About Me

My goal has always been clear: a life spent performing music. My journey began at 18 in Athens, Georgia, where I cut my teeth at open mics and late-night jams. Through a disciplined routine of mindfulness and constant practice, I transitioned from a newcomer to a fixture in the Athens scene, interning at recording studios and growing to serve as a stage manager for the city’s largest festivals.

Driven by a desire to offer something unique to the community, I spent 18 months documenting my practice systems. In 2018, this culminated in the publication of the Slap Bass Encyclopedia with Mel Bay, making me the third-youngest author in the publisher's history. This success gave me the confidence to step away from the classroom and onto the road as a freelance bassist touring the USA.

Life on the road sparked a new educational mission. Noticing a gap between the academic music business and the reality of the touring and live concert industry, I began interviewing booking agents, managers, and producers. These insights grew into the Music Industry Success Series, a podcast and e-book designed to help independent musicians navigate the professional landscape.

While I eventually returned to the University of Georgia to complete my degree, the 2020 pandemic shifted my attention toward music production. Mentored and inspired by Jazzinuf, I dove into lo-fi and instrumental hip-hop as an extension of my mindfulness journey. This period was incredibly prolific; between 2021 and 2022, I released over 75 songs across two artist profiles (Soren the Robot and nowimalamp), including my debut beat tape, Mind. Body. Soul., on Etymology Records.

During the pandemic, I continued to push creative boundaries, leading to the release of my first full-length studio album, Colorblind Pilot. An eclectic project featuring 15 musicians, the album explores themes of systemic racism, mental health, and adulthood, and was released under the moniker of “Josiah Soren and the Colorblind Pilots”. 

In 2024, I released the first record under my own name, SAMURAI, an acid-jazz and hip-hop collaboration featuring a quintet contemporary jazz band and eight lyricists from the Atlanta and Athens underground hip hop scenes. ‘SAMURAI’ has been praised as a record “where both genres are manifested with some serious quality from an artist who not only sees no boundaries but occupies his musical ground in a completely new and unique way" (Tony Minvielle, Jazz FM)

I also work professionally in the Music industry as a freelance Tour Manager and in Artist Relations for the music festival promoter Sixthman. When I’m not on tour, you can find me tucked away in a tiny house in the woods enjoying some peace and quiet or snorkeling with the sea turtles on a faraway island.