Recently named global music director for W Hotels Worldwide, international music producer Michaelangelo L’Acqua will be giving a special performance at W Scottsdale on Friday, Aug. 27. We got the music phenom to dish on who he’s listening to right now, his experiences in the fashion industry and just what, exactly, a “global music director” does.
Making a stop this Friday night in Scottsdale on a worldwide tour to promote his new compilation CD, called “Symmetry,” L’Acqua has worked with some of the biggest names in fashion, including Gucci, Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, Diane von Furstenberg and Ralph Lauren, and produced more than 150 runway shows in Paris, Milan and New York. He’s also collaborated with such prominent EMI/Capitol Record artists as Cee-Lo, will.i.am and Natalie Cole, and scored and licensed music for nearly 200 international commercials.
You can catch this curator of cool from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. at W Scottsdale, where he’ll perform a DJ set and sign copies of his new CD, “Symmetry.”
How would you describe the role of a global music director, and what is the benefit for a major hotel group such as W Hotels Worldwide to having one?
My role is to oversee the sonic identity of W Hotels’ music programming. Since music is one of the W brand’s passions, it is important that our offerings to our guests are cutting-edge and relevant throughout the world. I curate W’s CD Series Symmetry, Global Live Concert and DJ series. I also oversee the W brand’s playlist, consult on our iPhone app development as well as produce the content, and make sure our social media and peer-to-peer outreach offer our monthly music position. Additionally, I clear all music licensing and publishing issues, among other things.
You have extensive experience in combining the worlds of music and fashion … Do aspects of that prior work with major fashion brands come into play in your work for W Hotels?
All the time. Scoring a film, TV program or runway show is about drawing an emotional response from the viewer, whomever that may be. This response engages the audience, they become attached to what they see and the experience becomes much deeper. In the case of W Hotels, music is our brand association to the global lifestyle that is the W brand.
Will the W Hotels on the different continents have sounds more specific to that region, or are you interested in mixing international musical flavors at each property
As we expand throughout the world it is important to embrace each culture’s music offerings. However, since W Hotels is a New York creation we do have to also stay true to our roots in doing this.
What other big music events can Scottsdale and/or the rest of the U.S. anticipate?
We have two more Symmetry Live Concert events planned for this year as well as our Austin, Texas opening event which we are extremely excited about.
And lastly, whose work are you really enjoying listening to right now?
Jamelle Monae, Quadron and Maximum Ballon.
W Scottsdale is located at 7277 E. Camelback Road in Scottsdale 480.970.2100
For more info on W Scottsdale happenings, go here.
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