★Behind the Scenes: Music Season's Sound Design★

What's Music Season without the music?

In this behind-the-scenes feature, we've invited the music and sound team to share their experiences from this latest update of Infinity Nikki.

They're here with us right now, so let's give them a big round of applause and get this interview started!

The stage lights are bright, and music fills the air.

Strings resonate as the drums drive the rhythm, carrying the audience along every step of the way.

Welcome to Music Season, where a grand musical celebration awaits all our stylists!

Dramatic Performance in Sound

To let our stylists truly feel the atmosphere of Music Season, we designed this season's sound with one goal: everything happens within the drama. Every note, every effect tells a story.

The form that brings this idea and the music itself to life is musical theater.

It's a wonderfully broad genre. From mid-19th-century operetta to the latest Broadway hits, and even German, Austrian, and French musicals, styles may differ widely, yet they all fall under the banner of musical theater. This creative freedom was exactly what we needed to explore interactive musical storytelling. While the game copy may call this season's music "opera," from a stylist's perspective, it's really musical theater in the broadest sense. We also chose French for some pieces because it strikes a perfect balance between traditional opera and modern musical theater. Its pronunciation shines in both classical and musical-theater styles and perfectly complements the Baroque- and Rococo-inspired visuals of this season.

To fully immerse stylists in the drama, our sound design was rooted in theatrical performance. We aimed to capture the feel of a live stage while adding a touch of stylized, dreamlike expression that lifts it beyond reality.

We call this "interactive musical theater"!

A Truly Immersive Experience

Once you enter the theater, the heart of the story comes alive through the performers, both puppets and the troupe leader. For this season, we crafted individual vocal lines for each NPC, using the layered point-source and scene-music synchronization techniques we first experimented with during Revelry Season. Each track originates from its NPC, so in the theater, whether during a level or a boss fight, seeing a character means hearing them perform right before your eyes. Step back, and the sound naturally softens, just as it would in real life.

The first time you step onto the Box Theater stage, Jacob sings from the left and Melissa from the right. When Gina, the violinist, takes center stage, her part joins the ensemble, recreating the sensation of being on a real stage during rehearsal. During the chase sequence, every NPC sings as they appear, moving around the stylist as they perform. They pause when hit, and when the performance concludes, their voices fade, leaving the theater quiet once more.

This is the magic of immersive theater. The performers are not far away on a stage, but right beside you, their presence vivid and alive.

During the boss battle, stylists wearing headphones will hear the singing always coming from the stage, just as if they were seated in a real theater. The sound flows through the space, making every note feel tangible and real.

By the final performance, stylists witness Nikki step onto the stage, singing with her whole heart. Her voice awakens the puppets and stirs the old troupe leader, carrying the story to a soaring, unforgettable climax. This sequence was crafted like a cinematic musical, full of intensity, beauty, and emotion.

The Art of Auditory Expression

Beyond realism, we wanted to present stylists with a richer auditory experience through abstract and expressive artistic techniques.

When you can see the performers, you hear their singing clearly and vividly. But even when they are out of sight, the accompaniment continues to linger, creating a sense of presence and continuity. In addition, the actions of the puppets during levels and the visual effects of musical notes in boss battles are carefully timed to the rhythm of the music. This reinforces the feeling of being inside a performance that is both immersive and slightly surreal—familiar yet dreamlike, not entirely bound by reality.

Stylists familiar with film might notice how many classic works move seamlessly between narrative and non-narrative sound. In our interactive musical theater, we weave these two layers of sound together, synchronizing them and bringing them to life in a way that only this medium can achieve.

Narrative Sound Design

With the performance style established, it was time to craft the sound. Every member of the team, music composers, sound designers, and audio engineers, came together, weaving their talents to tell this story. Through carefully layered melodies, subtle effects, and immersive audio techniques, they brought the drama to life, letting every note and every sound carry the emotion of the scene.

The Box Theater

In the story, tragedy strikes, leaving the troupe leader trapped in an endless cycle of guilt. The opera itself becomes a perpetual loop, caught in this haunting repetition.

The first time you enter the Box Theater, a roughly thirty-second musical loop plays continuously. If you linger, you begin to notice it—this subtle repetition hints at the puppets' presence, endlessly performing this fragment of obsession. Near the stage, Melissa, Jacob, and Gina sing, their voices precisely rendered with 3D point-source audio. Renita, however, remains unseen until the theater tips on its side.

Even out of sight, her coloratura soprano line lingers, delicate and persistent. Step farther from the stage, and her solo drifts across the theater, echoing with a haunting, almost otherworldly presence that fills the space long after the performance seems to end.

After the Box Theater tips, the music shifts, unfolding into a full variation of the piece that once played on stage, looping endlessly. The NPCs' pursuit of Nikki reveals a singular truth: each puppet carries the troupe leader's obsession. One by one, they appear, perform for their only audience, Nikki, and bow when their act concludes. As more puppets join, the performance swells, richer and more vibrant. Yet when their acts end, silence falls, leaving only the lingering echoes of the accompaniment. The contrast is stark, mirroring the troupe leader's grief: from a bustling, joyful stage to the hollow emptiness of being alone. The music loops endlessly, trapped in a cycle with no escape.

"Till We Meet Again", once the troupe's most celebrated song, now rises in a bright, full orchestral arrangement, yet its lyrics tell a story of farewell. It becomes a quiet confession, as if the puppets themselves are singing their own story alongside the notes.

Attentive stylists may notice the eerie creaks of the puppets as they move. We used the sound of joints rubbing and wooden parts shifting to evoke how stiff and unnatural their bodies have become after being forced into this endless cycle. As Nikki passes, their sudden twitches, paired with these haunting sounds, create an uncanny, almost spine-chilling effect.

The Boss Battle

Nikki's purification of Ennio from Dark Essence mirrors his inner journey, moving from the weight of guilt and despair toward tentative warmth and release. The music captures this struggle, weaving together contrasting themes of pessimism and optimism, despair and hope, destruction and renewal. These opposing forces unfold through intertwined melodies and two distinct voices, carrying the drama and intensity of traditional opera.

In the first phase, only Ennio's solo fills the air, steeped in sorrow and despair. When Renita enters in the second phase, they form a duet. High and low vocal lines converse in a canon-like dialogue, echoing and reflecting each other as hope and despair collide in song. The third phase introduces electronic textures. Distorted, warped sounds mirror the increasingly chaotic struggle between Ennio and hope. His fury crashes like a relentless tide, challenging stylists with every surge.

Renita, overflowing with emotion, delivers intricate coloratura soprano passages in both the second and third phases. Her commanding voice overcomes the despair on stage, dispelling the last remnants of Dark Essence and restoring light to Ennio's heart.

Black-and-White Cutscene

This black-and-white animation unfolds like a storybook slowly opening, with music that narrates every twist and turn in a gentle, fairy-tale voice.

At first, the stage is minimal, delicate. The celesta's crystalline melody twinkles like a ballerina spinning inside a music box, endlessly circling the stage. A tender female voice joins in duet with a graceful violin, as if the Evermelody Troupe's former performers are bringing their favorite roles to life. Ennio, ever present, is the solitary cello in the shadows, quietly accompanying his beloved companions.

But as Ennio's emotions stir, his obsession ignites like wildfire. Painful memories surge, and the violin erupts with jagged, anguished notes that never cease. The night of joy collapses, leaving him trapped in unending regret and confusion. The lonely cello finally sings its own sorrowful melody. In a desperate attempt to relive the happiness he once shared with the troupe, Ennio lets obsession take hold, summoning back the voices of the past. The female voice and violin return, now joined by a swelling tapestry of instruments, no longer elegant but raw, anguished, as if crying, steeped in dark energy.

Even as Ennio recreates the Box Theater, he knows it is an illusion. In the final music, we return to the simple, pure melody from the beginning, freezing that fleeting beauty in this very moment. This time, the melody is carried by the cello rather than the celesta and voice. Though the Evermelody Troupe performs the familiar scene once more, all that has passed has already drifted far from Ennio…

Final Performance

As a two-minute cutscene, this sequence naturally differs from a full two-hour musical. Traditional musicals often center on well-known songs that reveal characters' inner monologues, with delicate emotional progression. Dialogue between songs drives the story forward, which works beautifully on stage, but doesn't suit the fast-paced emotional flow needed for a cutscene. For the first half of The Chant That Shall Cross Beyond Eternity, we introduce Nikki's perspective.

She narrates the tale as if looking back on long-past events, guiding the audience through the rise and fall of the troupe. Then, at the pre-chorus, the troupe's puppets suddenly take the stage. This shift in storyline and performers interrupts Nikki's narration, and together with all the characters, she drives the story into the chorus—the heart of the performance: don't let the melody freeze on the eternal shore; let our souls reunite in flowing music. In the chorus, the arrangement becomes rich and fluid, moving beyond traditional orchestration to blend modern synthesizers with flowing musical details. Nikki's musical-theater singing merges with the puppets' operatic voices, creating a seamless fusion of old and new. It's a reminder that we can honor the past, but we must not stop moving toward the future.

P.S. Nikki worked incredibly hard on her singing and sounds amazing!

Nikki's Performance

Before we go into detail about Nikki's performance, here's a quick fun fact. While idling in the open world, Nikki sometimes hums to herself. Occasionally, Momo can be heard humming along as well.

Creating a musical is far more complex than composing purely instrumental music or standalone songs. It is no longer just musicians collaborating. Writers, directors, and performers all play a role. For this project, I wore many hats like I did back in Firework Season for Echoes of the Past. I arranged and composed the music, but I also stepped a bit into writing and directing while keeping a close eye on music direction throughout.

Once the script team handed me the rough story outline, I created a detailed narrative script that followed the music's storytelling logic. That included planning pacing, segment breakdowns, lyric summaries, plot twists, and character cues. I then coordinated with the video director to time character entrances and vocal moments. During recording, I guided the singers and musicians in acting and performance, almost like rehearsing a mini musical myself.

As for inspiration, it is hard to explain. Because I love musicals and had done plenty of preparation, I already had a clear sense of opera structures and emotional flow. Then I saw Nikki, her face and her stunning outfits, and the melodies just poured out. Before I even realized it, the demo was finished. I was beyond excited.

Music Season in Florawish

During Music Season, Florawish comes alive with countless bands and performers, including Morda's Faewish Sprite Band from Revelry Season and the human band that plays outside the Stylist's Guild every night. To prevent audio clashes between ambient music and live performances while boosting immersion, we brought back our layered point-source and scene-music synchronization technology.

As you wander through the performance zones, you'll notice the music flowing seamlessly. Ambient tracks and live band sounds merge effortlessly, never competing. Even when Florawish's French chansons collide with the Faewish Sprite Band's ragtime, the wildly different styles coexist perfectly, creating a vibrant, dynamic soundscape.

Richer and More Diverse Musical Styles

Rhythm Game—Have Fun Playing Music!

Yes! Stylists finally get to revisit some of the amazing music we've created over the past year! (Ahem… okay, let's get serious.)

For the rhythm game, we didn't just pick our personal favorites. After extensive research, we chose tracks that stylists love, that fit perfectly with the world's lore, and that deliver the best gameplay experience. Working closely with our game designers, we went all out to craft over 20 tracks, including two brand-new songs made exclusively for the rhythm game!

The Unstoppable Super Star Cat

Creating a theme song for Momo was pure joy. This is Momo's musical debut in Infinity Nikki, so we definitely wanted to make it something special.

Starting the song was trickier than expected. I wanted it catchy, cool, and sprinkled with traditional Chinese flair. Too many goals at once can make your brain freeze, but if you don't start, nothing happens. Wise words from a certain cat. So I just dove in.

I tried all sorts of styles before landing on a "rock meets traditional Chinese" mashup. The rock and Momo's vocals bring the swagger, the melodies stick in your head, and the suona with his operatic-style flourishes gives it that cultural punch. It is playful, lively, and just a little mischievous, exactly like Momo. And the suona adds the cherry on top, giving his signature silly, spirited charm. Thanks to everyone on the team contributing ideas, this song turned out better than we expected!

Whimsicality Waits for No One

The idea for this track was born during a meeting. While reviewing research data, we realized just how wildly popular the Whimstar jingles were. (Whether that popularity came from genuine love or pure annoyance... well, the jury's still out on that one.)

At the same time, we were discussing the need for some custom-made tracks for the rhythm game. And really, what rhythm game would be complete without a proper “boss” track? The moment we pictured one of those cheerful jingles transformed into a fiery, over-the-top remix, the decision was sealed. Our mischievous music designer immediately declared that three Whimstar jingles would be remixed into one gloriously overblown "boss" track.

Disclaimer: It wasn't created to be cruel, more for dramatic effect. That said, during the very first playtest, even the designer was reduced to tears by the difficulty.

[Echoed Dreams]: Ultimate Retro, Endless Possibilities!

The core musical style for Music Season's outfits is rooted in the grandeur of Baroque art. As one of the pinnacles of Western music after the Renaissance, Baroque is celebrated for its ornate beauty, emotional depth, and dramatic intensity—qualities that make it the perfect vessel for expressing ideals of splendor and magnificence. When the visual direction for Music Season was set, our designers quickly realized that Baroque's grand scale, rich ornamentation, and bold expressiveness were a natural fit. These qualities highlight the intricate detail of the outfits themselves while deepening the artistry and immersive atmosphere of the season as a whole.

For the ability "Echoed Dreams", we orchestrated four instrumental families comprising 16 instruments in total: flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon; French horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba; ensemble violins I & II, viola, and cello; plus celesta, glockenspiel, vibraphone, harp, and an additional harpsichord track.

The music is structured in SATB polyphony—soprano, alto, tenor, and bass—where the main melody flows between voices, shifting modes along the way. This interplay captures the layered elegance of Baroque composition. And for those who manage to trigger all four voices in perfect SATB order, a hidden surprise awaits: a harpsichord melody, the hallmark sound of the Baroque era.

[Counterflow Concerto]: Move to the Rhythm!

This is our first time incorporating the electric guitar, a fully amplified instrument, into the musical style of an outfit. From the very beginning, we wanted to give stylists a truly unique experience. We recorded both "Clean" and "Distortion" guitar tones and introduced the Power Chord feature, a highly expressive technique commonly used in pop, rock, and other modern music styles. We also designed a playful, rhythm-focused gameplay element that emphasizes the energetic beat, "boom boom boom da," creating a striking impact for stylists that is both visually engaging and aurally exciting.