{{Short description|American composer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Stephanie Economou | image = Stephanie Economou at the 2026 WonderCon by Gage Skidmore (cropped).jpg | image_size = | birth_date = | birth_place = | background = non_performing_personnel | occupation = Composer, conductor, multi-instrumentalist | genre = [[Film score|Film and television scores]], [[video game music|video game scores]], [[jazz]], [[Rock music|rock]], [[Electronic music|electronic]], [[Experimental music|experimental]], [[New age music|new age]] | instruments = Vocals, [[piano]], [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[synthesizer]], [[guitar]], [[violin]], [[viola]] | years_active = 2011–present | labels = | website = https://www.stephanieeconomou.com | caption = Economou at the 2026 [[WonderCon]] }}
'''Stephanie Economou''' is an American composer, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist based in [[Los Angeles]]. Her score for ''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla|Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok]]'' won the first [[Grammy Award]] for [[Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media]] at the [[65th Annual Grammy Awards|65th annual ceremony]].
== Early life and education == Economou grew up in [[Long Island]], where she was involved in music programs at public school.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Neophytou |first=Nadia |date=3 February 2023 |title=How Stephanie Economou Is Making History as a Video Game Soundtrack Composer |url=https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/a42746623/how-stephanie-economou-is-making-history-as-a-video-game-soundtrack-composer/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Shondaland |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031161721/https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/a42746623/how-stephanie-economou-is-making-history-as-a-video-game-soundtrack-composer/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She was inspired by her older sister Nicole to begin playing music, and chose the violin.<ref name=":1" /> Economou and her sister also grew up playing the [[Sega Genesis]] and games on the first generation of [[Xbox]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Karounos |first=Patricia |date=23 March 2023 |title=5 Women Share How They Made Your Fave Video Games |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2023/03/11327747/women-working-in-gaming-jobs |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031161711/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2023/03/11327747/women-working-in-gaming-jobs |url-status=live }}</ref>
Economou attended the [[New England Conservatory of Music]], where she studied composition.<ref name=":1" /> During her studies, she began to work with people studying at Emerson College to score music for their films.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
During her master's degree for composition for visual media at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]], she had an apprenticeship with [[Harry Gregson-Williams]], who employed her following her graduation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Farber |first=Jim |date=16 September 2017 |title=Breaking Through the Celluloid Ceiling |url=https://www.sfcv.org/articles/feature/breaking-through-celluloid-ceiling |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=www.sfcv.org |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031161711/https://www.sfcv.org/articles/feature/breaking-through-celluloid-ceiling |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Career ==
=== Video games === Ubisoft approached Economou and employed her to initially work on ''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla]]: The Siege of Paris''.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> She cited the work of [[Sarah Schachner]], who wrote the music for the main game, as influential on her scores for the expansions, as well as music by black metal bands Wilderun and Ari Mason.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Tong |first1=Scott |last2=Perkins Mastromarino |first2=James |last3=Ryan |first3=Jill |last4=Swartz |first4=Katherine |date=6 February 2023 |title='Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök' composer Stephanie Economou wins new Grammy category |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/02/03/video-game-soundtrack-grammys |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=www.wbur.org |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031161710/https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/02/03/video-game-soundtrack-grammys |url-status=live }}</ref> Economou composed the soundtrack to the ''Dawn of Ragnarök'' expansion of ''Assassin's Creed Valhalla''. The album for this soundtrack won the first ever [[Grammy Awards|Grammy]] award given to a game soundtrack.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Winners & Nominees List |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2023-grammy-nominations-complete-winners-nominees-list |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=www.grammy.com}}</ref> Economou was the only woman nominated in her category.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kerr |first=Chris |date=6 February 2023 |title=Stephanie Economou wins game score Grammy for work on Assassin's Creed |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/stephanie-economou-wins-first-game-score-grammy-for-work-on-assassins-creed |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Game Developer |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031161712/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/stephanie-economou-wins-first-game-score-grammy-for-work-on-assassins-creed |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fekadu |first=Mesfin |date=5 February 2023 |title=Grammys: Female Composers, 'Encanto' Win Big in Visual Media Categories |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/encanto-assassins-creed-valhalla-dawn-ragnarok-grammys-2023-1235318109/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031161710/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/encanto-assassins-creed-valhalla-dawn-ragnarok-grammys-2023-1235318109/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Films === Economou's film credits include scores to the films ''[[About My Father]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |title='About My Father' Soundtrack Album Details {{!}} Film Music Reporter |url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/05/25/about-my-father-soundtrack-album-details/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102193954/https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/05/25/about-my-father-soundtrack-album-details/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reeves |first=Rachel |date=2023-07-17 |title=Interview: 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' Composer Stephanie Economou |url=https://film-cred.com/interview-ruby-gillman-teenage-kraken-stephanie-economou/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Film Cred |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-08-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810032941/https://film-cred.com/interview-ruby-gillman-teenage-kraken-stephanie-economou/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Josh |date=30 June 2023 |title=How Ruby Gillman Composer Created A Special "Kraken Language" For New DreamWorks Film |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/ruby-gillman-teenage-kraken-composer-stephanie-economou-interview |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=SYFY Official Site |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701035001/https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/ruby-gillman-teenage-kraken-composer-stephanie-economou-interview |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''[[My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Creating Music That Feels Like Being in Greece for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 |url=https://www.focusfeatures.com/article/interview_composer_my-big-fat-greek-wedding-3 |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Focus Features |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002214631/https://www.focusfeatures.com/article/interview_composer_my-big-fat-greek-wedding-3 |url-status=live }}</ref> among others.
==Filmography==
=== Music department === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director(s) !Composer(s) ! Notes |- | rowspan="3" | 2015 |''[[Monkey Kingdom]]'' |[[Mark Linfield]]<br>[[Alastair Fothergill]] | rowspan="7" | [[Harry Gregson-Williams]] |Music arranger |- |''[[The Martian (film)|The Martian]]'' |[[Ridley Scott]] |Additional music |- |''[[Miss You Already]]'' |[[Catherine Hardwicke]] |Music arranger |- | rowspan="2" | 2016 |''[[Confirmation]]'' |[[Rick Famuyiwa]] |Additional orchestrations |- |''[[Live by Night]]'' |[[Ben Affleck]] | rowspan="3" | Additional music |- | rowspan="3" | 2017 |''[[The Zookeeper's Wife (film)|The Zookeeper's Wife]]'' |[[Niki Caro]] |- |''[[Breath (2017 film)|Breath]]'' |[[Simon Baker]] |- |''[[Electric Dreams (2017 TV series)|Electric Dreams]]'' |{{N/A}} |Harry Gregson-Williams (theme music) |Vocalist - theme music |- | rowspan="3" | 2018 |''[[Early Man (film)|Early Man]]'' |[[Nick Park]] |Harry Gregson-Williams<br>[[Tom Howe (musician)|Tom Howe]] |Score technical supervisor |- |''[[The Equalizer 2]]'' |[[Antoine Fuqua]] | rowspan="2" | Harry Gregson-Williams | rowspan="6" | Additional music |- |''[[The Meg]]'' |[[Jon Turteltaub]] |- | rowspan="3" | 2019 |''[[Whiskey Cavalier]]'' |{{N/A}} |Harry Gregson-Williams<br>Tom Howe |- |''[[Penguins (film)|Penguins]]'' |Alastair Fothergill<br>Jeff Wilson |Harry Gregson-Williams |- |''[[Catch-22 (miniseries)|Catch-22]]'' |{{N/A}} |Harry Gregson-Williams<br>[[Rupert Gregson-Williams]] |- |2020 |''[[Mulan (2020 film)|Mulan]]'' |Niki Caro |Harry Gregson-Williams |- |}
=== As composer === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director(s) ! Studio(s) ! Notes |- | 2019 | ''[[Step Up (TV series)|Step Up: High Water]]'' | {{N/A}} | [[YouTube Premium]] | Season 2 |- | rowspan="2" | 2020 | ''[[Manhunt (2017 TV series)|Manhunt]]'' | {{N/A}} | [[Spectrum (brand)|Spectrum]] | Season 2, co-composed with Harry Gregson-Williams |- | ''[[Marvel's 616]]'' | {{N/A}} | [[Disney+]] | Two episodes, ''Higher, Further, Faster'' and ''Spotlight'' |- | rowspan="3" | 2021 | ''[[Jupiter's Legacy (TV series)|Jupiter's Legacy]]'' | [[Steven S. DeKnight]]<br>Christopher J. Byrne<br>[[Charlotte Brändström]]<br>Marc Jobst | [[Netflix]] | {{N/A}} |- | ''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla]]: The Siege of Paris'' | {{N/A}} | [[Ubisoft]] | {{N/A}} |- | ''[[The Chair (2021 TV series)|The Chair]]'' | Daniel Gray Longino | Netflix | {{N/A}} |- | rowspan="2" | 2022 | ''Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök'' | {{N/A}} | Ubisoft | Winner: [[Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media]] |- | ''More Than Robots'' | [[Gillian Jacobs]] | Disney+ | {{N/A}} |- | rowspan="3" | 2023 | ''[[About My Father]]'' | Laura Terruso | [[Lionsgate Films]] | {{N/A}} |- | ''[[Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken]]'' | [[Kirk DeMicco]] | [[Universal Pictures]] | {{N/A}} |- | ''[[My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3]]'' | [[Nia Vardalos]] | [[Focus Features]] | {{N/A}} |- | 2025 | ''[[Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie]]''<ref>{{cite web |title=Stephanie Economou Scoring DreamWorks Animation's 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' |url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2025/05/08/stephanie-economou-scoring-dreamworks-animations-gabbys-dollhouse-the-movie/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Film Music Reporter}}</ref> | Ryan Crego | Universal Pictures | {{N/A}} |- | 2026 | ''[[Lanterns (TV series)|Lanterns]]'' | [[James Hawes]], [[Stephen Williams (director)|Stephen Williams]], [[Geeta Vasant Patel]], [[Alik Sakharov]] | [[HBO]] | {{N/A}} |- |}
== Awards and honors == * Fellow for the Sundance Institute Composers Lab<ref name=":1" /> * 2018 NBC/Universal Composers Initiative<ref name=":1" /> * 2023: [[Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media]]<ref name=":0" /> * Board member of the [[Alliance for Women Film Composers]].<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{official site}} * {{IMDb name}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Economou, Stephanie}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American composers]] [[Category:21st-century American violinists]] [[Category:21st-century American women composers]] [[Category:American film score composers]] [[Category:American television composers]] [[Category:American video game composers]] [[Category:American women film score composers]] [[Category:American women violinists]] [[Category:Composers from New York City]] [[Category:Grammy Award winners]] [[Category:New England Conservatory alumni]] [[Category:People from Long Island]] [[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]] [[Category:Women television composers]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]