Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Sonnier.
Hi Cameron, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’m a new singer/songwriter from Houston, TX just getting started and releasing one song a month in 2023 to gain a following. My music is a blend of genres, something like folk lyrics plus dream pop production plus neo-psychedelia elements resulting in atmospheric soundscapes that connect to listeners on an emotional level.
I started playing guitar at 9, and then when I was 15, I started to sing and write songs. When I was young, I had a lot of struggles with depression and social anxiety, so music became a great outlet for me and helped me express my thoughts and feelings. Over the years, I progressively began to write more and more music and hone my craft. When I was 19, I reached out to Philly-based Musician/Mixer/Producer Jeff Zeigler. I had heard an album he worked on an album called Childish Prodigy by the well-known Philly Artist Kurt Vile, and I was super impressed by the artistic quality of the record, and I loved the creative and unorthodox mixing style on that record. I had some songs written at that point and I reached out to him via email one night, and to my surprise he agreed to work with me.
I pretty much had no idea what I was doing, I bought a $100 AT2020 microphone and recorded my acoustic guitar parts in my bedroom and my vocals in my closet (which in retrospect was not a good idea lol). Jeff added the synths to the record and mixed and produced it virtually, and a great drummer from Philly, Dylan Mulcahy, played the drums. At the time I was not in a good place mentally so I had a hard time appreciating what we created, but over time I’ve grown to love that EP titled “Life Underwater”. The primary single off the EP got on a large Spotify playlist and ended up getting 25k streams which as a new unknown artist was a big deal for me.
Immediately after the release of “Life Underwater,” I began to work on what would become my debut LP, “Tunnels.” To cultivate a following, I’m releasing singles monthly from the album in 2023. For months, I would virtually do nothing but sit in my room playing guitar almost all day, writing song after song, trying to complete the record. I was in a very dark place struggling with mental health and addiction. I feel that the state of mind I was in contributed to the emotional and artistic authenticity of the record. Once the writing was done, I took two separate trips to Jeff’s Uniform Recording studio in Philly. We spent days working in the studio, recording and producing, and I became hooked on the experience of creating and collaborating. Dylan Mulcahy played drums on this record as well, with me singing, playing guitar and synth, and Jeff doing all the sound design on the synths and incorporating his incredible sounding Modular Synth into the songs and playing bass. Another local Philly musician Tim Campbell played Pedal Steel on the songs which really elevated the atmosphere of the record and added some subtle complexity. Once the record was finished it was mastered by Fred Kevorkian in Brooklyn, NY.
When I came home from Philly, I was feeling incredibly creative from my experience in the studio and started to write and record demos for my upcoming sophomore LP “Synchronicity.” I reached out to Jordan Lawlor, a Musician/Mixer/Producer known for touring and working extensively with the dream-pop band M83 as well as producing and performing on albums with Beck and Oberhofer. Currently, I have six songs done for “Synchronicity,” and I’m excited to start sharing singles from it as soon as I’m finished releasing “Tunnels.”
I feel incredibly grateful for the Producers/Mixers/Mastering Engineers/and Musicians I’ve been able to collaborate with, and it’s really helped to elevate my art. I’m finally coming to the point where I’m happy with my artistic style, which also coincides with my mental health, which has improved since the first two records. Now, I’m just juggling the creation of new music with trying to find people that appreciate and connect with the music I’m releasing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, I don’t think trying to make it as a musician is an easy path. One obstacle has been myself, I’m a perfectionist, so I struggle to accept my own art sometimes, and another is how difficult it is for me to pursue a career in music. I live in Cypress, Texas, so not everyone (my friends/family) understood what I was doing or had even heard of Indie Dream Pop/Neo Psychedelic music. I’ve always followed my own path, so I wasn’t necessarily interested in the things a typical young person was into in my hometown. I was more into Art, Philosophy, and Psychology. I feel as if being my authentic self has begun to draw like-minded individuals to me. Even if some of the people from my past weren’t understanding or supportive, other people have come along who are.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Songwriter/Singer/Guitarist, and I play a bit of synthesizer. My speciality is blending Indie Folk and Dream Pop to create a sound that is emotionally authentic with a dreamscape-like production. I’m most proud of the artistic and emotional integrity of my art. I never create anything to appease the masses. I’m interested in truly connecting with the listener by creating art that is 100% real. I often use techniques of stream-of-consciousness/
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’d say most of my good luck centers around the people who have been willing to work with me. I can’t emphasize enough that without Jeff, Dylan, Tim, Fred, and now Jordan my art wouldn’t be what it is. You’re only as good as the people around you, and they’ve truly elevated my art, especially Jeff Zeigler and Jordan Lawlor. I also think some luck is a byproduct of how hard you work and I believe if I continue to push everyday over time, the music will find the people that need it and my dream of making a living from music will become a reality.
Pricing:
- Mixing For Others $125 per song
- Producing For Others $125 per song
- Songwriting Lessons $40hr
Contact Info:
- Website: https://
cameronsonnier.com/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/cameron_sonnier_ music/ - Spotify: https://open.spotify.
com/artist/ 2pTieEpWjwvRiaR3ZI9sDw?si= mUqKSLHSRFm91hBZDt7W3Q - YouTube: https://www.youtube.
com/channel/ UCS1Vo4j0MDwmGacLYUWWAEw
Image Credits
Cameron Sonnier
