In a remarkable convergence of music and gaming, Gabriel Plourde, a 29-year-old musician from Edmundston, has recently crafted an original score for a new world in Fortnite, one of the most acclaimed video games ever created. His journey into the realm of music began at the tender age of nine when he was inspired by a character in the Legend of Zelda series who played an ocarina—a unique flute-like instrument. Captivated by its sound, his parents gifted him an ocarina, igniting a lifelong passion for both music and video games.
Now, Gabriel is fortunate enough to turn this passion into a profession. "It’s incredibly fulfilling, because I’m constantly creating music, but usually, I only experience it through platforms like YouTube or in others’ projects," Plourde shared. "Seeing my work integrated into actual gameplay, alongside sound effects, brings a whole new level of satisfaction."
Fortnite isn’t just a game; it has become a cultural cornerstone, boasting over 650 million registered players globally. On his YouTube channel, Gabocarina96, Plourde shares his covers of video game tunes and showcases his own compositions, amassing a following of more than 37,000 subscribers.
His recent opportunity arose when a friend in the industry tagged him in a post on X (formerly Twitter), which sought someone to compose orchestral-rock music for a new Fortnite world. While many players recognize Fortnite for its popular Battle Royale mode, Plourde emphasizes that there is also a creative space where users can download and explore custom worlds.
The creator who commissioned Plourde's work, known as CooliSushi, is quite renowned in the Fortnite community, with his maps accumulating approximately 25 million downloads. "Composing music for someone with that kind of reach is significant for me," Plourde noted. "My name appears right as players start their adventure, providing fantastic exposure."
When approached for a project, Plourde typically engages in conversations with clients to understand their vision. For the Fortnite world titled Anime RPG Tycoon, he listened to the temporary music used during production, collaborated with the creator, and began brainstorming ideas. The final composition features an orchestral rock sound, blending elements of traditional rock or metal with orchestral backing—an homage to one of his favorite games, Xenoblade Chronicles.
After drafting the arrangement, he meticulously records each component, beginning with the drums, before integrating everything into a cohesive piece. For this Fortnite score, he utilized virtual instruments on a keyboard for the orchestral elements and real instruments like guitar and bass for the rock segments. The entire process usually spans about a week, though given the need for various thematic variations for different parts of the game, this particular composition took a bit longer. "It's a lot of work, but it's the kind of work I love, and that makes it worthwhile," Plourde remarked.
This project marks a significant milestone for Plourde, as it is his first experience having original music featured in a video game, despite previously being commissioned for music modifications (or mods) and YouTube channel scores. Looking ahead, he dreams of continuing to compose music for video games, ideally for Japanese role-playing games.
Proudly representing New Brunswick, he cherishes the chance to pursue this career from his home province. "Thanks to the internet, the possibilities are endless," Plourde stated. "While larger cities may offer more opportunities, today, you can truly establish a presence from anywhere in the world, which is incredible."
