Interview with Vocalist Elias Soriano of Nonpoint
By Mick Michaels
Cosmick View: Hello, Elias! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.
Elias Soriano: The pleasure is mine, thanks for having me.
CV:
How important is it that Nonpoint's music personally connects
with each and every one of their fans? Is there a need for a band to have that
connection to thrive as a musical act or is it more of a by-product to
songwriting?
ES: The importance of who and how we connect with our fans is always a top priority. But more specifically when it comes to “subject matter,” it’s a natural process. The moment the decision is made to write lyrics or music, life tends to lead the piece to its destination, driven by the emotions of the moment to lead me. I truly believe that level of honesty, freedom and humanity in your art will always connect in some way. Go with the flow.
ES: The importance of who and how we connect with our fans is always a top priority. But more specifically when it comes to “subject matter,” it’s a natural process. The moment the decision is made to write lyrics or music, life tends to lead the piece to its destination, driven by the emotions of the moment to lead me. I truly believe that level of honesty, freedom and humanity in your art will always connect in some way. Go with the flow.
CV:
Does fan interaction influence the band's writing of new material in any way?
Or is it more of an organic process devoid of any outside influence?
ES: Our fans know us for our live show. So to not consider what our music will do in a concert setting seems like a missed opportunity. We’ve played countless shows and seen crowds erupt in front of us from moments in our music that we carry with us into our writing. We love to engage with our crowd. What better way to do that than with a breakdown riff that melts their face?
ES: Our fans know us for our live show. So to not consider what our music will do in a concert setting seems like a missed opportunity. We’ve played countless shows and seen crowds erupt in front of us from moments in our music that we carry with us into our writing. We love to engage with our crowd. What better way to do that than with a breakdown riff that melts their face?
CV:
What does independence mean to you?
ES: At this stage in the game it means EVERYTHING…freedom to make choices for ourselves. Finding solutions to problems usually presented as impossible. But most of all, deciding the journey our art will take. Don’t get me wrong we run into all the problems that major labels do. We now just have the choice to take risks that can’t be justified to shareholders and label administrators. It’s a gamble and we’re betting on ourselves.
ES: At this stage in the game it means EVERYTHING…freedom to make choices for ourselves. Finding solutions to problems usually presented as impossible. But most of all, deciding the journey our art will take. Don’t get me wrong we run into all the problems that major labels do. We now just have the choice to take risks that can’t be justified to shareholders and label administrators. It’s a gamble and we’re betting on ourselves.
CV:
Can an artist truly be independent given an industry that relies heavily on big
budgets and fan appreciation and acceptance?
ES: That’s a great question. The answer quite simply is, yes. But as I said in my last answer it’s a gamble. You never know if your opinion is in line with the masses. So going whole hog like for instance, the band TOOL has its risks and has its reward. Those boys don’t give a shit what people think of their art or music and traversed the roads of big budgets, advertising and radio with MASSIVE success. But I’ve seen more than a fair share of TOOL-like bands lose that same battle trying to have a similar approach of unapologetic artistic creation. You never know, it’s a gamble.
ES: That’s a great question. The answer quite simply is, yes. But as I said in my last answer it’s a gamble. You never know if your opinion is in line with the masses. So going whole hog like for instance, the band TOOL has its risks and has its reward. Those boys don’t give a shit what people think of their art or music and traversed the roads of big budgets, advertising and radio with MASSIVE success. But I’ve seen more than a fair share of TOOL-like bands lose that same battle trying to have a similar approach of unapologetic artistic creation. You never know, it’s a gamble.
CV: "Ruthless" is the band's new, upcoming EP release. What does this release represent to the band in terms of taking the reins of Nonpoint's future as an independent act?
ES: As we announced to our fans over a year ago we wanted to take a more curated approach to our song releases. Watching one song get pounded into our fans' heads for 10 months before another song saw the light of day just doesn’t make sense to us. Our fans like to see as well as listen to our music. Those artistic representations, images, videos and ideas we create strengthen the connection our fans have with our music. So it’s part of our independence...give ALL the music some kind of love one way or another.
CV:
Many believe that success for a band relies on three major components; good
distribution, good PR and good booking, and in the new modern music industry,
all of that is achievable by the artist themselves. Do you feel more and
more established acts will go the independent route and eliminate the middle
man; in this case, the label?
ES: I don’t think labels are going away completely, nor do I believe they should. The professionals and teams that work for those companies are razor sharp and know more combined then I will pretend I know. Decades of dealings and relationships combined with an endless budget is a great position to be in as an artist. But personally (and this is my opinion solely, not the opinion of my band) I think there’s an issue with the artist/label model that needs to be addressed. Investing in the social growth and development of a band vs the growth and position of one of their songs. It’s sorta like your parents bringing you to meet the pretty girl that moved in next door. They think just by bringing you over magic will happen. They don’t see the cake building and pictures you draw for her that wins her over a year later. They dress you up once and expect love at first sight. We even know walking in we need time to get noticed. That takes time and effort...very few labels are willing to allocate for every act they have. So artists feel left to their own devices when they thought there would be more guidance. We need to be given the opportunity to earn brand trust in the market. With all the traffic and platforms in today’s music ecosystem we have to divide our focus between song and personal connections. And today THAT’S AN EXPENSIVE PROCESS…ergo, the need for labels. So as I said, it’s a system that when used properly creates massive global awareness and success when it counts. So it ain’t going nowhere as it shouldn’t. Who knows, we may merge our little label with a major one day to help this kind of thinking win for artists who think as we do. Our independence isn’t AGAINST anything, it’s simply FOR us.
ES: I don’t think labels are going away completely, nor do I believe they should. The professionals and teams that work for those companies are razor sharp and know more combined then I will pretend I know. Decades of dealings and relationships combined with an endless budget is a great position to be in as an artist. But personally (and this is my opinion solely, not the opinion of my band) I think there’s an issue with the artist/label model that needs to be addressed. Investing in the social growth and development of a band vs the growth and position of one of their songs. It’s sorta like your parents bringing you to meet the pretty girl that moved in next door. They think just by bringing you over magic will happen. They don’t see the cake building and pictures you draw for her that wins her over a year later. They dress you up once and expect love at first sight. We even know walking in we need time to get noticed. That takes time and effort...very few labels are willing to allocate for every act they have. So artists feel left to their own devices when they thought there would be more guidance. We need to be given the opportunity to earn brand trust in the market. With all the traffic and platforms in today’s music ecosystem we have to divide our focus between song and personal connections. And today THAT’S AN EXPENSIVE PROCESS…ergo, the need for labels. So as I said, it’s a system that when used properly creates massive global awareness and success when it counts. So it ain’t going nowhere as it shouldn’t. Who knows, we may merge our little label with a major one day to help this kind of thinking win for artists who think as we do. Our independence isn’t AGAINST anything, it’s simply FOR us.
CV:
Do you feel Internet radio is a friend or foe, especially with not much
financial return garnished on airplay for most bands?
ES: I don’t think it’s either. It just is. As was FB when MySpace was the place to socialize. Or Instagram was to FB and now TiKTok to Instagram. Attention, effort and money all moves. No point in turning it into a math problem we all gotta solve. New delivery technologies and ideas will always challenge previous ones in place. Gotta go with the flow.
ES: I don’t think it’s either. It just is. As was FB when MySpace was the place to socialize. Or Instagram was to FB and now TiKTok to Instagram. Attention, effort and money all moves. No point in turning it into a math problem we all gotta solve. New delivery technologies and ideas will always challenge previous ones in place. Gotta go with the flow.
CV: Many artists seem to live in the past nowadays, so we often don't get to hear much new material especially from a lot of veteran artists. Do you feel that an artist's best days are always ahead of them or is there some truth in keeping the past alive to keep fans and stay relevant to avoid dealing with the future?
ES: I can’t speak for other artists, but I don’t see the timeline of my life that way. I’m a creator and when I stop feeling like a creator is when I will choose to sunset my creative career. Last year we released a song that reached the charts same as Bullet With a Name. So why stop? Shit I’m just getting started. I’m going to have 200+ published songs before I’m dead. Mark my words.
CV:
In addition to the new single and video, "Back in the Game,"
and the upcoming EP, what more can fans expect to see coming from Nonpoint as
we move into 2022?
ES: We’ll be dropping our second EP, doing a lot of touring, going overseas and getting the Full Length Album prepared to come off the heels of our next EP. Along with growing our video and documentary catalog online for our fans to enjoy between releases. So basically what our fans love the most from us…more music, more art, more videos and more shows.
ES: We’ll be dropping our second EP, doing a lot of touring, going overseas and getting the Full Length Album prepared to come off the heels of our next EP. Along with growing our video and documentary catalog online for our fans to enjoy between releases. So basically what our fans love the most from us…more music, more art, more videos and more shows.
CV:
Thanks again Elias for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the
best and continued success.
ES:
Anytime, thanks for giving me the time.
Check out Nonpoint at:
Official: http://nonpoint.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nonpointofficial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nonpoint
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nonpointband/
https://nonpointstore.com/
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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.
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