Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (soundtrack)

Stephanie Economou is the second female composer working in DreamWorks Animation after Amie Doherty who composed Spirit Untamed (2021).[3][4] Economou had earlier worked as an additional music producer and co-ordinator to Harry Gregson-Williams, a norm DreamWorks composer.[5] She really responded to the story, which she said "Ruby’s character came across the page. She's such a relatable person, and so are so many of the other [characters], the mother relationship, the grandmother relationship. I think there's a lot of generational narrative in there that we can all relate to, which is quite universal."[6]

Economou was involved in the creative process from the onset and given a lot of freedom, although the directors suggested the film's music should "feel special, having its own voice and part of the world building" and should not go traditional. She wrote a dream-pop and synth-pop to explore Gillman's (Condor) life on land and underwater. Having an orchestral background, she experimented with traditional instrumentation and orchestra such as brass, strings, woodwinds and choir, juxtaposed with the ecletic sounds. For Ruby's theme, he used guitar, synthesizer and vocals, as well as bringing French horns and violins.[6]

Since the town was also a character in itself, she tried to make it "grounded and less dreamy" which resulted in an indie pop music from the 1980s. She used effects to incorporate actual effects which were numerous textures coupled with the solo instruments to immerse with the world. The score was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in London, with Hal Rosenfeld and Scott Michael Smith recording and mixing the orchestral portions. Economou's husband Jon Monroe plays guitar as one of the soloists. He experimented several electric guitars running through effects.[7]

James R. Whitson of Animated Views wrote "While I can't hum a single measure of Stephanie Economou's score from memory now, while watching I really enjoyed it. Two songs released with the movie, This Moment and Rise, fit the tone and message of the story well but are otherwise your average by-the-numbers movie pop songs."[8] Zach Youngs of InSession Film called the music as the "terrific addition to the story", and further wrote "With a score written by Stephanie Economou, the film is given an atmospheric and heroic mood in equal measure. Her dreamy pop that sounds like it’s coming from underwater is the perfect coming of age sound."[9] He also commented that the soundtrack "enriches Ruby's world rather than forcing a feeling onto it".[9]