S.J. Armstrong is a songwriter and musician from Southern California. He plays more than a dozen different instruments and uses that, combined with a unique method of vocal layering, to build a one-of-a-kind sound for his music. We had the pleasure of asking him a few questions, from the creation of his musical project to nowadays, and how Groover has helped him 🧡
A lot of people discover my music from the playlists and publicity I have received on Groover.
S.J. Armstrong
Hi S.J. Armstrong! Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your music?
I’m 28-years old and have been playing music since I was very young. My main instrument is guitar, but I play many different things and perform most of the parts on my records. I grew up in Southern California, and lived there until I was 26. Currently, I am based in the Seattle area. I like to write personal songs based on life experiences. I write and arrange all of my music myself and I only use real instruments. My signature sound features heavily stacked vocal arrays, that I create without using any vocal tuning or software tricks.
What do you think would be the best conditions for discovering your music?
A lot of people discover my music from the playlists and publicity I have received on Groover. But, I have also done well on a number of college radio stations. The nice thing about making records that are a little bit different is that when people connect with the sound, they are more likely to become repeat listeners.
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How did you come to create your project and take it seriously?
I started working on the basic sound of these records in 2016. At the time, I was writing and playing folk songs in the Los Angeles area, under the name “The Mysterious Mr. Shoe.” I never felt that the singer/songwriter style of music worked well in the modern recording space. I wanted to create a new sound that presented the songs that I loved to write in a new way. It took several years of trial and error to come up with something that I was happy with. The part that I take most seriously is the writing and recording. I like the recordings to be as close to perfect as I can make them, while still maintaining their authenticity.
How did you first hear about Groover and what convinced you to use the platform?
I first heard about Groover through CD Baby. Overall, the professionals listed on this site are of higher quality than on other websites, and I also like the user interface. I have stuck with using Groover because it seems to work well for promoting my music.
Did it help?
Yes, Groover has definitely helped.
If you had to sum up the evolution of your project in a few major stages (past, present and future), what would they be?
The major stages of this project were early on when I was playing folk music in Los Angeles and I released a few singles. Then, in 2020 I moved up here to the Pacific Northwest. After some delays due to the pandemic, I put out the first full album in 2022, which was called “The Narrow Coast.” In May of this year, I released “Summer Sunshine,” which is the first single for my upcoming second album. I have the next single “Designing a Spacecraft” coming out on July 12th. And, I have the second album coming out this Fall.
What advice would you give to artists just starting a music project?
I don’t think I am the right person to give advice to anyone. But I will say that if you make music you love, and find value in the quality of the art you create, then you have full control over the success of a project. In that scenario, the only person you must satisfy is yourself, and whatever popularity it achieves will only serve to sweeten something that is already a positive in your life. Conversely, if you make music that you think other people will like and it doesn’t take off, then you’re left with nothing but broken dreams.
Is there any news you’d like to share with us?
I have a new single coming out on July 12th, called “Designing A Spacecraft.” I also plan to have a second solo album out in the autumn.
Any final words?
Thanks for everything, you all are awesome!
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