With the tracks and report almost complete, I reached out to an Indonesian illustrator called Tian Wijaya I had found through looking at artists specialising in album covers on Instagram and pitched the concept of my album, remixing traditional folk music with food vendor soundscapes. I sent him a wide range of options and ideas that I had for the cover art, like the colours, what landscapes went on, and the overall look of it.
The collaboration was smooth and intuitive. He understood exactly what I was going for and started sketching a concept that blended visual food elements with musical symbols.
Having this visual component helped me visualise the project all together, and I fell in love with the idea all over again. It truly tied together the cultural elements and helped communicate what the music is trying to say before it’s even played. The artwork also gave me a stronger identity for the project, one that bridges place, sound, and memory. This collaboration taught me that good creative partnerships can elevate a project in ways you can’t do alone. It also deepened my appreciation for visual storytelling as part of sonic branding, a field I’m increasingly drawn to.
Leave a Reply