This month's Artist Spotlight is indie pop artist Samer Bakri. Samer is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but is now located in San Diego, California (and has been for a while). Bakri started playing music when they were 17 and started writing their own songs only a year later. Since then, Samer has released lots of music consisting of many singles, a couple of EPs, and even an album. Today, August 11th of 2023, Samer released his 3rd EP titled "i know," which consists of four songs. Let's see what Samer has to say about the recording process for this EP, his experience in the San Diego music scene, what advice he has for other aspiring solo artists, and what is in store for the future!

TO LISTEN TO "I KNOW" ON SPOTIFY, CLICK BELOW.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE LOCAL SAN DIEGO MUSIC SCENE. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ACTIVE IN THE DIY COMMUNITY AROUND HERE?

"I love the San Diego music scene. The music and musicians out here have really helped me shape my sound and find the style that I am today. I have been going to open mics in San Diego since 2015 and started playing shows at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016."

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR INFLUENCES REGARDING THE MUSIC YOU MAKE?

"Overall, I have been inspired by bands and artists such as The 1975, Bruno Major, and more recently, Post Malone. I also find myself as a producer being inspired by engineers such as Manny Marroquin and Spike Stent."

WHAT WAS THE BEST LIVE SHOW YOU HAVE PLAYED? AND/OR WHAT'S THE WORST LIVE SHOW YOU HAVE PLAYED?

"I enjoy pretty much every show I play, but one of my favorites recently was playing at the Soda Bar with Aloe Vera and The Martens. I loved the energy in the room, and the audience was amazing and grooving the whole night. But I really do have a lot of fun at pretty much every show I play. I did have an experience at a show when after I performed the first song of my set, no one applauded, and I thought to myself, 'Dang, they must not have liked the song,' but it turns out that an earthquake was happening during the song and everyone was a little scared cause the room was shaking."

ANY TIPS FOR OTHER SOLO ACTS THAT WANT TO START PLAYING LIVE MORE?

"I think for me, I just got out of my comfort zone and started going to open mics, and meeting other musicians was a key part of getting shows. I am very lucky to have met so many amazing people through just going to open mics and shows around town."

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR LATEST RELEASE, THE EP "I KNOW," WHICH CAME OUT TODAY, AUGUST 11H, 2023. WHAT WAS THE RECORDING PROCESS LIKE? ANY CHALLENGES?

"'i know' is my 3rd EP, and it consists of 4 songs, three originals, and one cover by Cavetown. 2 of the songs I produced were with Spencer Dugan of Burgundy Arcade and Tristan Brooks of Tristan Brooks. Also, I co-produced one song with Marc Polit of The Band Cope. I recorded and mixed everything in my bedroom, which was super fun. I love mixing songs, especially my own, because it is something I have always enjoyed about music is the sounds and how they all come together to create a piece that you put together. This EP was actually pretty easy because I had recently gone through a breakup, and the songs just poured out of me. During this process, I found a way of writing which seemed a bit more natural to me. I would build a song with chords and instrumentation and sing over the top of it how I was feeling. It was like a journal that I recorded."

WHAT IS THE OVERALL MESSAGE/MEANING BEHIND THIS EP THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO GET ACROSS?

"These songs were my journal about my own insecurities throughout a relationship. It is my coping mechanism."

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG ON THE EP?

"I love all the songs on the EP, but right now, I have been listening to 'we'd fall asleep on the phone' a lot. This song was really fun to make because the idea came to me while in the car, and I immediately drove home and wrote/produced it."

WHICH SONG ON THIS EP PROVED TO BE THE MOST CHALLENGING TO PUT TOGETHER AND WHY?

"The most challenging song to put together was the cover of 'green' by Cavetown. That is one of my favorite songs ever, and I wanted to do it justice with my take on it. I had to listen to the song over and over again to hear the nuances and all the parts that were happening. It was really fun but super challenging to recreate. I am happy with the version I was able to create."

ANY ADVICE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TRYING TO GET THEIR MUSIC PRODUCED ON A BUDGET IN A MORE DIY MANNER?

"One piece of advice I have is to just start. One of the things I learned was to try to make as much of what you can with what you have. Start producing on whatever free daw you can find, and just start recording your music. It might not sound how you want it to sound right away, but you'll eventually get better and better. Another piece of advice is to ask questions. I would ask producers that I looked up to questions, and mostly everyone is willing to help."

WHAT SONG OFF THIS EP ARE YOU THE MOST EXCITED TO PLAY LIVE?

"I am most excited to play 'therapy' because I haven't played it live yet, and I am getting a baritone guitar just so I can play it live. I have also been playing 'we'd fall asleep on the phone' live, and it has been a lot of fun hearing what my band (Rebecca Sykes on drums, Tristan Brooks on bass, and Jorge Mabarak on guitar) adds to it. I am very lucky to have such talented musicians and friends around me."

WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT FROM YOU IN THE FUTURE?

"I released a video on August 4th and am releasing three more videos of live versions of songs on the EP. The three other videos will be coming out in the weeks following the EP. I am also currently recording a full-length album that should come out sometime this year or early next year. I am workshopping those songs live too, so if you want to hear my new music early, come to the shows, and you'll get a glimpse of what the new record will sound like."

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SAMER, CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW.