sombr on his quick rise to fame ahead of his sold-out show
Alternative artist, sombr, feels infinite. Within a few short years, he has landed among the stars. sombr had a quick rise to fame by utilizing social media. His song “caroline” has had over 30 million streams on Spotify after going viral online. His music captures small moments that are burned into memory, setbacks in life, and the exploration of the emotions that come with love. sombr’s soft yet lyrically powerful songs have touched millions. Listening to his songs makes emotions stir, touching unnamable feelings. Each song is sonically moving with his impeccable touch for composition, adding in soft notes of instruments when needed, such as piano and guitar.
He played his first live show as sombr just days before in LA. We had a chance to sit down with sombr ahead of his sold-out Baby’s All Right gig.
Can you briefly talk about your music background and the beginning of sombr?
I'm from the Lower East side of Manhattan, New York City. I grew up producing in my bedroom. I went to LaGuardia High School as a vocal major and I was classically trained. I started sombr in my sophomore year of high school. I was just writing and producing in my bedroom, and posted a snippet on TikTok one day that took off. And then everything changed. Now I live in LA and I write all my music and co-produce it with Tony Berg at Sound City Studios.
You studied social media algorithms and then your song went viral in 2020. Can you just quickly talk about that experience and how that kind of launched you as a musician originally?
Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't say like I studied social media algorithms. I was just watching a lot of other people on social media promoting their music and how they did it before I promoted my own. And then I kind of used that knowledge that I was able to pick up to make my first video take off.
Do you think because of your age it has helped you understand the TikTok algorithm and been able to be on the forefront of utilizing social media as a skill, especially when TikTok came out?
Yeah, I definitely think so. I'm from the age of social media. It's always been a part of my life as long as I've had a phone. I definitely think I have a better understanding than someone who's in their thirties. So it's definitely helped a lot for sure.
One song that kind of stuck out to me was "Weak." The part of that that I thought was interesting was this constant repeating of lyrics throughout the song of, "man I'm weak." The song starts off really soft, but has a couple of unexpected, hard hits of sounds, and then kind of goes back to almost like a quiet stillness. What was the creative process like of that song?
I had made two separate demos on two separate occasions in my room that I really liked, but I was kind of having trouble fleshing them out into full songs. That was in my bedroom in New York. And then after I had moved to LA and started working with Tony Berg, I brought out those two demos and we kind of forged them into one song. And that's the story of "Weak."
From that song specifically, what do you want the listeners to take away?
I think they should listen to the lyrics and, and kind of interpret it how they'd like to. You know, get their own interpretation. I never like to explain too deeply into my songs.
Your most recent single, "In Your Arms" was released a couple days ago. Lyrically, part of the chorus that I really liked was, 'if your love was a cig, I smoke my lungs, every time I think I'm done, I need another one.' I thought that was just a really great description for that kind of craving feeling. I interpret that song as like the absent feeling and like the comfort of being with somebody else. Lyrically what was that process like?
So, I'd initially come up with "if your love was a pill I'd overdose." And I just thought that line, it was super powerful. And then "wrap me in your arms so my heartbeat slows." I thought those two together were just amazing. So I had initially posted that on TikTok.
How long ago was that?
I think it was like a month and a half ago. And it got like 200,000 likes all of a sudden. And it went crazy, and you know, that's always really exciting when that happens. So then that was all I had with the song. Then the next day I went back to my piano.
Did you do the piano parts in that song?
I did most of the piano in that. I added "if your love was a cig, I'd smoke with my lungs. Every time I think I'm done with another one." I think those are like two very addicting things, drugs and cigarettes, and I think correct love can be addicting. I just thought it was really great to use as a metaphor.
Well, composition wise I love the piano, especially around the bridge. And also the guitar riffs at the beginning and just kinda like the small notes throughout the song, but they're really subtle. So how did those elements get composed and what inspired that?
I mean, it's just me and my little bedroom studio playing around with my piano. I kind of just hear things as I go and add them. And then eventually I took it to Tony, we added more and it came together as a really beautiful song, I think.
In your name and all of the song titles, there's no capital letters. What prompted that creative choice to keep everything in lowercase?
I was just like a little 16-year-old. I used to write in all lowercase on my phone. I just thought that was cool. Auto Cap is back on now. I've matured. But yeah, now I'm, I'm stuck with it
You grew up in the Lower East Side. When you were growing up, how has New York been a source of inspiration? Especially because a lot of people move here to pursue music, but you were kind of already thrown into it.
I mean, you experienced a lot at a young age. I was very lucky to attend LaGuardia High School which is a public high school in New York that anyone can go to. And they trained me in vocals. So that was definitely a big thing that helped. I never got to finish, but I'd say that's the main thing that helped me develop my vocal ability, and that's why I'm able to sing an hour long set on stage today. So I'd love to thank all my teachers and instructors at LaGuardia for that.
How does New York differentiate the perspective or work ethic in LA?
I definitely think there's a lot more music people and collaborators in LA so it's an environment where I definitely feel more motivated to work hard and get ahead of everyone else. I feel like the music industry's kind of fading in New York. LA is just a better place to be.
At this point, do you prefer collaborating rather than working alone?
I've never worked with a writer. Up to this point, I co-produced with Tony. But yeah, I love co-producing with Tony. It's amazing. And I'm really happy with this process and I don't wanna change anything for now.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you played your first gig as sombr just a couple days ago?
Yeah, I think like a week over a week ago maybe.
And you sold out in LA. What has it been like navigating this new experience performing under sombr?
It's been crazy. sombr has been around for like two years now, and I haven't been able to visualize it at all. Mainly because it exploded during Covid. It's just life changing to like seeing your listeners face to face. Having people actually come to see you, it's insane. It's given me so much motivation.
When you write music, who are you speaking to?
That's hard. I feel like it's all a mixture of you know, past lovers, inspiration for movies and books. It's really a mixture. No certain songs are about a particular person. They're just different lines about different experiences and relationships and art that I've consumed.
What's your favorite medium of art?
After music, I'd say film or movies.
As an artist, what do you want people to take away?
I want to help people with my music. I want people to use it as a way to cope with different things that they are going through in life. Just like I have used it. I want people to feel something.
Follow sombr on Spotify, Instagram, TikTok and his website.