Berklee Valencia Alumni Recognized at the 16th Annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards

Berklee Valencia graduates Obadiah Brown-Beach MM ’14 and Ana Krstajić MM ’18 were recognized for their outstanding work in video game music at the 16th Hollywood Music in Media Awards on November 19 in Hollywood, California. Both were finalists in the Song–Video Game (Console/PC) category, which honors excellence in original music for interactive media.

Obadiah Brown-Beach MM ’14

Obadiah Brown-Beach, who received a gold medal at the Global Music Awards in 2019 for his work on the world’s most played mobile game, Honor of Kings, is no stranger to the HMMAs. He won a Hollywood Music in Media Award in 2023 for his work on the game Arknights, and was nominated three previous years for Best Song/Score for a Mobile Game.

This year, Brown-Beach earned a win in the Song–Video Game (Console/PC) category for “Against the Tide” from Wuthering Waves, a 2024 free-to-play action role-playing game developed and published by Kuro Games. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the game invites players to explore the interplay between new and ancient civilizations.

Brown-Beach shared that this recognition holds special meaning due to the creative challenges and collaborative spirit behind the project, stating how he feels “extraordinarily lucky to work on anime-based games like Wuthering Waves, where they really push the music and where the fanbase and players are so incredibly supportive.” For Brown-Beach, this win “felt like a win for the whole community.”

In terms of the writing process, “Against the Tide” proved to be personally significant, Brown-Beach said. “Seeing it come together in the end and be received so well,” made the HMMA win feel “extra meaningful,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of creative partnerships, especially his collaboration with vocalist Forts for this project: “Every collaboration with Forts winds up being something special. Getting to share the award with her made it all the more fun.”

Ana Krstajić MM ’18

Born and raised in Serbia, composer Ana Krstajić MM ’18 is also an HMMA-winning composer for film, television, and video games. Some of her recent work includes the Apple TV+ mini animated series Puffins Impossible, the Amazon Prime TV series Un Asunto Privado, and the feature film A Cross in the Desert.

This year, Krstajić was nominated for an HMMA in the Song–Video Game (Console/PC) category for the composition “Footsteps” from Rue Valley, a narrative adventure about a man trapped in a time loop, who must navigate emotionally complex characters and unravel the mystery behind a powerful anomaly.

Reflecting on the nomination, Krstajić shared how meaningful the recognition feels at this point in her creative journey:

“Being nominated for the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Rue Valley is a huge honor and a deeply emotional moment for me. This recognition feels like a validation of years of dedication, risk-taking, and belief in my own artistic voice. Video game music is a very special medium because it allows music to live, breathe, and evolve with the player’s emotions and choices.”

A Global Community of Music Innovators

At Berklee Valencia, students cultivate the artistic and technical skills required to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving creative industries. Graduate programs emphasize a diverse and immersive curriculum, hands-on learning, and new artistic directions shaped by innovations in music and technology. This environment encourages students to develop their own artistic voices while preparing them to succeed across the global music and media landscape.

Both Krstajić and Brown-Beach credit their time at Berklee Valencia as a pivotal part of their creative development.

Reflecting on his experience in the scoring for film, television, and video games program, Brown-Beach noted how it helped launch his career as a composer: “Berklee gave me the push and direction I needed to start properly pursuing a career in music composition. It also gave me much-needed practice writing for various scenes, instruments, and styles, which helped set the groundwork that I could keep building on.”

Krstajić shared that Berklee Valencia gave her “the technical foundation, confidence, and creative freedom to experiment and grow.” It taught her “how to think like a storyteller through music, how to collaborate with directors and developers, and how to build meaningful musical worlds.”

She also emphasized how her time in Spain helped her bridge her classical background with modern media composition and prepared her for “the real-world challenges of working in film and game music.” Beyond the academics, the community she found at Berklee Valencia also continues to play a meaningful role in Krstajić’s creative life. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without that education and support,” she added.

Their recognition at the 16th annual HMMAs is an example of Berklee alumni who continue to shape high-profile projects across the global music and entertainment industries.

About the Hollywood Music in Media Awards

The Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) are one of the industry’s most influential platforms recognizing original music in film, television, streaming, video games, trailers, commercial advertisements, documentaries, and emerging media. The awards also honor emerging independent artists and music influencers from around the globe for creative and innovative contributions.

Winners are selected by members of the Hollywood Music in Media Academy, a voting body of composers, songwriters, music professionals, and journalists representing a broad range of organizations across the entertainment industry.