful way. That’s how our sound stays original and tailor-made - and why the brands we work with stand out through the musical identity of their campaigns.

LBB> What are some upcoming projects our readers should keep an eye on?

Paula> We’re wrapping up a French TV series called ‘Menace Imminente’ (‘State of Alert’) that Roy Shen Zoor wrote the music for. Directed by Dan Sahar and starring Patrick Bruel, set to premiere soon on TF1, it’s a suspenseful, dramatic espionage series with a layered, character-driven score we’re truly proud of. We also have several high-end commercial campaigns launching this fall across US, Europe and Asia.

Behind the scenes, for the past two years, Roy Shen Zoor, founder of Monster Music, has been developing something special. This September, we launched Stardust Audio, a premium exclusive music platform built for professional filmmakers, advertising agencies, editors, and creatives. It features 100% exclusive, human-made tracks – curated and composed by top-tier talent – combined with powerful AI-driven search.

It’s not a replacement for tailor-made music, but a natural extension of it, giving creators fast access to exclusive original, high-quality tracks with real emotional depth. And best of all, it makes clearance and sync licensing happen in the blink of a minute – no back-and-forth, no delays, just instant access to fully cleared rights for any media, anywhere in the world.

LBB> Where can we check out Monster Music online?

Paula> You can find us at www.monstermusic.tv and on Instagram at @monstermusictlv, or reach out directly at roy@monstermusic.tv, or paula@monstermusic.tv.

And if you're ever near Koh Phangan, drop by our new studios – we’ll be the ones making beats under the palm trees.