Indie soul

Indie soul
Stylistic origins	Soul Funk Jazz Pop Indie rock Hip hop
Cultural origins	African, African-American, American, Caribbean, French

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Indie soul, Soul pop, or Alternative Soul, is a genre of music that combines elements of soul, funk, jazz, and hip-hop with indie rock and pop. It is characterized by its eclectic mix of styles, often featuring a mix of live instrumentation and electronic production. Indie Soul can be a laid-back, mellow vibe, with lyrics that are often introspective and reflective. It can also be a boisterous, riff driven, smooth bounce, blurring boundaries from elements of funk and pop. It is often seen as a taking inspiration from soul music, with a focus on experimentation and collaboration, to create a unique soundscape of bohemian black music. Throughout the late 2010's it has grown into a global multi-billion dollar genre.

Historical Back Ground

Like many other styles of independent music, or music in general, indie-soul artists and sounds evolved and their journey to their own genre took place over time.

1960's

In the 1960's with the success of labels like Berry Gordy’s Motown---notable for being African-American owned, unlike most of the earlier independent R&B labels---soul music was wildly popular and black music had its first taste of independence. However it had mutated from a vocal style into a sound style that was increasingly dependent on arrangers and producers. Black artists began looking to escape the record industry's mistreatment and financial abuses in which they were often given less than 5% of a records sales. In addition they wanted to be able to be more vocal in their social and political messages of self-sufficiency, economic and political empowerment, unity, and racial pride, they wanted to form a community they controlled.

1970's & 80's

The 1970's & 80's brought a general decline in soul and Motown style in favor of rock, funk, disco, and pop, the sounds that would later be used in Indie soul. In addition, a contributing factor in the decline was a shift from party music to an increasing political nature of the music due to the challenging social issues of the times.. Black artists, specifically indie soul artists, used their music to shine light on the disparities and led to a less accessible music to the general American public The Black Power movement, itself with roots in Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League developed along side soul music and strengthened the color divisions. Messaging that would later reapper in the African ideals of Neo soul. Additionally, music had traditionally been single(s) based which had previously allowed independent soul to compete with major labels. However in the 1970's album sales became more popular and brought with them soaring production costs. The independent labels like Motown had been and the artists weren't able to compete. And a new juggernaut had started. Rap.

While the 80's brought a continued decline for soul, their message of independence had grown more powerful. In 1982 Tina Tuner became the first Black woman to appear on MTV and the indie soul artist's social agenda had inspired other newer generations and genres to seek their independence. Community based Hip-hop which started as a social movement in the South Bronx comprised of breaks from soul artists. Linked with the "new" digital recording format, Artist owned labels entrepreneurial efforts became prevalent, like 2 Live Crew Records in 1985 or James brown buying radio station in 1989.

1990's

With the rise of R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rap at the start of the 90's, African American music and American music as a whole had a new soundscape In the late 1990's, shortly after the rise of Neo soul on the East Coast, with analog sounds featuring funk, jazz, africana, and drum breaks from groups like the Soulquarias at Electric Lady and Erykah Badu. On the West Coast, artists like Sa-Ra began experimenting and blending indie rock sounds, more live instrumentation, pop production, and upbeat funk while artists like rapper Eric Roberson began to modernize the soul sound outside the traditional framework of labels, and the roots of the modern indie-soul sound emerged.

One claim for having named the genre to describe this new soundscape in 1999 comes via a music website run by a small record label executive, Uncle Odis to describe the eclectic sounds of a new generation of music that featured developmental sounds from artists in the African-American R&B community who where reviving soul sounds with new textures.

Artists

Artist Anderson .Paak who gained acclaim in the genre has said he dove back into his good vibes, unique soundscapes, and cultural authenticity after having failed to gain traction in other genres. His appearece on NPR Music's Tiny Desk, with Free Nationals was the most popular in the history of the show.

In 2018 indie-soul singer Kameron Corvet won a Grammy for co-writing "Don’t Make Me Wait" with Sting and Shaggy

Indie soul artist Janelle Monáe has been nominated for 10 Grammy awards, her collaborator Sean Combs said of her unique talent and style "It was time for me to recognize that other people maybe had ideas that I didn't understand..."

In 2020 Nané appeared on NPR Music's Tiny Desk series.

The genre is a diverse showcase of artists such as; Blood Orange, Toro y Moi, Amber Mark, Poolside, Tim Gerard, De la Soul, Conya Doss, Tom Misch, Free Nationals, Allen Stone, Elder Island, Franc Moody, Teddra Moses, James Blake, Sa-Ra, Sault, Saskwatch Solange Knowles and Parcels.

Historic Labels

Independent record labels like Dome who is distinguished and has been consistently voted one of the leading black music labels has been an advocate of the genre since its inception and is active in signing American artists.

Stones Throw Records who since 1996 have signed artists across genres leading to collaboration and diverse innovation have amplified the genre with influence from artists like Aloe Blacc, Questlove and Nxworries.

Events

In 2007 Norfolk, VA, MOJO entertainment announced the first outdoor Indie Soul Summer Concert

In 2008 the city of Springfield, MA began the Springfield Indie Soul Festival which is in its 15th year and is aimed to spread music, community, positivity and diversity in the spirit of Black Woodstock and Boston 68'

In 2012 at the inaugural Libera Awards presented by the American Association of Independent Music, the indie soul band JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound won for Best Breakthrough Artist.

In 2013 Brown Baby Girl and Adina Nyree put on the first Play It Forward Eclectic Soul Tour, with proceeds going towards community based philonthropic development.

In 2022 Indie Soul artist Endel collaborated with SXSW to rethink the television, making a indie-soul sleep track.

In 2023 The Minnesota Zoo threw a after-hours silent disco and scavenger hunt festival "Wild Nights: Indie Soul, Rhythm, and Blues'

In 2023 San Fransisco announced it's summer festival Indie Soul Fest at Golden Gate Park.

Media

In 2014 a documentary --- “Undeniable - The Story of The Independent Soul Music Movement” --- told stories of artists and music lovers right from the genres late 1990s origins to the halcyon days of the mid-2000s to the no rules mindset of the day. It was partially funded through Indiegogo.

See also

• Neo soul
• Alternative hip hop
• Progressive soul
• Alternative_R&B
• African-American music
• Soul

Further reading

Afrofuturism and Post-Soul Possibility in Black Popular Music

The Meaning of Soul: Black Music and Resilience Since the 1960s. {{

Campbell, Chris (April 16, 2017). "The Progressive Underground Show 210: Modern Soul Divas Edition (feat. Goapelle)". WDET NPR Detroit.

"Progressive Side of Black Music of the 1970s" (PDF). American Music Research Center Journal. University Of Colorado 28: 5–22.

Himes, Geoffrey (October 31, 2013). " The Curmudgeon: Black Bohemian Music from Sly to Prince to Janelle Monáe". Paste.

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