Ricky Martin has embarked on an ambitious effort to change the way we listen to music. What started out as a way to fight against his own pandemic-induced anxiety became a technology that will change not only the world of music but other forms of media.
With the help of music mix engineer/ producer Jaycen Joshua and music engineer Michael Seaberg, the trio created an immersive listening technology called Orbital Audio.
Joshua explained to Forbes Magazine exactly what Orbital Audio does:
“We acquired the ability to isolate individual sounds and be able to have those individual sounds orbit around your head simultaneously without taking the listener to a place of dizziness. Whether it’s up down, left right, behind you, above you, real far away, super close up next to your ear.”
In a partnership with Joshua and Seaberg, Martin has created Martin Music Lab to maximize the full potential of Orbital Audio beyond the music industry into movies, gaming, sports, and even mental wellness. Martin expounded on the application of Orbital Audio with mental health:
“Music heals. Our goal with Martin Music Lab and the overall Orbital Audio technique is to amplify that as much as possible. For me personally, music is a release, it helps me focus and helps remove anxiety. I want to harness that power and unlock its potential to help others find the same level of calm and serenity. As much as this is about giving people a more personalized music experience, it’s also about improving their overall mental health.”
While Martin and his team are just starting out with this project, they have already put out the first album utilizing Orbital Audio, Martin’s own album, Pausa. Martin explained to the Houston Chronicle what it was like to hear his own music with Orbital Audio:
“I’m gonna share with you something very personal. My mom was locked in here with us because she came to visit her grandkids and all of a sudden, boom, pandemic. ‘Mom, you’re not going anywhere.’ She stayed with us for five months. She walks in when I was listening to my music in my working space, and she’s like, ‘Son, my son, what’s going on? Are you OK?’ I was crying. I’m like, ‘No, mom, I’m sorry, I’m just listening to my music, and I’m very happy with what I’m hearing.’ So that’s where we are. Music, after so many years, this is what it’s creating in me emotionally. The magnitude of it is really interesting. I feel a lot of peace every time I press play.”
On the Monday, December 14 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Martin talked about Orbital Audio with Fallon as well as his album, Pausa, receiving a Grammy nomination.
Martin performed at the Latin Grammys last month and shared photos of himself in only his underwear taken by photographer Omar Cruz.
Let’s do this @LatinGRAMMYs
📸 @omarcruz pic.twitter.com/bHI4mhEAdn— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) November 19, 2020
After listening to the headphone mix, as it is described on the streaming sites, of Pausa, I can affirm Orbital Audio is a definite game-changer when it comes to listening to music with headphones or earphones. Don’t just take my word for it. Listen to Pausa (Headphone Mix) for yourself below.
Sources: Forbes, Houston Chronicle, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Official YouTube Channel, Ricky Martin Official YouTube Channel, Ricky Martin Official Twitter Page
