How “First on SoundCloud” artist object blue’s niche sound built a global following
A few weeks ago we introduced you to Jamaica’s rising popstar Shenseea, and today we’re exploring the electronic side of what’s next in music with London-based artist object blue.
Often you’ll find object blue with her eyes closed simply listening. For her, the chorus of morning birds and the clanging of a nearby construction site are an orchestra. She says, “The most important thing as a music maker is to listen as much as possible.” And in her experimental productions, she lives out this statement – layering melodic synths and metallic polyrhythms to translate moments of inspiration into her own electronica creations.
object blue first began honing her listening skills in Beijing. There, import restrictions made foreign records hard to come by, so the noises of the bustling city served as her soundtrack. That is, until she began bringing records home from her yearly family trip to Tokyo. Over time her collection grew and she stumbled on two of her biggest influences: R&B songstress Aaliyah and electronica vanguard Björk.
After highschool, object blue left Asia to attend King’s College in London. There a friend introduced her to the music-making software Ableton, and in no time, her love of poetry was replaced by a passion for production. So much so, that upon graduating she re-entered academia, pursuing electronic music at a prestigious grad school nearby while immersing herself in the city’s club culture and developing her own production style.
Her first DJ gig, playing to a packed room at SIREN, helped her realize that her experimental sound wasn’t as niche as she thought. And today, that signature sound has taken her to Paris Fashion Week, music festivals around the world and earned her a spot in the renowned collective Discwoman. Looking back, she credits SoundCloud for giving her a place to discover music she once had little access to.
“SoundCloud helped me find music I couldn’t find anywhere else,” she says, “without SoundCloud I wouldn’t have developed the taste that I’m so proud of and I cherish very much. It gave me a musical education.”
Though at first she was surprised to find a community so receptive to her experimental music, she now embraces it. To others hoping to follow in her footsteps her advice is simple: “As long as you’re into it, that’s enough.”
Set your music up for success with an electronic press kit
Got a unique sound you’d like to share with press or industry contacts? While getting heard starts with an upload, it always helps to shop your music around. Dive into our latest Expert Advice column to learn how to conduct an audit before creating our own electronic press kit.
If you’re First on SoundCloud too, we want to hear you. When you upload original music tag it #SCFIRST for the chance to be promoted across SoundCloud’s playlists, social media, newsletters, this blog – and maybe even see your name in a future First on SoundCloud campaign.