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How Damien Escobar of Art of Sound and Havas Brings Artists, Brands and Culture Together
His partnership with Virgin Music could be a game changer
Damien is CEO of the Art of Sound and chief music officer at Havas. He is an an Emmy Award–winning violinist.
We spent two minutes with Damien to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired.
Damien, tell us …
Where you grew up, and where you live now.
I grew up in Jamaica, Queens, N.Y. It was one of those places where culture was everywhere. Music, sports, community, family—all of it shaped who I am. Queens gave me my work ethic, my resilience and my appreciation for people from all walks of life. Today, I’m still rooted in New York, balancing life as an artist, entrepreneur and creative leader.
Your earliest musical memory.
Every Sunday, my house sounded the same: Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Rufus and Motown records playing on repeat. Those songs became the soundtrack to my childhood. I didn’t know it then, but they were teaching me about emotion, storytelling and connection. Then at 8 years old, I picked up the violin and discovered classical music. I was completely captivated. It felt like this entirely different world, but somehow it moved me in the same way the music I grew up hearing did.
A recent project you’re proud of.
I’m proud of what we’ve built with Art of Sound. When we started, the idea was simple: sound deserved a seat at the table much earlier in the creative process. Today, we’re helping some of the world’s biggest brands use music, culture and storytelling to create deeper connections with people. Seeing that vision come to life on a global scale has been incredibly rewarding.
That same thinking led to VOLYUM, a platform we created in partnership with Virgin Music Group to bring artists, brands and culture together in a way that feels authentic to all three. For years, I saw artists looking for sustainable ways to fund and amplify their creativity, while brands were searching for meaningful ways to show up in culture. VOLYUM was built to bridge that gap. It creates opportunities for artists to develop and distribute their work while giving brands a chance to participate in culture through collaboration rather than interruption.
Both Art of Sound and VOLYUM were born from the same belief: the future belongs to those who can create genuine connections through music, storytelling, and shared experiences.
What music can do that nothing else can.
Music has the ability to make people feel seen without ever saying a word. It can take you back to a moment, help you heal, inspire you or bring complete strangers together around a shared emotion. I’ve seen people cry, laugh, dance and release things they’ve been carrying for years during a performance. That’s a kind of power that’s hard to find anywhere else.
Your main strength as a creative person.
Seeing possibilities where others see limitations. Some of my best ideas come from places people wouldn’t normally think to look.
Your biggest weakness.
I care too much. When I believe in something, I go all in. Sometimes that means I can spend more time than I should trying to make something great when good might be enough. It’s something I’ve gotten much better at over the years—but the pursuit of excellence is definitely in my DNA.
What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.
I’d still be building something around music and culture. Whether that was performing full-time, developing artists, creating opportunities for the next generation or building businesses that help creatives thrive, I’d still be focused on bringing people together and making an impact through creativity.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
