During a Zoom interview, renowned composer Gustavo Santaolalla spoke with NME about his storied career and his work on the score for The Last of Us. A 72-year-old Argentinian, Santaolalla has won numerous awards for his scores, including two Academy Awards and a BAFTA. He has turned down many projects throughout his career, gravitating towards “boutique projects” and things that he can relate to on a personal level. He only agreed to work on The Last of Us – both the game and the subsequent HBO TV series – after being personally approached by creative director Neil Druckmann, who he had a strong connection with.
For the score of The Last of Us, Santaolalla played a mix of ronroco, banjo, and guitar, creating a folksy, incredibly intimate sound. His approach was minimalist, and he intentionally incorporated noises of “humanity” that sound engineers typically edit out. In many songs, listeners can hear the soft brushing of Santaolalla’s fingers across nylon strings as he changes chords, which he says adds a “primitiveness” and “tension” to the music.
Santaolalla’s lifelong experiences have informed his music. He was born and raised in Argentina under the country’s brutal military junta, and he has been jailed multiple times simply for having long hair and playing electric guitar. He says that these experiences have added texture to his music, and it’s his approach to composing that he shared with a masterclass after his sold-out performance at London’s Game Music Festival.
When asked if he would score another game in The Last of Us series, Santaolalla said he is constantly composing music and sometimes comes up with pieces that could fit the game’s world. While he would need to learn more about the story and characters before making a decision, he describes The Last of Us as a universe that he has a strong sense of and would be interested in further exploring
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