Superyachts.com Talks to Yacht Charter Music Consultant Natalie Earp

Taking place at the ultra-fashionable ME Hotel, the day event, which saw the world’s top yacht builders delivering workshops in front of global media, culminated with an exclusive party attended by the great and the good from the superyacht world.

Throughout the night, Natalie kept the crowd entertained with her own unique DJing style that has proved a hit with yacht charterers and guests since she launched her bespoke music consultancy Sound Purpose last year.

Ahead of the event, we caught up with Natalie to discuss the origins of her company, her passion for music, and why a great soundtrack is essential to a yacht charter experience.

Superyachts.com: So what lead to you creating Sound Purpose?
Natalie Earp: “Having had the pleasure of being a guest on some of the World's most iconic Superyachts I have realised that yacht design, destinations, on-shore experiences and on board service go hand with the perfect soundtrack to create the perfect charter experience. That's why Sound Purpose offers you the 'Soundtrack For Your Life'.

“Many clients and charter brokers do not know how to go about utilising music to round up the charter experience for they clients.They have no time to compile playlists.They do not know where to find the right music or how to add to someone’s existing playlist. Ultimately, music is an emotional experience and music is like a universe that can be endless to discover. This is where Sound Purpose with its team of specialist music and lifestyle consultants add value.”

SY: Can you take us through the typical process of creating a soundtrack for a client?
NE: “We have developed a unique approach to identify what music we offer to our clients. We use a variety of tools depending on the purpose of our engagement. It can be as simple as using a quick questionnaire to find out what music would resonate with the owner or their guests or it could be amore in depth process where we spend as an afternoon with a client and go through their current music collection.

“A recent client just asked me to do my thing. Another client invited me on board for the day and we talked about how music will fit into a typical day and then went through his calendar until we create his next update to see what special events and if any guests were coming on board with differing tastes. This should be done every 1-3 months and some clients also mark out special events that are coming up, such as birthdays or business dinner partiers etc.

SY: What are the main benefits of the service?

NE: “Obviously, we have tools and experts to select the best music but customers also trust us as professional DJs. They come to me because they would not be able to research and compile music like someone who is professionally trained and experienced. This is a very personal process not a computer generated one like with digital services such as Spotify or iTunes. We give our clients instant access to the perfect music to create the perfect ambience for any mood, occasion or onboard activity. You will never be stuck on what to play. There is an endless amount of music out there but it's our job to tailor it to the client's needs.”

SY: Would you say there’s a typical type of music that charterers tend to want?
NE: “In general, I would say clients who include a music experience in their charter want the ultimate bespoke yachting experience and to create lasting memories by making their time on board a more well-rounded experience for their family and guests.

“Whilst some clients may like similar music it is completely unique what certain tracks mean to them. There is no one fits all approach to delivering a bespoke music service and yachting experience. It is a very personal and also transient service.

“Tastes are changing over time and new artists are continuously emerging. Especially, in this multi-facetted world we live in today. There is so much new music to discover away from the mainstream. Of course, what people like and what they want to get out of our music service varies widely from each client. Some want to update their playlists or music collections. Some want to explore music more in-depth or book an artist on demand. I've generally been impressed with the fact that many want to discover music more in-depth. In a way we help people to develop themselves through music as well. For example, I recently made a music selection for the wife of an owner who uses them for her Yoga sessions.”

SY: Tonight will be the second time you’ve DJed at Superyachts.com’s Top 100 event – how did you first get involved?
NE: “Initially, through my father I have been exposed to the Superyacht industry since I was a little child and I genuinely have a great love for travel, music and authentic experiences and good vibrations between people. More recently, through working with Y.CO and Charlie Birkett who is also a big lover of music, where Sound Purpose has enabled them to create their own bespoke music service called Y.PLAY.

“Y.PLAY by Sound Purpose also offers a generic library, that includes set compilations such as; Cabin Chill, Lazy Breakfast and Waterside Workout which we continuously expand and update. You should check it out!”

You can download Natalie's playlist from Superyachts.com's Top 100 event here.