The Creative Directors Shaping Music’s Visual Culture in 2025

 

In 2025, music success isn’t defined by sound alone. The artists breaking through today are those who build entire worlds around their work, worlds shaped by creative directors, visual artists, designers, choreographers, and production collaborators who translate music into culture.

At NOVA, we work at the intersection of creative freelancers and forward-thinking brands, and nowhere is that collaboration more visible than in modern music production. From album rollouts and tour visuals to music videos, merchandise, and short-form content, visual identity has become inseparable from the music itself.

Below, we highlight some of our favorite musicians of the year, along with the creative directors and visual architects who helped bring their visions to life.

 

Why Visual Identity Matters More Than Ever in Music

 

In a streaming-first era, attention is fragmented. What turns a casual listener into a lifelong fan is often visual cohesion — a consistent, intentional aesthetic that carries across:

• Tour design and stage visuals

• Album artwork and physical packaging

• Music videos and cinematic storytelling

• Social media and short-form content

• Editorial photography and branding assets

These elements don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of deep collaboration between artists and creative freelancers, many of whom work behind the scenes shaping how music is seen, felt, and remembered.

 

The Creative Collaborations Defining 2025

 

Jennifer Cheng × Saya Gray

Role: Visual Artist
Jennifer Cheng’s visual language expands Saya Gray’s genre-bending music into a surreal, emotionally charged visual universe. The work proves how fine art sensibilities can elevate music branding beyond traditional promo.

 

Mortis Studio × Hether

Role: Graphic Design
Mortis Studio’s graphic direction for Hether blends underground aesthetics with refined restraint—demonstrating how typography, layout, and design systems can anchor an artist’s identity across releases.

 

Graham Epstein × After

Role: Band Member, Creative Director
When creative direction comes from within the band, the result is total alignment. Graham Epstein’s dual role allows After’s visuals to feel inseparable from their sound, creating authenticity that resonates deeply with fans.

 

Lexee Smith × Addison Rae

Role: Choreographer, Close Collaborator
Movement is a visual language of its own. Lexee Smith’s choreography plays a central role in Addison Rae’s evolution as a pop artist, shaping how performance, camera, and virality intersect.

 

Phil Gibson × Geese

Role: Creative Director
Phil Gibson’s work with Geese captures rawness without sacrificing intention. The creative direction feels lived-in, immediate, and unmistakably aligned with the band’s energy.

 

Chris Horan × Adela

Role: Creative Director
Chris Horan brings clarity and cohesion to Adela’s visual identity, proving that strong creative direction can sharpen an artist’s narrative and elevate every visual touchpoint.

 

Fomo & Trauma × Rusowsky

Role: Visual Duo
As a visual duo, Fomo & Trauma translate Rusowsky’s sound into a distinct, contemporary aesthetic—showing how collaborative visual teams can build layered, immersive worlds.

 

Milton De La Rosa, Emilio De La Rosa, Mike De La Rosa × Latin Mafia

Role: Creative Direction
Latin Mafia’s visual identity is a masterclass in family-driven creative direction. The De La Rosa team demonstrates how long-term collaboration creates consistency, trust, and cultural impact.

 

Florian Solin & Gil Gharbi × Oklou

Role: Photography & Cinematography
Photography and cinematography are often the first entry point into an artist’s world. Solin and Gharbi’s work with Oklou blends softness and precision, crafting visuals that feel both intimate and cinematic.

 

Brendan Yates × Turnstile

Role: Lead Singer, Creative Director
Brendan Yates embodies the modern artist-director hybrid. His creative leadership ensures Turnstile’s visuals, performances, and releases operate as a unified cultural statement.

 

What Brands Can Learn From Music Creative Direction

Music has become one of the most advanced testing grounds for creative production. Brands looking to build stronger emotional connections can learn from how musicians collaborate with freelancers to:

• Develop cohesive visual systems

• Maintain consistency across platforms

• Blend storytelling with performance

• Build recognizable, culture-forward identities

The creative freelancers highlighted above represent the future of production: agile, multidisciplinary, and deeply collaborative. As brands increasingly think like media companies, the demand for this kind of talent continues to grow.

NOVA exists to make those connections seamless, helping brands find the right creative partners to bring ambitious ideas to life.

Because in 2025, the strongest brands, like the strongest artists, are built through vision, collaboration, and world-building.