When DreamWorks’ Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts premiered last month on Netflix, viewers quickly realized this was not going to be your typical animated show. Between the colorful visual aesthetic, the diverse cast and the large musical aspect consisting of everything from hip hop and trap, the series is very 2020. In case you haven’t seen the show, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts takes place in a post-apocalyptic world in which humans live underground and nature has reclaimed everything above. Kipo and her three pals trek across the dangerous surface to reunite with Kipo’s father and underground community.
Since music plays such an important part of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, we sat down with the show’s composer, Daniel Rojas and had him break down the composing process. Not only is Rojas the composer, but he also created original songs for the series, which can be heard on the Season 1 Mixtape here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6oQ3rNYTyUSh9xsPmPt0jE.
Some composers incorporate sounds from found objects into their score. Did you do anything like this?
I recorded several things for Kipo, but mostly to create original samples that I could then use. Because of the nature of this show, it’s not a show that requires a lot of live feel, it needed a more modern type of production that is more sample based. It’s not a very sound design heavy score. It’s more grounded in pop, hip hop, trap production.
Did you score the song during the chase at the end of episode 1? It sounds like there are vocals too, but didn’t know if that an instrument or not?
That theme was a mix of score and also a licensed track. It goes back and forth. It is chopped up vocals doubled with synths.
You also created original songs with vocals for the show. Do you have a favorite song you created for the show? If so, why is it your favorite?
It’s hard to choose a favorite because I put a lot of time into all of them. If I had to choose a moment it would be Purple Jaguar Eye because the theme is long and it’s all about the music. It’s a big moment in the show that allows the music to have the spotlight. I really like the visuals for this too.
You create many types of music for Kipo. Is there a genre you didn’t get to experiment with in season 1 you would like to if there was a second season?
It would be fun to experiment with more electronic music, mixed with more of the trap elements we have been doing in the score.
In episode 3, I feel like the cats have almost a Western vibe. Is that what you were going for?
We tried to make a sound that fits their character design, so we went with a more folk sound because we wanted to avoid anything too country. We blended in that folk sound with the typical hip hop and trap type of production. It was intentional and talked about during the planning stages for the episode.
Music aside, do you have a favorite character on Kipo? Why does that character resonate with you?
I really like Dave, he is hilarious. I think Deon Cole, who voices Dave, did such a great job creating this character. Every time he says something it’s really funny. He speaks to an older audience a lot, it’s funny for kids, but it’s really funny for adults.
You previously mentioned that every episode introduces a new world and mute gang. Which one of these was the most challenging to score?
I would say the Jazzercize raccoons in episode eight were a bit harder to nail because we wanted to keep the Jazzercize, but the licensed music was already that, so I wanted to do something slightly different for the score that still fits that world. I went with an 80s influence, but with modern sounds like early Katy Perry, which has a little bit of 80s pop production with a new twist.
You are originally from Costa Rica. Have you talked to anyone there that has watched the show? If so, what do they think about it?
Yes, my whole family and a lot of my friends have watched the show because they know I worked on it. It has been very well received because the themes of Kipo speak to a very large audience and that’s one of the strengths of the show. It is very inclusive and diverse, so it speaks to people there the same way it speaks to people here.
In previous interviews you discuss how your brother first introduced you to film scores and his passion for them rubbed off on you. What does he say about your own scores now?
He is very excited that I am in this world now. He still loves film scores and still collects them. He is excited to see where my career goes next, obviously I am still early on in my career. I am been able to take him to a few live orchestral sessions and he loves that.