James Zavaleta, a Grammy-nominated singer, producer and musician, has joined global music agency Pickle Music as managing director and executive producer. The move is an effort to further establish Pickle in Los Angeles, unify its offices on the East and West coasts and signify its ongoing growth in the U.S., the agency said.

“As we are about to open our new studio in LA, [there's] nothing better than counting [on] James to lead the office,” said Pickle Music Founder/CCO Alexis Estiz said in a statement. “He's not only an amazing musician, that for an EP is something you can be sure elevates any process, but he also shares the same passion and core values of what we have here at Pickle — the obsession with craft and creativity within music production.”

Zavaleta's arrival also reflects Pickle's growth, solidifies its U.S. operations and accentuates its mission. ”We're truly a diverse team. And we believe that in order to understand the market and provide expert music solutions, we need to continue to be aligned with multiculturalism, exactly what the U.S. market is right now. James' addition to the team brings authenticity, knowledge, and experience in the general market,” Estiz said.

With more than 20 years in the music and film business, Zavaleta most recently served as executive producer for Butter Music's multicultural market. He has led advertising projects for such brands as Coca-Cola, McDonald's, TikTok, Corona, Oreo and TurboTax. 

Zavaleta began performing professionally at around age 15, which led to him backing up such prominent Latin artists as Camila Cabello, Oscar de Leon, Jerry Rivera, Tito Nieves, Victor Manuelle and more. “In the last decade, I've focused on working more in TV and film, being both behind and in front of the camera,” he said in a statement.

Zavaleta has worked on ABC's Dancing With the Stars, produced tracks for such spots as “California Milk” via Deutsch LA, and executive produced a Metro PCS/T-mobile campaign featuring Luis Fonsi (“Despacito”) via Saatchi & Saatchi Seattle. He also regularly performs as a vocalist for the past seven years for the Spanish Pepto-Bismol and Charmin brands. 

His favorite career achievement thus far is performing in Disney's animated film Coco, he said.

“I was able to voice a few background characters,” Zavaleta said. “[I] also got to work directly with composers Germaine Franco (Dope, Encanto) and the amazing Michael Giacchino. Their commitment to bringing in authentic, expert talent was something that really stuck with me.”

Zavaleta hopes his varied experiences will inform his new role at Pickle: “When you work in high-profile productions like DWTS, Coco, Encanto (or an ad), the room for error is very small, and the attention to detail is very big,” he said. “Understanding and utilizing both the creative process and also the obsession with the craft of getting things over the finish line is a strength that I'll apply here as a Managing Director/EP.”

Zavaleta was particularly attracted to Pickle Music because of its emphasis on multiculturalism. 

“I felt it was the right time to join Pickle because of how the market has been shifting these last couple of years, moving to a more authentic and diverse industry,” he said. “I was also attracted by the amount of their award-winning work, led by Alexis Estiz. The fact that Pickle is acertified minority-owned business was another big factor when making the decision.”

In his new position, Zavaleta's immediate priority is to establish the agency's LA presence and studio. Long-term, he aims to continue making award-winning music, have a bigger impact in general marketing campaigns, and help Pickle gain traction and work on campaigns and trailers in esports and other growth areas.