‘Popsikal’ album highlights local talent in Minneapolis pop music
11 local artists, whose music will make up the Popsikal album, pose for a photo.
Olivia Jane | Courtesy of Freeze Pop Records
Here in Minnesota, we love our local music scene. With the release of Popsikal, we get 11 great local artists in one album: 26 Bats, Ariesfirebomb, Chad Atkin, d.notiv, Jane October, KKthainfamous, Maddie Lives, NatanYael, Scraps, shadingthesun and SYM1.
SYM1 is featured on the album, but she’s also the president of producing label Freeze Pop Records. Popsikal will be its first album when it’s released on May 31. SYM1 joined MPR News guest host Nina Moini to preview the new album that has local music fanatics on the edge of their seats.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
[SYM1, "TOOTHPASTE"] Extra pillow
Extra toothpaste
Slumber party
Call it a date
Three-way calling
Calling up your crush
'Bout to spill it
Pinky promise much
NINA MOINI: Well, I'd like to introduce you now to Symone, an artist based in Minneapolis and president of Freeze Pop Records. The local label is slated to come out with its first album at the end of the month, a collaboration between 11 Minnesota artists who are all making pop music. It's called Popsikal, S-I-K-A-L. And it's due to release online May 31. Symone Wilson joins me now to talk about it. Thank you so much for being here, Symone.
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah, thank you for having me.
NINA MOINI: That was really fun to listen to. Where did the idea for this album come from?
SYMONE WILSON: It came from wanting to provide more support for artist development, connecting pop artists together. And finally having the opportunity to collaborate with so many peers and people that we look up to in the pop community.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. So tell me about that. How were you able to bring folks together?
SYMONE WILSON: Well, as a pop artist myself, it is easy to get in touch with other like-minded people after being in the scene for so long. I am born and raised here and am heavily involved in the arts communities here, but especially within music. And after connecting with arts leaders and artist managers after some years, we had come together to not only produce pop and music events to provide a platform for artists, but also to provide artist development opportunities. Ever since the pandemic came into play, we started to focus on not only live events but ways to engage and flourish in other ways.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And at the risk of sounding uncool, tell us a little bit more about your genre of hyperpop. What's it all about? We heard it there in the beginning.
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. Hyperpop, I consider myself hyperpop-adjacent, let's say, since-- [LAUGHS] since I really love also things like Eurodance and hard dance. But hyperpop, I feel like is pushing pop to its limits, its extremes, almost to the point of being ironic, is what I think people can immediately find within hyperpop.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. We had a bit of a dance party going on here while we were listening in the beginning.
SYMONE WILSON: Oh, fun.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. I know that Minnesota has its own rich and beautiful music history. But with your genre, do you feel like Minnesota has room to grow and get on the map there, like maybe in LA or New York? Or where are we in the mix?
SYMONE WILSON: Absolutely. There is so much talent here, an abundance of-- and I think where people find that they need to go to LA or New York is that void of artistic development opportunities, A&R, really arts administration, is where Freeze Pop Records is trying to fill that gap and provide programming and opportunities connecting artists together.
Connecting them to booking shows and gigs, and funding and resources in order to create and make a album is where we're really, really focused on and we find is an important space that is lacking here. So we're happy to provide some of that, and also encourage others that this is something that we need here.
NINA MOINI: Sure. Is there a collaboration on the album that you're maybe really excited about?
SYMONE WILSON: Oh, gosh, yes. I am very excited for one of the songs on the album called "Firebomb." And it is a collaboration that has the most amount of collaborators on it on the album. It is explicit, though, so we won't be playing it on the radio. But it was just such a fun way to come together with so many different artists and just be silly, be fun, and let loose, so to speak.
NINA MOINI: And now let's listen to one of the songs by another artist off the album, take another music break. It's called "Clandestine."
[KK THE INFAMOUS, "CLANDESTINE"] Should we let them know
Should we let them know about this, baby
Should we let them know about us, babe
Babe
Babe
NINA MOINI: Ooh, I liked that too. That was a little bit of a different vibe than the song we heard on the top there. Who made that song? Tell us more about it.
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. That was made by KK the Infamous, who is heavily influenced by Janet Jackson, No Doubt, and Hiatus Kaiyote. Such an incredible artist. And I've had so much fun just getting to know all of the artists on the album, and getting a chance to connect with our greater scene has been really something spectacular.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And you mentioned a bit earlier, diving in on this administrative side of things. And there's all this creative energy, but somebody has got to jump in and organize and fund. Have there been any surprising steps in that process, or what has that been like for you?
SYMONE WILSON: It is a-- I think it's a path with many obstacles, just because there isn't a lot of structure. And so we are so grateful to have had the opportunity to get funding. This activity is made by made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. So thankfully we have some of that to help offset costs.
But then working with different partners in our community, such as Sick Clip Records, who are a local record-pressing and tape-making company. Outta Wax, another record-pressing company. SolSta Records. So really diving into our local community and joining forces with what the music industry has to offer here is something that also helps offset that pressure. And really, we can find strength within our community here.
NINA MOINI: Definitely. We had Outta Wax, the founders, on the show. I think it was last week. And it's great to see everybody working together. Where are you hoping to go with Freeze Pop Records? What do you envision?
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. We're hoping to make not only a mixtape but a movement. We want to see our pop community, our music industry here flourish, so artists don't feel like they need to go to other places such as New York or LA. I mean, we definitely encourage it, absolutely. But we want to also show that there is enough support and enough of a community here, so that artists feel supported. And really, we want to provide that with Freeze Pop Records.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And another part of the scene, I imagine, and making things happen is venues for people to perform at. I'm curious, what are some of your favorite pop music venues here in the state?
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. I mean, more than pop music, I feel like these venues do any and everything, which is wonderful. But definitely First Ave is wonderful. I especially love the Fine Line and the Turf Club. Icehouse has been amazing. And the newer venues, Green Room. And I haven't had a chance to play here yet, but Zhora Darling is a venue that I'm really excited to check out soon.
NINA MOINI: OK. And we have just about a minute left. Are you planning to have a release show for this album? Where can folks get it or listen to it?
SYMONE WILSON: We are planning to do a listening party at SolSta Records.
NINA MOINI: Cool.
SYMONE WILSON: And the release date will be May 31, but right in the beginning of June is when we're expecting to have a release listening party.
NINA MOINI: All right. And we'll make sure to get those details on our website as well. Symone, it was such a pleasure talking with you. Thank you for being here, and for sharing your gifts and your time with us.
SYMONE WILSON: Likewise. Truly a pleasure to talk with you today.
NINA MOINI: Thank you. And that was Symone Wilson, who's a hyperpop artist and producer in Minneapolis and the president of Freeze Pop Records. The collaborative album Popsikal is set to release May 31 online and in vinyl at SolSta Records in St. Louis Park.
Extra toothpaste
Slumber party
Call it a date
Three-way calling
Calling up your crush
'Bout to spill it
Pinky promise much
NINA MOINI: Well, I'd like to introduce you now to Symone, an artist based in Minneapolis and president of Freeze Pop Records. The local label is slated to come out with its first album at the end of the month, a collaboration between 11 Minnesota artists who are all making pop music. It's called Popsikal, S-I-K-A-L. And it's due to release online May 31. Symone Wilson joins me now to talk about it. Thank you so much for being here, Symone.
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah, thank you for having me.
NINA MOINI: That was really fun to listen to. Where did the idea for this album come from?
SYMONE WILSON: It came from wanting to provide more support for artist development, connecting pop artists together. And finally having the opportunity to collaborate with so many peers and people that we look up to in the pop community.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. So tell me about that. How were you able to bring folks together?
SYMONE WILSON: Well, as a pop artist myself, it is easy to get in touch with other like-minded people after being in the scene for so long. I am born and raised here and am heavily involved in the arts communities here, but especially within music. And after connecting with arts leaders and artist managers after some years, we had come together to not only produce pop and music events to provide a platform for artists, but also to provide artist development opportunities. Ever since the pandemic came into play, we started to focus on not only live events but ways to engage and flourish in other ways.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And at the risk of sounding uncool, tell us a little bit more about your genre of hyperpop. What's it all about? We heard it there in the beginning.
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. Hyperpop, I consider myself hyperpop-adjacent, let's say, since-- [LAUGHS] since I really love also things like Eurodance and hard dance. But hyperpop, I feel like is pushing pop to its limits, its extremes, almost to the point of being ironic, is what I think people can immediately find within hyperpop.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. We had a bit of a dance party going on here while we were listening in the beginning.
SYMONE WILSON: Oh, fun.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. I know that Minnesota has its own rich and beautiful music history. But with your genre, do you feel like Minnesota has room to grow and get on the map there, like maybe in LA or New York? Or where are we in the mix?
SYMONE WILSON: Absolutely. There is so much talent here, an abundance of-- and I think where people find that they need to go to LA or New York is that void of artistic development opportunities, A&R, really arts administration, is where Freeze Pop Records is trying to fill that gap and provide programming and opportunities connecting artists together.
Connecting them to booking shows and gigs, and funding and resources in order to create and make a album is where we're really, really focused on and we find is an important space that is lacking here. So we're happy to provide some of that, and also encourage others that this is something that we need here.
NINA MOINI: Sure. Is there a collaboration on the album that you're maybe really excited about?
SYMONE WILSON: Oh, gosh, yes. I am very excited for one of the songs on the album called "Firebomb." And it is a collaboration that has the most amount of collaborators on it on the album. It is explicit, though, so we won't be playing it on the radio. But it was just such a fun way to come together with so many different artists and just be silly, be fun, and let loose, so to speak.
NINA MOINI: And now let's listen to one of the songs by another artist off the album, take another music break. It's called "Clandestine."
[KK THE INFAMOUS, "CLANDESTINE"] Should we let them know
Should we let them know about this, baby
Should we let them know about us, babe
Babe
Babe
NINA MOINI: Ooh, I liked that too. That was a little bit of a different vibe than the song we heard on the top there. Who made that song? Tell us more about it.
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. That was made by KK the Infamous, who is heavily influenced by Janet Jackson, No Doubt, and Hiatus Kaiyote. Such an incredible artist. And I've had so much fun just getting to know all of the artists on the album, and getting a chance to connect with our greater scene has been really something spectacular.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And you mentioned a bit earlier, diving in on this administrative side of things. And there's all this creative energy, but somebody has got to jump in and organize and fund. Have there been any surprising steps in that process, or what has that been like for you?
SYMONE WILSON: It is a-- I think it's a path with many obstacles, just because there isn't a lot of structure. And so we are so grateful to have had the opportunity to get funding. This activity is made by made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. So thankfully we have some of that to help offset costs.
But then working with different partners in our community, such as Sick Clip Records, who are a local record-pressing and tape-making company. Outta Wax, another record-pressing company. SolSta Records. So really diving into our local community and joining forces with what the music industry has to offer here is something that also helps offset that pressure. And really, we can find strength within our community here.
NINA MOINI: Definitely. We had Outta Wax, the founders, on the show. I think it was last week. And it's great to see everybody working together. Where are you hoping to go with Freeze Pop Records? What do you envision?
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. We're hoping to make not only a mixtape but a movement. We want to see our pop community, our music industry here flourish, so artists don't feel like they need to go to other places such as New York or LA. I mean, we definitely encourage it, absolutely. But we want to also show that there is enough support and enough of a community here, so that artists feel supported. And really, we want to provide that with Freeze Pop Records.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And another part of the scene, I imagine, and making things happen is venues for people to perform at. I'm curious, what are some of your favorite pop music venues here in the state?
SYMONE WILSON: Yeah. I mean, more than pop music, I feel like these venues do any and everything, which is wonderful. But definitely First Ave is wonderful. I especially love the Fine Line and the Turf Club. Icehouse has been amazing. And the newer venues, Green Room. And I haven't had a chance to play here yet, but Zhora Darling is a venue that I'm really excited to check out soon.
NINA MOINI: OK. And we have just about a minute left. Are you planning to have a release show for this album? Where can folks get it or listen to it?
SYMONE WILSON: We are planning to do a listening party at SolSta Records.
NINA MOINI: Cool.
SYMONE WILSON: And the release date will be May 31, but right in the beginning of June is when we're expecting to have a release listening party.
NINA MOINI: All right. And we'll make sure to get those details on our website as well. Symone, it was such a pleasure talking with you. Thank you for being here, and for sharing your gifts and your time with us.
SYMONE WILSON: Likewise. Truly a pleasure to talk with you today.
NINA MOINI: Thank you. And that was Symone Wilson, who's a hyperpop artist and producer in Minneapolis and the president of Freeze Pop Records. The collaborative album Popsikal is set to release May 31 online and in vinyl at SolSta Records in St. Louis Park.
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