Sofar Sounds offers artists around the world like Baltimore’s Like Water an intimate in-person and online stage
Photo courtesy of Like Water.
Dailyreggae.com caught up with Sofar Sounds’ Christen Taylor (artist name: Like Water) to learn about Sofar’s unique global music community, her music, and new album, She Called It Noise, and how the reggae community can get involved in Sofar Sounds.
Great to meet you Christen! Tell us about your journey with Sofar Sounds. We thought the reggae community would be interested in learning about how to get involved with Sofar.
I’ve been a part of Sofar since 2016. I was on tour. My wife and I drove across the country and Italy performing and Sofar shows were some of our favorites. When we were heading back home, we realized Baltimore didn’t have a Sofar. There's such an incredible artist community in Baltimore so we reached out and started Sofar Baltimore.
Along with being City Director, I joined the artist community management team. During COVID, we started Sofar In Session, our education-based webinar series, where we bring in artists and industry professionals to discuss a variety of topics focused on helping an artist develop creatively and in their career. Music licensing, distribution, playlisting, and home recording are some of the topics we’ve covered. With everyone at home, it’s been a great way to stay connected with the artist community and continue learning.
I’m also the Content and Artist Programming Manager. My team focuses on highlighting the diverse global community of local artists that make us who we are. Whether that be in our playlists or editorial content; we support amazing artists from cities all over the globe.
I am also a musician. Recording, releasing projects, videos and performing is what brings me joy. My passion for music drives me to keep creating opportunities for other artists. That’s me in a nutshell!
What you’re doing sounds like so much fun. You’re wearing a ton of hats!
It really is fun! No two days are the same and I am always learning. I started Sofar Baltimore as a way to provide artists with something I wish I had starting out. I wanted to be that person shouting about dope people, just because they are dope. As an artist, it means alot to push other artists into the limelight. That vision has grown to include various opportunities for our entire global community.
So now let’s say you have your artist hat on, what have you have learned from working with Sofar as an artist?
I learned to focus on things that I value. I’ve learned to continue to do what I do as an artist, to make incredible music, and not try to adjust to each person’s taste. Anyone in a position is just a person at the end of the day. That’s probably the biggest takeaway and that numbers matter. As much as artists want to stay away from the business side it's important to keep your fans engaged and your fanbase growing. Actively balancing the creation with the business is imperative.
What spurred your decision to move over to performing under Like Water?
I (laughs) like every artist am very sensitive about the music I create and the way I present myself to the world. Having my music tied to the name I was given at birth made me feel boxed in. Like my music had to be a direct reflection of someone's perception of me. Like Water is my freedom. I can create, evolve, learn, grow and just exist now. It feels incredible.
The transition was a long time in the making. I was terrified to be honest. I had built a fanbase, released music, and performed under the name Christen B. I had no clue what would happen to all of that, but as soon as I released my new album under my new name, I felt so free! People are loving it and that includes my day one, pre name change fans and that really means the world!
That’s so cool. What you’ve learned from Sofar is about being open to all this music, being genuine, and feeling free. You were able to pivot as an artist and feel confident in that choice.
Tell us about the process of recording your new album, She Called It Noise. Were a lot of the songs written beforehand, or did you record some at home, or in a studio?
This album was years in the making. Every artist has their notepad or their voice recorder. I have tons, I want to say thousands of voice notes on my phone. I’d been feeling a pull to create more freely but I had so much music lingering in my head that there was no space for anything new. I wanted to do a brain dump album (laughs). Just get everything out, so I could clear my mind and work on new material. She Called It Noise is the masterful combination of the best of what lived in my brain like “Palo Santo” and “In Love” and an introduction to exploring different sounds and vibes like “Black Bird” and “Pure Intention”.
After working on songs here and there for a few years and being at home during quarantine, I decided to sit down and record the album. I started out recording at home with a bunch of music equipment I’d accumulated over the years. When I listened back, I could hear the neighbors, the heater...practically everything lol. My wife and I live in an apartment and no matter how quiet you are inside there’s always people walking above you, noises outside and it didn’t allow for a seamless or consistent recording space.
I have a friend, Ashley Donald, who I met through Sofar. She is an amazing audio engineer and we decided it was time to get into the studio. She put together an incredible team of creatives, Jon and Jones to help get this album out on time. We recorded, mixed, and mastered the album in a little over two weeks. There were a lot of 7pm - 4am. sessions! It was great, but I won’t be doing that again if I can help it. I learned a lot from that experience. I am forever grateful to Ashley and all of the incredible musicians and creatives that played a role in bringing it to life. I’m so happy it came out the way that it did.
Shout out to Ray Redditt, Evander McLean, Jennifer ‘Stix’ Hairston, Infinity Wilner, Shawn Smallwood and Maurice Carroll for helping me create the beautiful soundscapes, Travis Marshall for the photo and Inspire Higher Designs for the album art!
It sounds like your music is a true expression of yourself and I imagine if that’s the case, it’s almost therapeutic. Would you say you have an underlying mission statement behind your music or an idea that you’re trying to spread to the world?
Most definitely! I try to do all things with intention. It took me a long time to learn that it wasn’t necessarily what I was saying or the type of music I was creating, but it’s more about the intention I set as I create and live my life.
My intention is for my music to be whatever the listener needs at that time. If they need self-reflection, a hug, a reminder that love exists or that they are loved, they’ll get that. I want my music to be healing. I write from my own experiences and healing journey and I trust that the listener will get what they need as well.
For our readers who maybe don’t know what Sofar is about, can you give us a synopsis, so our readers who are just learning about it can better understand it?
Sofar Sounds is a global community of people that want to support artists in an impactful way. We connect local artists with music lovers all around the world and create a space where music matters.
Before the pandemic, we put on shows in hundreds of cities across the globe in unique spaces. From homes, to cafes, bars and museums (laughs). Wherever there is a cool space to activate we are there to bring people together around great music. When COVID hit, we created virtual experiences like the Listening Room, where an artist performs a 20-25 minute set via our YouTube channel, In Session and Private Virtual Concerts.
We’re all about supporting the artist and creating spaces where they can be heard by people who want to support and hear good music. Not necessarily because they know who the artists are, but because they love discovering new music. Now with the world beginning to open up, we hope to bring that connection back in person soon.
As a fan or audience member, what’s the difference between going to a Sofar show versus another type show?
There is this level of excitement that has built up from seeing it on YouTube or hearing from a friend. Once you get there, three different artists perform different styles of music and you’re exposed to things that you may not have been otherwise. You discover new music in an atmosphere that is free of noise and you are able to connect with the artist on a deeper level.
Everyone is asked to sit down, to be quiet, and silence their phones. We provide an excuse for people to disconnect from the outside world and be in the moment. Sometimes we need that excuse! There’s a vibe that exists at a Sofar show. It inspires you to spark up a convo with the person next to you, building excitement for who the next artist may be and you start making a list of all the people you want to tell about this unforgettable night. It’s also a great way to explore your city.
And that same question but from an artist’s perspective. What do you think is different and cool about playing a Sofar show versus a gig anywhere else?
I fell in love with Sofar at the very first show I played with Sofar DC. I’m an artist who is very serious about the lyrics so I love when people are able to hear it. Performing in spaces where people are quiet and listening is what I live for! When I did my very first Sofar show, I was amazed at the atmosphere. The team was ready to help me load in and set up, which doesn’t always happen for up-and-coming artists. It was nice to feel special and supported.
I asked the audience to sing backgrounds and create the rhythm, and they actually did! The space was full of beautiful sounds that they just learned not even 5 minutes ago, it was incredible! There’s also time and space to sign CDs, answer questions and open up another level of connection. It really is a breath of fresh air.
You’ve been to a lot of Sofar shows as an artist and a fan. What was the coolest venue or setting that you’ve seen?
That is so tough. I think I’d have to say Naples, Italy. Not only was the show on a beautiful rooftop, where you could see all the buildings and the water in the distance, but I was in a country where I didn’t speak the language or know anyone besides my wife lol and still felt connected. I wasn’t singing or speaking in Italian, but the audience felt the energy and loved the music. There we were, in Italy, at sunset, on a rooftop jamming out...It was magical!
Wish I was there! Sounds awesome. Sofar is a community. You have the artists, attendees, and the hosts. What is a good way for people to get involved in Sofar?
The website is the best place to learn more about Sofar, reopening news, and how to get tickets. Anyone interested in hosting can learn more on the host page of the website. Artists can learn more and apply on the artist page of the website. You can also check out some new music in the Listening Room and tune in to In Session to learn some industry tips.
We have to ask. Do you have any reggae influences in your music or a reggae vibe in your new album?!
I wish but I’m not that cool (laughs). When I’m creating, I don’t listen to music, but old-school reggae is one genre of music I listen to when I’m trying to decompress. The sun is shining, I’m cooking dinner and I just dance in my kitchen. It’s the best! It’s soothing to the soul, but it’s not a genre of music that I create.
Learn more about how you can get involved in the global Sofar Sounds community by visiting https://www.sofarsounds.com/
Connect with Like Water (Christen) by visiting www.thelikewaterexperience.com
