Six Years of Official Sound Identity for the PLAY - Portuguese Music Awards
The sixth edition of the PLAY - Portuguese Music Awards has come to a close, marked by its official sound identity created by Rui Ribeiro and Ricardo Ferreira since its inception in 2019. This soundtrack has become an integral part of the event, which annually celebrates Portuguese music.
The PLAY - Portuguese Music Awards returned for its sixth edition on May 16 at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon, with a live broadcast on RTP1, RTP África, RTP Internacional, RTP Play, and Antena 1. This initiative, which achieved a record audience share growth of 13% in the previous edition, was once again hosted by Filomena Cautela and Inês Lopes Gonçalves. The sound identity of the PLAY Awards, crafted by composers Rui Ribeiro and Ricardo Ferreira for the first edition in 2019 and updated in 2022, remains a crucial element of this initiative, playing a central role in recognizing and valuing Portuguese music.
In 2019, the creators were approached by Paulo Carvalho, the General Director of the PLAY - Portuguese Music Awards, to develop a sound identity (including original music, a sonic logo, and audio post-production) for the entire event and its television broadcasts. Six years later, this sound identity has become an inseparable part of the PLAY Awards.
According to the creators, “The goal was to create a sound and musical identity that was both modern and timeless. We also took great care to ensure that stylistically, we weren't creating something that would fit any specific musical category covered by the awards while still representing the values and mission of this initiative”, explains Ricardo Ferreira. Rui Ribeiro shares some interesting details about the creative process: “Knowing that much of the musical component would be used during the award presentations—particularly when artists move from their seats to the stage—we settled on a tempo akin to an andante to seamlessly accompany and enhance that walk.” He adds, “Despite the tight deadline we were given, the entire creative process flowed smoothly, and we had a lot of fun!”
Team Rui Ribeiro