We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful David Sol. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with David below.
David , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I feel a lot of us are struggling today with the cost of living going up, economic inequality getting worse, our mental health, and the majority of us facing a reality of living paycheck to paycheck. Not too long ago, life hit me pretty hard unfortunately. I lost my job, our truck was broken down, credit cards were the only thing keeping myself and my family afloat and I worried my life was about to change drastically—I even feared we might lose our home. It felt like everything was heading down a difficult path, and in those moments, holding onto creativity felt nearly impossible.
While I do face creative blocks often and it can feel like all hope is lost. Music brings me back every time. The love I have for music across so many genres has been the one thing I can’t let go of. One of my favorite things to do is discover new music & artists to support. I’m constantly listening to something different—House, Dubstep, Techno, Indie, Blues, Rock, Rap, 80’s, 2000’s, film scores, etc…. I find it quite powerful when you can resonate with a song that makes you remember certain times from your past, or it makes you feel better when life is a bit too heavy, it provides hope, or simply creates a good time. Every single song can carry its own emotion and it’s an important aspect of my everyday life. I try my best to find that balance of what little things keep me sharp, inspired, and connected to the people and things I love. Music has and will continue to be one of the biggest blessings keeping me alive and creative today. I fear silence, and music fills that void perfectly.
Another major part of what fuels my creativity is making the time to learn about the science behind our universe. I’ll watch YouTube videos on the latest studies being done about what we can find out in space, quantum physics or I’ll spend three hours watching a documentary about interstellar travel. Yikes. I’m constantly wanting to learn more about what’s all around us. I enjoy asking the questions: What are we all doing here in this endless, ever-expanding universe? or Wait—Everything on Earth, including all living organisms, is primarily made of the elements forged inside stars?! Crazy. I’m in awe of it—the complexity, the vastness, the beauty and even the existential dread it brings. All of it helps shape the themes that I feel best represent the music I play today. When I’m putting together my setlists, I imagine myself providing a soundtrack to the universe. There is no sound in space so I ask: What would the journey of a lone astronaut traveling the cosmic web sound like? What emotions would they encounter? What surprises would unfold along the way? Asking questions like this inspire me to use music as a way of creating those emotions and telling those stories.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a DJ, curating deep and dark progressive house music. I’m also an aspiring producer–I just haven’t quite nailed that one down yet, but I know it’s only a matter of time. What excites me the most about what I do is the opportunity to tell a story through music and create an experience! I will never forget when I first discovered a massive inspiration of mine, “Cristoph”, A DJ and Producer out of Newcastle, England. I was introduced to him through his song “The World You See”. It was the first time that a house song made me tear up! An absolutely incredible feeling getting to experience so much emotion and buildup put into one track on just a random Tuesday while driving home from work. Progressive house does that really well. It’s all of these 7-10 min tracks that are repetitive but come to life with their long buildups, layered textures, and emotional depth. It gives me the freedom to craft sets that feel like a journey through music–an exclusive experience. When I see someone else perform, the shows I remember the most are the ones that I never want to end or it leaves me feeling as if I was transported to another cosmic realm and I don’t want to come back. I’m simply hoping I have the ability to provide that same feeling for those I get the privilege to perform for.
As far as my brand goes, I’m always thinking about what I want it to represent. A brand is really just how others perceive it, right? So I constantly ask myself: How do I want people to view this? How will it make them feel? What story am I telling?
My brand will always be inspired by the science and mystery of our reality so I want to make sure I’m including cosmic and atomic designs. Some shirts I make will have a wormhole on them, atoms, or a galaxy. It’s a fun way to give everything a mysterious and spatial feeling. Overall, I know that I want people to look at the “David Sol” brand and immediately recognize that they’re in good hands—that this is quality, this is intentional, and something they’d be proud to be a part of.
That’s why I do giveaways—exclusive debut shirts, stickers, handwritten messages. I’m planning on giving away my first ever hats made here soon as well. It’s my tiny way of giving back to those who have supported me. Of course, I eventually would love to do bigger things for my community but I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people who support me. I want them to always feel that gratitude reflected in what I do. A friend of mine I used to work with, once said that we need more community in our lives, and that’s exactly what I want to build with this brand and my music. A community that comes together to enjoy music, share an experience and have a good time dancing through the universe.
I would say right now, I’m focused on building my presence as both a live-performing DJ and, eventually, a producer of my own original music. I like to spend as much time as I can learning how to produce and I admire anyone who does it because it really is a skill that is sharpened over time. Earlier this year, I had the chance to play my debut show at Sky SLC and I also had the excellent opportunity to open at Plumhouse in downtown Salt Lake. Big Moments and little moments that marked the beginning of my journey from a private passion to being able to share that with others. It’s not every day I feel proud of myself for taking such a leap in my life.
Looking ahead, I want to keep growing as a DJ and as a music producer, being able to keep sharing carefully crafted live sets and original productions that tell stories about the universe, the unknown of it all, and our shared human experience. I don’t care if it’s in a dark warehouse, although I’m really looking forward to that. A local club or one across the world, through a pair of headphones, my goal is to create moments that feel timeless and unforgettable.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Curiosity. I genuinely want to learn new things and question everything. It’s a curiosity that keeps me creative and gives me endless ideas for the themes I bring into my sets. For anyone starting out, which I pretty much still am. I’d say: never stop being curious. Watch movies or documentaries, read about things that you love, explore new genres of music. Let your curiosity take you to places you never thought you’d find. We can never stop learning.
2. Resilience.
Creative blocks, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, financial struggles—they’re all so very real. Having some sort of resilience is what keeps me moving forward, even when it feels like it’s all gone to hell. I have to remind myself that building a career in music is a long game. It’s easy to want results fast, but the slow grind builds longevity. I deal with the lows as best as I can, and I don’t let them stop me. Small progress is still progress that’s worth celebrating.
3. Gratitude.
I realized early on that this journey is not meant to be done alone. The support of friends, family, and people who connect with my music has helped form what I’m trying to build. Always find ways to give back to those who help you, and I think that will carry you further than anything else can.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
There are a few things I like to do when I feel overwhelmed. I have this cute little 04 Tacoma packed with old cassettes and CDs, and once in a while, my wife and I will take it out on a late-night drive. We’ll grab a Slurpee or a fountain drink, cruise around, listen to music, and enjoy each other’s company. Other times, we’ll take our Mini Schnauzer “Zorro” to the park and watch him run around. That never fails to put a smile on my face. I also can’t stop going to the movies – I’m pretty sure I’ve spent thousands of dollars on movie tickets watching every movie imaginable, but it’s worth it. Movies are just another big part of me, those stories and scores are an escape.
For me, it’s about finding those simple things that make me feel hopeful. Life is stressful, and I know a lot of people feel that same weight today. I try to remind myself that life is full of experiences, and the best thing I can do is make the most of them while I’m here because I never know when my last day will be. Of course, that’s easier said than done—I still crash out here and there—but those tiny rituals help me reset and keep going.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedavidsol
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@officialdavidsol
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/fIxQwlVscwbjsYCLFS
Image Credits
Jacob Flame
