Christina Carlo is singing a new song. The veteran music and sound producer has joined Heavy Duty Projects on the West Coast in the newly created position of executive producer, creative partnerships.
Carlo brings to her new roost 16 years of building businesses and crafting custom music and sound. Her role will focus on expanding the company’s relationships with clients in the advertising space, and expanding partnerships with clients in the world of trailers, features and TV series. She most recently was with Squeak E. Clean Studios, and prior to that, with Nylon Studios.
She was drawn to Heavy Duty’s work and talent. The latter has multi-Grammy winning producer and songwriter Ariel Rechtshaid at the helm as ECD and founding partner, along with an exclusive roster of composers. Carlo also cited Heavy Duty’s recent musical contributions to varied media such as the score for HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot, major film and TV trailers, e-sports properties and ad campaigns for blue chip brands including Apple, Samsung and Indeed (including its Super Bowl spot earlier this year).
Kate Urcioli, Heavy Duty’s NY-based managing director and partner, has known Carlo for over a decade, and worked with her when the former was an agency producer at mcgarrybowen. The two were catching up recently when the idea of working together entered the conversation. “When you find out that someone like Christina may be available, you find a way to work with them,” Urcioli said. “There are only so many people in our industry with her talent, skills and intuition, so it was a no-brainer.”
Carlo brings a varied skill set that runs the gamut of what you’d want in a music company EP, from hands-on session work to musician contracting, vocal direction, casting, postproduction. She has worked on both sides of the mic as a member of SAG-AFTRA. “People know that Christina is a seasoned pro, and that trust goes a long way in our industry,” said Heavy Duty founding partner and CEO Josh Kessler.
“Heavy Duty’s approach to every project is authentic, thanks to the influence of Ariel and his pop music pedigree. Great sounding music comes first, and everyone at the company approaches each project with that motto,” said Carlo who concluded, “at times like these, that’s what’s going to break through, whether they’re clients or consumers.”
