Production Hub: Joy Ngiaw brings WondLa to life with unique musical mastery for Apple TV+ series

Excerpt:

PH: WondLa's soundtrack features influences like Southeast Asian mallets, African percussion, and Viking war horns. Can you share more about the specific instruments you used and how you chose them to represent different cultures within the story?

Joy Ngiaw:The music for WondLa celebrated diversity, with each instrument playing a crucial role in bringing Tony DiTerlizzi's vivid characters and cultures to life. In my approach, I carefully chose instruments to authentically represent the different backgrounds of WondLa's tribes. For instance, to evoke the rustic charm and community spirit of Lacus, I used African instruments like the bolon, kalimba, and balafon, adding warmth and tradition to the village scenes. In contrast, the advanced city of Orbona (Solas) needed more elegant and sophisticated sounds, such as the lively tones of Korean Gayageum, Sanjo, and Chinese Liuqin and Dan Nhi, combined with the powerful Mongolian Choir. Each instrument choice was intentional, not only enhancing the visual storytelling but also deepening the audience's connection to WondLa's imaginative world. This blend of musical influences from Southeast Asia, Africa, and beyond highlighted themes of exploration, identity, and belonging, resonating emotionally with viewers.

Full interview: Production Hub