MUSE is a conceptual website designed to highlight and celebrate local Bay Area artists while drawing inspiration from the everyday experience of commuting. Centered around the BART transit system, the project transforms the mundane rituals of travel daydreaming out the window, watching videos, reading, or scrolling through a phone into immersive music video experiences. By blending these familiar gestures with visual storytelling, the site creates a platform that not only showcases homegrown culture but also reimagines the rhythms of daily commute life as a source of creativity and connection.

While there are a handful of platforms dedicated to 360° video content, such as Veer.tv, few emphasize music-driven experiences. Unlike Veer.tv or mainstream platforms like YouTube, MUSE is intentionally designed around music videos, creating an immersive space dedicated to blending sound, storytelling, and visual innovation.

MUSE was inspired by Ouchhh Studio’s Poetic AI exhibition in Paris, which explored the intersection of technology, art, and immersive media. Initially, I envisioned producing a 360° video package for Post Malone’s Beerbongs & Bentleys album, but legal restrictions prompted a shift in direction. Instead, I chose to collaborate with Bay Area musicians, producing original 360° videos that both avoid licensing issues and spotlight local talent.

Yes MUSE addresses the monotony of long, crowded commutes. Music is already a universal part of traveling, whether by car, train, or on foot, and I saw an opportunity to elevate that experience. By transforming a virtual BART ride into an interactive, music-driven journey, MUSE makes commuting feel more engaging, imaginative, and enjoyable.

To source collaborators, I reached out on social media and connected with three musicians from diverse backgrounds. Each brought their own unique style and sound, embracing the project’s vision and contributing to a collection of immersive 360° music videos.

To ground the visual direction, I conducted interviews with peers, colleagues, family, and the musicians themselves. I asked what they felt made concerts and music videos visually memorable. Responses varied, but the consensus was clear: visuals are often treated as an afterthought, yet when done right, they amplify the emotional power of music and make the experience unforgettable.

Brian Sakhuja, an Alameda-based electronic producer, asked me to animate visuals for his remix of Kaskade’s Disarm You. With limited lyrics to work from, I developed a concept around digital corruption and the overstimulation of online advertising. Drawing inspiration from cyber aesthetics and neon “new wave” design, I built a constantly shifting world of ads reminiscent of Las Vegas, reflecting how exploitative marketing tactics especially in pharmaceuticals target vulnerable groups. Each animated sign changed rhythmically to mirror the pulse of the music, immersing viewers in a vivid commentary on cyberspace culture.

Interactive web viewing was transitioned from an A-Frame implementation to a native Vimeo player experience.

Sola Luna, an alternative band with a coastal-inspired sound, requested visuals that captured a beach atmosphere. To differentiate this video’s style, I used Cinema 4D’s Sketch and Toon for the first time, creating a dreamlike animated beach scene scattered with toys and lounge chairs. The narrative unfolded like the afterimage of falling asleep in sunlight on a BART ride, with a massive cartoon sun symbolizing the “fire in the soul” described in the lyrics. The video concluded with a tunnel sequence, doubling as a subtle call-to-action to encourage viewers to explore the band’s music further.

Interactive web viewing was transitioned from an A-Frame implementation to a native Vimeo player experience.

Oscar, a hip-hop beats producer, composed a track titled October in response to my project callout. With its Halloween-inspired theme, I designed a surreal valley landscape filled with rolling hills and classic horror motifs ghosts, machetes, scythes, twisted trees, and eerie masks. The result was a playful yet atmospheric visual narrative that aligned seamlessly with the track’s seasonal energy.

Interactive web viewing was transitioned from an A-Frame implementation to a native Vimeo player experience.