From Record Store to Soundtrack Curation: Danica Bansie’s Music Supervision Journey
PIRATE SOUND welcomes Danica Bansie as music supervisor, bringing her passion for music and deep industry expertise to the role. With over a decade of experience across various music industry roles, Danica has crafted a rich career in music supervision, driven by a lifelong passion for the boundless nature of music.
Her journey began with a love for music that was nurtured in her childhood, fueled by everything from her parents' record collection to her own adventures working in Ottawa’s top record store, CD Warehouse. Known for her keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of how music can shape a story’s emotional impact, she collaborates with filmmakers, producers, and composers to create memorable soundscapes for film, TV and advertising.
A member of the Guild of Music Supervisors, her arrival at PIRATE SOUND marks an exciting step forward for the company, promising a dynamic blend of innovation and musical mastery.
LBB> You’ve recently joined the team at PIRATE SOUND. What does your role encompass and what are you most excited about?
Danica> My role is responsible for sourcing and securing music for use in ads, film and TV. It involves extensive research, whether it be tracking down writers, or finding out more about the history of a song and its use to better suit the media, as well as curation, negotiation and licence facilitation. I'm excited about it all! This is my first time working in a full-service audio house. I find it so inspiring being regularly surrounded by the many moving facets that go into sound production. One of my favourite aspects about working in music supervision is the storytelling, and I'm looking forward to further exploring that aspect in new ways through the ad world.
LBB> Can you remember the first time you realised you wanted to work in music supervision? What inspired that decision?
Danica> The scene in ‘The Sandlot’ when Squints kisses Wendy Peffercorn, with ‘This Magic Moment’ by The Drifters playing, probably made me realise that it was likely someone's job to combine music to elevate a scene. But it was the Bait Shop and the soundtracks for ‘The O.C.’ that had me overcome with a longing to be a part of the party.
LBB> What was the first song or album that made you fall in love with music?
Danica> I was born in the late ‘80s, and ‘90s-era pop music was my religion in those early music discovering years. The Spice Girls were everything to me. But before discovering them, it was my parents who invoked a love of music. They were both serious music heads, and they always had music of varying genres and eras playing in our house.
I think I first fell deeply in love with music when I heard my mom singing along to Whitney Houston's self-titled album from '83. I specifically remember her singing ’Saving All My Love for You’ and thinking these were the most beautiful voices – my mum's and Whitney's – I'd ever heard in my six years of being alive. My dad gave me his copy of the cassette, which I then listened to on repeat in my Walkman.
LBB> Can you share a bit about your creative process for selecting the perfect track? How do you balance artistic intuition with project goals and client needs?
Danica> At the end of the day, I rarely get to choose the final choice for the project. In pitching what I think the perfect song will be, I initially go with my gut – right off the bat, what feels right.
I like to understand the media or scene emotionally before getting too far into the search. Once I feel like I have a good understanding, I search my playlists, and my email inbox for music that has been sent to me. Unless it's what has been requested by the production, I'll rarely go for the mega "popular" tune, and search for a B-side, indie, or up-and-coming option instead. Music supervisors work with a lot of really great licensors and sync agencies. I definitely have my favourites that I run to to find unreleased music or new artists. I think I'm allergic to anything too on-the-nose, so I really try to find something out of the box while still being in the right world.
LBB> What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on to-date and why?
Danica> I was one of the music supervisors that worked on CBC's ‘Black Life: Untold Stories’. It's an incredibly impactful docuseries about the Black Canadian experience and history. As a Black Canadian myself, and a child of immigrant parents who grew up in Canada, I'm so grateful that I got to be a part of the project. It's also the biggest licensing job I've ever been tasked with. One of the episodes features 44 hip-hop songs. Which means lots of samples, which means lots and lots and lots of writers and lots of licensors. A lot of research, negotiation, and tracking folks down went into it. We also managed to clear all of the songs MFN (most favoured nations), which is where all licensors involved agree to the same fee and terms. It was a massive undertaking, and a huge learning experience, and I'd do it all again!
LBB> Any trends you’re seeing around music usage in media today and how do you see the role of a music supervisor changing in the future?
Danica> The ever-present elephants in the room, TikTok and AI, tend to be at the helm of conversations around trends. Regarding TikTok, artists are speaking out about their labels encouraging them to promote on the platform. And, that's tough. Musicians are now almost expected to be their own marketers. There is a somewhat false expectation that the virality of a dance, for example, to accompany a song might equate to revenue through streaming and sync opportunities. For instance, Charli XCX's ‘Apple’ was not originally predicted to see the numbers it did. But the effect of Brat summer combined with the "apple dance", which started on TikTok, contributed to a far greater success for the song than anticipated. But this is absolutely not the norm. From a sync standpoint, I find that this might make for a less viable option for licensing to film and TV.
That said, in the ad space, if a song can reach monolithic fame in a short time with lasting power, it still may have a shot. The trend cycle moves quickly, so if someone is looking to license a song for a show that is going to be released in a year, chances are, you're not going to be looking at the current trending songs, but rather trying to predict what has popular appeal potential.
LBB> How do you stay on top of industry shifts and emerging talent?
Danica> By being a chronically online millennial. Kidding. Sort of. I use social media, read articles, subscribe to think pieces, listen to podcasts, peruse comment sections of posts, get sucked into rabbit holes about music lore, and analyse the liner notes of an LP. I think the more engaged a person is with not just pop culture, but all culture, the easier it is to keep on the pulse of what's going on in the world at large, which inevitably contributes to staying up-to-date in music. I also volunteer with Polaris Music Prize as one of their jurors, which helps keep me up to date with all Canadian releases.
