Jesse Zuretti

Soundtrack Composer for #2XKO (@riotgames) •//• freelance •//• co-founder of @ashandaether

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

#2XKO Vulnerability/radical candor time: I'm going to share how much making music for 2XKO for more than 3 years now has changed my life. And how grateful I am for every dev I've become friends w/ who work(ed) for Riot. Especially for the opportunity to make the most creatively fulfilling music I've made in my 24 year career. Here's the scoop:

TBH, I didn't know much about Riot, let alone LoL. That's what made being asked to work on the soundtrack so exciting for me. Leading up to that moment in 2023, I spent most of my life writing/recording/performing/touring in a metal band I started Junior year of high school in 2004. Until later on in 2018 when I randomly got asked to make music for Marvel and switched focus to being a composer.

This path developed a character profiling obsession that made the Runeterra Universe a much needed challenge in my life. The lore of every character and their regions was fresh and new to my imagination. You have no idea what value that is to a lifelong perpetually obsessive music nerd who treats music as seriously as a heart attack.

I would love to pretend like I made the music for anyone other than myself. I'd be lying. It's incredibly rare that people who make music for a living get to say that, whilst a client & fanbase has massive expectations of you. And that running the risk of creative self-fulfillment met approval from the chain of command. I just wanted the music to be fun outside of the game too.

2XKO's soundtrack was a chance to make music that showcased my enormous love for countless genres I've never been known for. It was a chance to make music I had never really even spent time with before, developing respect for new genres and their makers.

I am truly grateful to have made music for: Teemo, Ahri, Noxus, Lux, Zaun, Jinx, Darius, Akali, Pool Party Day, Blood Moon Ionia, Ekko, Piltover Streets, the Main Theme w/ the Polyphia boyz, and some more to come 👀

Thank you to every 2XKO dev at Riot, the folks RGM, and every person who made the soundtrack come to life.

But biggest thanks & world's most satisfying hugs to Michael Pitman, @wonsangandbass, @zatransis

I truly cannot wait to make more music/noise for future games/productions by the best community of creatives I've met (#gamedevs abroad), and the players alike.

Stick around, I'll be unloading a ton of content about 2XKO: a behind-the-scenes orchestra tracking documentary, music performances, vids sharing the process of each track, and much more. I'll also be sharing the same for future games/studios I am fortunate to work with.

[Riot Games @riotgames]

With a heavy heart, the @Play2XKO team shares an update about the future.
- Active development will end in December.
- The final content patch goes live in October.
- Servers stay online.
- In-game purchases made before August 20 will be refunded.

https://t.co/3UQF7kh5S4

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@ComposerCasey Did a track w/ zee Monuments boys for this series, it's such a sick story

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@stuxnet_vt Thank you for saying that! Candy was the aim!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

Had a level 1000 blast writing Lux's champ theme music #2xko #lux #gameaudio

[2XKO @Play2XKO]

unleash your inner sparkle with lux, joining 2XKO on september 8.

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@MichaelBaughuk Thank you, bruv!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@RealPeaceRibbon Thank you so much! I think stage will surprise you!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@MADStun Thank you so much for saying this, means a heck of a lot to me!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

#2XKO Vulnerability/radical candor time: I'm going to share how much making music for 2XKO for more than 3 years now has changed my life. And how grateful I am for every dev I've become friends w/ who work(ed) for Riot. Especially for the opportunity to make the most creatively fulfilling music I've made in my 24 year career. Here's the scoop:

TBH, I didn't know much about Riot, let alone LoL. That's what made being asked to work on the soundtrack so exciting for me. Leading up to that moment in 2023, I spent most of my life writing/recording/performing/touring in a metal band I started Junior year of high school in 2004. Until later on in 2018 when I randomly got asked to make music for Marvel and switched focus to being a composer.

This path developed a character profiling obsession that made the Runeterra Universe a much needed challenge in my life. The lore of every character and their regions was fresh and new to my imagination. You have no idea what value that is to a lifelong perpetually obsessive music nerd who treats music as seriously as a heart attack.

I would love to pretend like I made the music for anyone other than myself. I'd be lying. It's incredibly rare that people who make music for a living get to say that, whilst a client & fanbase has massive expectations of you. And that running the risk of creative self-fulfillment met approval from the chain of command. I just wanted the music to be fun outside of the game too.

2XKO's soundtrack was a chance to make music that showcased my enormous love for countless genres I've never been known for. It was a chance to make music I had never really even spent time with before, developing respect for new genres and their makers.

I am truly grateful to have made music for: Teemo, Ahri, Noxus, Lux, Zaun, Jinx, Darius, Akali, Pool Party Day, Blood Moon Ionia, Ekko, Piltover Streets, the Main Theme w/ the Polyphia boyz, and some more to come 👀

Thank you to every 2XKO dev at Riot, the folks RGM, and every person who made the soundtrack come to life.

But biggest thanks & world's most satisfying hugs to Michael Pitman, @wonsangandbass, @zatransis

I truly cannot wait to make more music/noise for future games/productions by the best community of creatives I've met (#gamedevs abroad), and the players alike.

Stick around, I'll be unloading a ton of content about 2XKO: a behind-the-scenes orchestra tracking documentary, music performances, vids sharing the process of each track, and much more. I'll also be sharing the same for future games/studios I am fortunate to work with.

[Riot Games @riotgames]

With a heavy heart, the @Play2XKO team shares an update about the future.
- Active development will end in December.
- The final content patch goes live in October.
- Servers stay online.
- In-game purchases made before August 20 will be refunded.

https://t.co/3UQF7kh5S4

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@HomeDepotemkin This means the world to me, thank you so much! Many more!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@maximilian_ This is perfectly articulated.

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@drpuppet That means the world to me, many more! Thank you, Alexandre!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@MichaelBaughuk Duuuude thanks so much, Michael! Miss ya dude, let's catch up next week

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@TreWatsonMusic You absolutely crushed the tracks you worked on, Tre 🤍🫶🤍 so grateful this brought us together and we became homies. Love ya 🤍

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@Dgreegd That would be King @Joefordmusic!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@Casey_Scheld @Play2XKO Thank you so much! I count you among the many great people I've met along the way here!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@Andydemon1 🫶

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@FunkyRustic Thank you so much, Alex! Hope to see you this year!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@InVaderZ37 That means a lot to me, Zaheim!

[Jesse Zuretti @jessezuretti]

@ghoul1es Thank you so much, Emily!