Vanya Drakul on 20 Years at PIRATE SOUND, Embracing the Unexpected

When Vanya Drakul first landed a recording studio job at the age of 17, he wasn’t familiar with the world of advertising. A trained musician, adept on classical guitar with a strong proclivity for rock, all he knew was that he loved performing, meaning a career packed with studio production, engineering and composition was an enticing path.

Indeed, this instinct was well placed. Quickly getting the chance to work across a tonne of projects, specifically, it was the opportunity to see talented musicians coming in and out of the studio – many of whom played jingles for advertising – which opened his eyes to new possibilities. He wanted to be a part of that. And so, he leapt in with both feet.

It’s safe to say that if you’re at all familiar with PIRATE SOUND’s offering, you probably know where this story goes. Now, with 20 years under his belt, and holding the positions of partner, sound director and composer, Vanya is one of the most established names in the Canadian advertising music scene. He’s been instrumental in developing the studio’s voice-acting workshops and training initiatives, has been linked with a long list of agency and brand projects, and has appeared at countless global festivals to discuss craft. But, despite his passion, he didn’t necessarily anticipate ending up here.

“Honestly, I did not have any expectations when I started,” he admits. “[Back then], I slowly started to build momentum where agencies and clients wanted to work with me because of the energy and style that I was able to bring. But, I live one project at a time, and I try not to dwell on the past or get caught up looking too far into the future.”

With that said, this significant career milestone has prompted Vanya to do a little bit of reflection. Asserting that he’s “full of gratitude and happiness” to be part of such an amazing industry for the past 20 years, he adds that even from his formative days, he really did cherish everything about this line of work.

“I love composing, I love mixing, and I love talking to voice talent – directing them and challenging them,” he says. “So, it's always nice to be recognised, especially for doing something that you love.”

Never Stale

While Vanya’s enthusiasm has played a pivotal role in his industry longevity, so too has the opportunity to hone his craft over the years.

Describing himself as someone who values a hands-on approach – “because it makes me work harder” – he notes that the consistent evolution of the marketing industry, combined with this strong sense of drive, has kept things fresh and exciting, due to new demands consistently cropping up.

“I saw things go from analogue to digital, where everybody said it wasn't going to work… and it did,” he explains. “Then, we saw the rise of social media; everybody said it wasn’t going to work, and the same thing happened. All these big changes have forced me to evolve in how I approach each project. That’s the part that I love the most. It’s never the same thing; I always learn something new.”

The chance to work in an environment like PIRATE has also helped keep things interesting. According to Vanya, being in a position to help shape the studio’s creative direction across the years, lead sound design and mixing, and contribute original compositions and sonic branding, has given him all the variety he could ever crave.

That, and of course, the quality and ability of his coworkers.

“What’s kept me a PIRATE all this time is truly believing that we are one of the best of the best in what we do,” he emphasises. “What I've done to keep things fresh was to surround myself with some of the most talented people in the industry (whether they’re engineers, producers, casting directors, etc.), therefore, never running a risk of being stale. Each day I walk through the front doors, and I know it's not going to be the same as it was yesterday. I love that.”

These allures don’t appear to be going anywhere, either. In a world where AI is on the rise – and once again, “a lot of people are saying it’s not going to work”, Vanya jokes – there’s a lot for him to consider in shaping the next chapter, both of his career, and PIRATE’s offering. However, one thing’s for certain: he’ll be bringing the same career-defining hard work to each and every challenge, no matter the scale.

“I owe my work ethic to my parents,” he notes. “Also, spending years in a band touring and being on the road has sort of wired me to always be on the move. Twenty-four hours is a long time. If you properly divide the day, and don’t spend it on social media doomscrolling or comparing yourself to others, it's incredible how much you can accomplish.”

The Power of a Balanced Life

Despite Vanya’s belief in the power of maximising one’s productivity, a major element in his long-term success has actually been the way he spends time outside of work.

Attributing it to his Serbian upbringing, the sound director explains that during his free time, he tries to attend as many soccer matches as possible – particularly the ones his son plays in – which keeps him fresh for when business hours roll back around.

On top of this, Vanya has started a new tequila business with two close friends, which is expected to come out in early 2026. Called ‘Death Whistle’, he explains that this, like his approach to industry craft, reflects his overarching desire to keep active and sharp.

“Everyone has their own way of working,” he continues. “There's no right or wrong. But, personally, I've never been the one to delegate things and just sit back and absorb. I believe that creates complacency.”

With that in mind, Vanya believes the most important lesson any person can learn – music industry or not – is the power of staying true to oneself. While he admits it sounds cliché, 20 years has taught him that stepping away from who he is represents the moment he’s no longer the right person for the project.

“I don't like chasing trends,” he adds. “The moment you start chasing, you've already fallen behind. The key is to recognise what is up-and-coming, and get ahead of it early. Be a trendsetter, not a trend follower.”

So, just what does Vanya strive to bring to the table? Someone who’s passionate, hard-working and hungry to hone their craft, undoubtedly, but above all else, someone who wants to let the creative juices flow, especially when it comes to music.

“I love to think outside the box whenever I get briefed on a project,” he explains. “I make sure I deliver what the client asked for, but without fail, every single time, I will do something completely different and unexpected, whether it works or not. (Oftentimes the unexpected ends up working).”

This ethos pairs nicely with the sound director’s deep excitement for projects with tight timelines. An occurrence which always forces the PIRATE team to work quickly, listen, and collaborate meaningfully, for Vanya, this is the best way to show the depth of his and the studio’s creative and sonic ability.

“We usually go with our gut reaction,” he says. “There's no time to overthink things, so what comes out is real, raw and natural. I also love opportunities to work on original music and sound design, because it really gets the brain cells moving.”

To this end, Vanya hopes that 2026 will bring PIRATE a slew of new projects which satiate this hunger for challenge and innovation. But, more than this, he wants to keep developing internal initiatives. An endeavour that’s grown close to his heart across the past two decades, the sound director wants to see others fall in love with their craft, the same way he did all those years ago.

“We're always on the lookout for new talent, whether it's voice actors, composers, musicians, etc.,” he concludes. “For example, the reason we do voice workshops is because that way, we discover new and fresh voices all the time (and when clients reach out to us for castings, it's not the same 20 people over and over again). This is one of the ways we not only give back, but continue being fresh and innovative, without becoming stale.”