High Expectations, Shrinking Budgets—Stephanie Economou on Music and Tech

As the Grammy-winning composer behind Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, her music is a bold synthesis of classical virtuosity, visceral rock influences, and avant-garde electronic textures. With a career that balances deep narrative sensitivity and a fearless drive to experiment, Economou’s work resonates as both timeless and cutting-edge.

In our conversation, Stephanie shared her journey from classical training to crafting adaptive game scores, her techniques for blending live and digital instruments, and her insights into the evolving role of technology in the creative process. She also reflects on her work championing diverse voices in composition and her hands-on approach to using tools like Omnisphere to push the boundaries of sound design.

Classical Beginnings, Contemporary Vision

ILIO:
Your background spans classical music to modern, experimental styles. How has that classical foundation influenced your scores for such varied projects as films and video games?

Stephanie Economou:
My study of classical and contemporary music has been fundamental in shaping who I am as a composer and how I approach form, orchestration, color, and texture. I did a lot of score study and critical listening during my time at music conservatory, and I felt that laid a strong foundation of understanding the granularity of music theory and how instrumentation can be effective. I also feel that my love of rock and punk music has had a massive influence on me, even if it wasn’t part of my scholastic studies. I’ve discovered over the years that my music floats in a stew of contemporary orchestral music with shades of rock, dark industrial, and electronic styles. We’re all just a big amalgamation of the art that has moved us, and I think that’s where our individuality comes through.

Blending Metal, Norse, and Personal Style

ILIO:
Congratulations on winning the first-ever Grammy for a video game score! How did you blend elements from metal and Norse influences with your own musical identity for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök?

Stephanie:
Thank you! Because the game developers and I chose such a specific stylistic influence for the score (black metal and Nordic folk), my primary focus was finding musicians who lived and breathed this music (enter the awesome band Wilderun and the iconic Einar Selvik). Through many discussions and close collaboration with Wilderun’s guitarist, Wayne Ingram, I feel we cracked the sound of the score by mixing elements of authentic black metal (distorted guitars and bass, growly vocals, punchy drum kit) with rustic instrumentation like lap harp, nyckelharpa, mandolin, and tagelharpa. All of these ideas together created a rich sonic landscape that was incredibly fun to play in.

The Puzzle of Game Scoring

ILIO:
Game scoring can be uniquely complex, especially with music that adapts to player experience. How do you approach this challenge, and how do tools like Omnisphere assist with creating adaptive scores?

Stephanie:
There is definitely a complexity to scoring games, and I find that a lot of problem-solving needs to happen during the “planning” process of composing. Composers have to be very aware of the various permutations and possibilities that are unique to each player’s experience. The music has to adapt to those actions, so in a sense you have to design the score to be malleable so it’ll operate effectively in many settings. That means choosing the right tempo, in case you have to create a multi-layered vertical system in the music, triggering more intense, active layers on top of a more ambient layer. In addition, most tracks need to be loopable, so you have to have an awareness of density and growth. It’s a big puzzle, and I have fun strategizing. Tools like Omnisphere and other VSTs are great for getting into a creative headspace and curating a unique template for each project.

Balancing the Physical and the Digital

ILIO:
You’re known for blending live instruments like violin with virtual sounds. How do you decide when to use physical instruments versus virtual ones like Omnisphere?

Stephanie:
It’s never one or the other for me. A lot of my music is a blend of organic instrumental performances and synth programming. Some days I gravitate towards an instrument I have lying around; other days I’m purely working in the box, but most of the time, it’s a combination of both. I try to give myself license to follow an instinct or whim, whether that be a tactile experience with an instrument/vocal or digitally building a sound from scratch.

Divergent Challenges: Film vs. Game Scoring

ILIO:
You’ve composed for both film and video games. What do you enjoy most about each, and how do they challenge you differently?

Stephanie:
As I mentioned prior, I love the strategic process of designing game music and finding musical solutions. I especially love collaborating with the audio director, supervisor, and developers to find the right sound world for the story. Gamers also really celebrate music, so there are a lot of ears on the soundtrack. The music is so tied to the environments and the spatial experience. Perhaps I subconsciously end up pushing boundaries and taking more risks because of that. In film and television, I feel similarly about working with collaborators. So much of how a score is conceived can come down to whether or not your director/producer/showrunner is receptive to trying something different or if they have more specific musical ideas. You’re meant to guide one another to find the identity of the music. I’ve been lucky enough to work with people who have really trusted my vision (or weird ideas) and encouraged me to dive further into the deep end. At the end of the day, whether it be film, television, or interactive media, I think I’m most influenced by the power of the narrative, and that’s what pushes me most.

Evolving Tools, Evolving Techniques

ILIO:
You’ve worked closely with top composers like Harry Gregson-Williams. How have you seen the role of the composer change with the rise of digital tools like virtual instruments?

Stephanie:
When I started out in the industry, virtual tools were already incredibly prevalent, so I’ve never known this career without them. I give massive props to composers like Harry for always being on the cutting edge of a new toy or technology and embracing it. I will say, the obvious trend of the past decade is shrinking budgets. Most projects do not have the budget to support live orchestral sessions or even chamber/soloist sessions. With that reality, many composers have had to adapt creatively and become proficient in crafting realistic mock-ups or balancing their music with hybrid/electronic scoring techniques to ride the shifting tides. There is such a vibrant plethora of highly unique sample libraries and VSTs nowadays. It has become a fertile, inspiring playground for artists and I love how much it stimulates exploration and experimentation.

Championing Women in Music

ILIO:
As a continued supporter and former board member of the Alliance for Women Film Composers, how do you see the landscape evolving for women in composing?

Stephanie:
The last several years have seen enormous growth in opportunity for women and women-identifying composers, which is exciting, invigorating, and simultaneously frustrating that it took so long for the needle to move. I see so many colleagues finally receiving the recognition they have so long fought and worked for. I see young women populating music school classrooms, concert halls, podiums, and stages; winning scholarships, starting initiatives, mentoring, fostering community, empowering one another. The road to equal representation is not just in winning the awards. To me, it means having diverse voices in every corner of the artistic world, granting visibility for all generations of women. I hope to see this evolution continue to a point where we not only have quantifiable gender equity in the industry, but maintenance of that equity, without fear that if we take our foot off of the gas for a moment, it’ll all be for naught.

Discovering ILIO’s Omnisphere Patches

ILIO:
You recently picked up ILIO’s patch libraries for Omnisphere. How are you using these in your current work, and are there any patches you’ve found particularly inspiring?

Stephanie:
I’m really loving the Fame Series: Modern Pop patches at the moment! They’re perfect for the score I’m currently working on, which blends orchestra and pop instrumentation. In the sequence I’m working on now, I’m using Billie Bad Lead, Bruno Heaven Lead, Ariana Breakup Keys & Juno, Calvin’s Slide Lead, and the Kim Heartbreak Lead. They’re easy to use right out of the box and highly reminiscent of warm analog leads, which I love. Thank you so much for crafting these awesome tools!

For more on Stephanie Economou and her innovative work, visit stephanieeconomou.com