Behind every memorable commercial lies an invisible architecture of sound, and Juan Torres has mastered the art of building it. The Colombian-born audio engineer, who now calls Brooklyn home, brings a distinctive musical sensibility to every project he touches – from Super Bowl commercials to award-winning advertising campaigns.
Known professionally as both Juan Torres and “JT,” he has somehow managed to work on more than 100 advertising spots for major brands while maintaining the kind of perfectionist approach that larger agencies often struggle to preserve. His recent work includes the sound design for Nissan’s attention-grabbing 2024 Super Bowl spot “El Test Drive,” where he masterfully balanced the performances of Marcello Hernandez and Grupo Frontera. The commercial perfectly showcases his ability to merge cultural authenticity with mainstream appeal.
Torres’s growing reputation has led to collaborations with some of entertainment’s biggest names. He recently engineered Schwarzkopf’s landmark campaign featuring Emmy winner Sofia Vergara and celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, created the sonic landscape for Dial’s soap advertisements with Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Melissa Fumero, and crafted the audio experience for Volkswagen’s ID x Buzz commercial starring Tom Hardy as Venom.
His path to audio engineering excellence began in Los Angeles back in 2016, where he enrolled at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. There, he developed a solid foundation in audio engineering and post-production for film and television. Not content to stop there, Torres went on to tackle dual majors at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, studying both Music Production and Engineering alongside Electronic Production and Design. It was at Berklee where he developed what would become his trademark approach: seamlessly blending synthesis with traditional production techniques.
What sets Torres apart is his deep musical roots. He first picked up the violin at age two, learning through the renowned Suzuki Method. By fourteen, he had added guitar to his arsenal – an instrument that still influences his approach to sound design today. This rich musical background shines through in his work, whether he’s recording, mixing, or designing entirely new soundscapes.
His contributions to the innovative “Are You Pressworthy?” campaign didn’t go unnoticed, earning recognition at the Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, and D&AD Awards. Industry insiders took particular note of his collaboration with celebrated music composer and audio engineer Aaron Jaffe, a partnership that has only enhanced Torres’s reputation for excellence.
Since launching his professional career in 2019 in the Boston area, where he cut his teeth recording up-and-coming artists, Torres has found his sweet spot in New York City’s demanding post-production scene. His versatility allows him to tackle virtually any audio challenge, from capturing the perfect live performance to creating custom sound design that elevates even the most ambitious commercial projects.
You can follow Torres’s latest work on Instagram, where he occasionally offers glimpses into his creative process. Through each project, each campaign, and each innovation, Torres continues to prove that great sound design isn’t just about what we hear – it’s about what we feel. His impressive journey from violin up-and-comer to award-winning sound architect shows that sometimes the most impactful artists are the ones we never see, but whose work resonates with us long after the screen goes dark.
