With “I Found A Monster,” Nashville-based filmmaker and composer Seth Schaeffer steps into the music spotlight with an explosive debut that doesn’t just introduce him as a new artist—it establishes him as a voice that demands to be heard. Released on July 18, 2025, the single feels less like a traditional track and more like a visceral experience: a cinematic cry for authenticity, self-acceptance, and inner liberation.
Described by R+ as “a primal scream against inner oppression,” I Found A Monster is not just a song—it’s a personal reckoning turned sonic revolution. It’s bold, atmospheric, and emotionally raw, carving out a new space in the alt-pop and cinematic music landscape that blurs genre boundaries. If you’re a fan of artists like Hans Zimmer, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Billie Eilish, or FINNEAS, this track will feel familiar yet wholly original.
From the very first note, the production sets a haunting tone. Inspired by an old, broken acoustic bass with just three playable strings, Schaeffer builds a layered, immersive soundscape that’s both gritty and ethereal. That broken instrument becomes a symbol for the song itself: beauty found in imperfection, truth pulled from the wreckage of restraint.
The track features an emotional fusion of:
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Haunting female vocals by Emily Hatch, drifting like a ghost through the verses
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Intricate string arrangements by Marco Pescosolido and Nikos Mavridis (via Musiversal), adding dramatic weight
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Bold trumpet lines by Vigilance Brandon (via Musiversal), injecting urgency and flare
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And vocal textural elements from Judah Schaeffer, crafting a layered and cinematic vocal presence
Each element contributes to the rising tension and eventual explosion of the track—a musical embodiment of breaking through inner and outer cages.
At its core, “I Found A Monster” is a metaphor. The “monster” represents the repressed, true self, long buried under fear, self-doubt, and the need to conform. The track explores the pain of hiding, the cost of pretending, and the liberation that comes from owning who you truly are.
Seth doesn’t hold back lyrically or emotionally. His own words about the song’s message cut deep:
“I realized the voices I feared from others were really the self-judgment I had for not being good enough. ‘I Found A Monster’ is about waking up the truest version of inner-self, and loving the hell out of it before it’s too late.”
It’s rare to hear a debut single this emotionally nuanced, and even rarer to see such masterful execution in production. Seth co-produced the track and brought in Sam Moses to master it, completing a sound that feels professional, intentional, and full of life.
The recording process itself is part of what makes this track so unique. Seth spent three years building a custom home studio—a creative “spaceship” equipped with vintage gear, modern tools, and enough vibe to inspire future worlds of sound. He leaned into imperfections, such as using a rattling acoustic bass or recording clashing overtones from a 1960s Yamaha grand piano, not as flaws, but as expressions of raw authenticity.
It’s this commitment to creative freedom and fearlessness that gives “I Found A Monster” its real power. This is music that breaks molds, defies expectation, and thrives in vulnerability.
Seth Schaeffer is no newcomer to art. With over 20 years of experience directing films and composing, he knows how to tell stories. But this is the first time he’s telling his own—and it shows.
“It’s a rallying cry against silencing: break molds, wield vulnerability as strength, and reclaim your identity,”he says. “This song belongs anywhere people are fighting back, speaking truth, or no longer refusing to hide.”
“I Found A Monster” is not your average debut. It’s bold, cinematic, emotionally complex, and deeply human. Schaeffer delivers a genre-bending masterpiece that taps into the universal longing to be seen, heard, and accepted for who we really are.
This track will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt trapped by fear or expectation—and it’s destined to become an anthem for radical self-embrace.
If you’re looking for music with substance, depth, and soul, this is not just a song you’ll want to hear—it’s a song you’ll feel.
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