A limitless entity, completely fused with music and the divine, Sky Society is ready to reach beyond the heavens. With an infectious mystical optimism, Sky Society thrives off of exploration and acceptance of being a creative conduit with a purpose to cultivate oneness. Within the spiritual lens, he’s been able to defy many labels and programming, which has led him to ultimately transform into a multidimensional artist. His music is a sonic journal that documents his innermost curiosities and struggles, each carefully and meticulously conveyed within the production, song structure, instrumentation, and lyricism. What’s perhaps most unique about his artistic approach towards making music, is how organically minimal, but impactful the songs can be. There’s an effortless execution that makes the listener feel as if the sonic journey is no more, no less, just right. It carries an energetically elemental state of being, not ever trying too hard. Sky Society isn’t just creating, he’s listening to the creation as it guides him to reveal the truths of the inner and outer realms.
Dive into the inner workings of Sky Society’s mind, as he talks to SPIN about spirituality in music, exploring the divine through collaboration, lessons he learned from owning a record store, and much more.
Who is Sky Society and what do you stand for?
You, I, Them, Us. A community of individuals united as ONE creating higher ways of thinking, living & connecting via music, arts & culture.
Tell us about your sound – where does your style originate from and what have been your biggest visual, social, and sonic influences?
I would say our style originates from all feel good music, sonic influences from around the globe that get the mind, body & soul movin’ in the right direction 🙂
A focal point for me is experimenting with different bpms, more natural sounding instrumentation & textures throughout the tracks I’m producing.
A lot of thought has been going into the origin of music & where it comes from since the beginning of time then following it over the centuries of evolution. There are certain frequencies that we as humans have etched in our DNA, rhythms & melodies are all a part of that as well. Also in combination with all living organisms in nature as well as the elements, I believe the more you tune in the more you hear the music that plays around us. All of these things have become embodied into our sound & to remain a conduit of the inspiration coming through is our intention.
Was there a definitive turning point to your success? When did you realize the magnitude of your impact within the industry/community?
It was probably around 2014, I had just moved to Chicago & was living there part time as well as in Lancaster, PA. Every other week I was traveling back & forth playing gigs just trying to get my reps in. Later on I ended up playing in a 6 piece band at the time called the Tomorrow People, it was a hip-hop instrumental/experimental jazz project. It got me even more open to playing live all in the moment based on your intuition & the energy around you. Also, playing with such talented musicians & learning from each other was extremely influential.
I realized then that Sky Society never had to be in a box & was a vessel created for something way bigger than myself. Coming from the DJ/Producer scene & integrating into the songwriter/musician realm was a nice place to be & humbling when some of the realest people on Earth put respect on your name, not because of clout but because of your passion & dedication for music. Firm believer in “Real Recognize Real”. I hold dearly the trust I’ve built with my community over the years & a lot of that stemmed from playing out live whether it was in front of 2,000 people or 20, I reflect on that often because it’s beautiful.
You carry quite a spiritual perspective on music, always in tune and aware of its healing properties and the way it can be utilized as a catalyst towards mass empathy – where did this connection take place? When did you commit yourself to the mission of creating music with sacred intent?
There are very few things that transcend space, time, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference etc., mainly in the context of man made constructs that humans created which often cause separation rather than unity. From a very early age, I realized that Music could be a synonym for God or the Universe or any other Deity whose characteristics could be described as all knowing, omnipresent, the creator, source energy & infinite unconditional love. The way I’ve witnessed it bring so many people together from all walks of life made me a true believer, no doubt.
Maybe it’s not that deep for some people, but to those I confide in & resonate with, we’re all very much so on the same frequency & we embrace the gifts we’ve been given with the utmost respect & honor. We honor to be in a place of leadership, guiding others towards the light. For me, that’s what Dj-ing was, is & continues to be as it reveals itself even more over time. I’m just thankful for the clarity.
Your spiritual nature is brightly reflected in the concepts behind your music, such as exploring the divine feminine and masculine energies with vocalist Ehiorobo on “Holy Time” – What led you to this concept? What sort of creative release/expansion did you experience while composing this track?
Started working on the concept of Holy Time back in the summer of 2018, during a phase in which I was going through some serious transitions internally & externally. At that time it felt like a volcano of energy within me which symbolized a sort of breakthrough that was going to occur… & then BAM! Lol, it really popped off like that. The vocals for the hook came to me first out of a meditation & then I started producing the beat on my laptop. By the night time I had the structure laid out & wrote my verse on the spot, I actually don’t ever write any lyrics down during the songwriting process.
It’s been like that for some time because I always believed if it was meant to be it would be & I’d never forget it if indeed I was meant to deliver it… does that make sense? Ok good, so that being said, the poetry we laid over the track symbolizes the union of both archetypes coming together which hold the power in their divinity to create. I mean you can create life, a song, a painting, a solution, a sandwich, lots of things but I think being intentional of that power is the foundation of that union coming together & embracing the rituals we engage daily which happen on micro/macro levels.
I recorded all the vocals on my iphone actually & mixed it down well enough to send over the track to Ehiorobo, and once he heard, it was a wrap-a-rooni & he was fully tapped into the same wave. Ehi has become a very close friend of mine over time, so it’s beautiful to be able to embark on this next phase of our journey together. The audio & visual vessel we created for “Holy Time’ was an offering for those to experience that same portal we opened through alignment & accessing our true divinity.
In what ways have you pushed yourself beyond existing self-imposed limitations?
I enjoy listening a lot more than I talk & pay very close attention to patterns that appear. Whether it be lessons I’m learning on my own or through the mirror of others. I’m not one of those people who say “I’m an Aquarius so that means I’m supposed to act like this” lol I mean to some extent certain things can share truth, but I also believe that we are the creators of our own destiny & have the ability to evolve constantly through the trajectory that aligns with our souls greater purpose on earth. People always have their own agendas, a lot of them are projecting onto you if they haven’t healed through it themselves. Holding the role in the industry that I do, it’s best that I personally not take on others burdens which continues to allow me to stay in alignment with my connection to source & lovingly support others along their journey as well.
At the same time I cleanse my space at home as well as my energetic field & aura often. Those who are truly in my circle view me as Limitless & I enjoy viewing others in the same light. We’ve been conditioned to have this automatic layer of judgment attached to us that I really believe is important to break down & dissolve; especially if the goal is world peace, to end world hunger & live in harmony with mother nature as well as all of her ecosystems. Abundance is available for all of us, it starts individually with the heart & mind though. That’s just my take on it so far, more to be determined later on tho furrrrrrshhhuuurrrrr.
Looking back at your early days of running a record store, what were the two biggest lessons you took away from that phase of your life, that led you to become an artist?
Two biggest lessons:
#1. I can literally do anything & will always have the resources to create something out of nothing, very much so like an alchemist.
#2. Setting boundaries for yourself is extremely healthy & always listen to your intuition while following your heart which IS the compass.
Due to your expansive nature, you didn’t only become an artist; you have also created a record label of your own, Higher Frequency Recordings – What’s the mission for this label?
The mission is to preserve the culture of passing down music from generation to generation. While also using our platform collectively to support living artists, musicians & leaders throughout the webs of connection we feel most passionate about. Our intention is to raise the vibration through what we do & tap into those higher frequencies!
As the kids say these days: “To the Moooooooooon”
What’s next for Sky Society?
Next up is planning our future releases individually as Sky Society but also as a label with our homies Twanz, R3LL & Nah Mean? Look out for these limited edition vinyl releases cuz they’re going to be hittin’ like hot cakes y’all! Also we’ve got a few announcements on tour dates coming for the rest of 2021, STOKED to be seeing everyone on the dance floor again. Our mgmt team & I have been discussing options as far as working alongside a booking agent we feel is in alignment with the vision of our project so that’s exciting as well encountering new frontiers. At this point whoever joins the team is about to be SUPER LIT, yeeeeesshh! Other than that I might open up another record store / music venue in the near future & def. focus on the little things in life like spending time with my family & having heartfelt conversations with strangers.
What do you wish for the future of electronic music? In what ways would you like to see it evolve?
Our wish is that the focus will continue to be on the quality of music & integrity behind those creating it. Also that the attention span of society expands & people continue to open their hearts to new ways of connecting & experiencing the music collectively. That we prioritize creating more safe spaces for each other to just be & exist together, that those who are truly talented & have paid their dues receive greater opportunities to turn their passions into any possibility they can think of. I think that’s a good start.
Any last words for the SPIN-verse?
Final words: Honestly just want to thank all of our supporters on every social media platform as well as IRL, I hope we get to have a conversation & I can personally thank you for being a part of our journey. None of this would’ve even been possible without YOU ALL & I’d like everyone to know that comes from our heart.
Finally thanks to the fine folks @ SPIN for showing love to creators for decades & shining the light as well as paving the way. We really appreciate y’all, Big BIG Bless.
Unleash yourself with Sky Society’s SET below! Want more SETS? Head over to SPIN TV to keep up with all the latest and greatest DJ/producers breaking through the electronic sphere.
