BROOKLYN, NY - Managing director/EP James Zavaleta has recently been named partner at Pickle Music Studios (www.picklemusicstudios.com). A certified minority-owned business, Pickle Music Studios is a music agency known for its artful curation and creation of music and sound for branded content and advertising.
Pickle Music has studios in New York, Los Angeles, Madrid and Buenos Aires. Zavaleta joined Pickle as managing director/EP for Pickle Music in 2022, and has earned a reputation for leading culturally-relevant collaborations.
“From day one, James has been a partner in all but title, contributing his passion and leadership to Pickle Music,” says company founder Alexis Estiz. “He also comes from a music background, so he unites entrepreneurship and creativity beautifully. He’s one of those people who makes intense work seem effortless – and that’s about passion, integrity and really enjoying what you do.”
“The DNA of Pickle Music is very much about craft and simply being who we are and letting that shine through in our process," says Zavaleta. "That authenticity is what inspires me and my role here. Music may be a universal language, but that also means considering the impact and audience – and how the full audio landscape can shape the way we connect – whether on stage or how we identify with visual narratives. That consideration has been a lifelong influence and is at the heart of what we do.”
Zavaleta is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and executive producer with credits that range from performing alongside big-name talent. He was drawn to the world of music for advertising, first as a vocal and on-camera talent. Since then he’s had the opportunity to work with major brands like McDonalds, Tide, Downy, T-Mobile and TikTok. During the course of his career, he has worked with many top music houses, including Butter Music + Sound where he led a multicultural department as EP in 2020 before joining Pickle Music.