At the recent show celebrating her new, genre bending 5-song EP, Snapshot, local performer Audio Angel had a unique and moving experience while on stage at Santa Rosa’s Hook and Ladder Winery.
Speaking by phone, she tells the story of a husband and wife who had just kind of wandered into the show, having never even heard of Audio Angel. They took a seat, and as the show progressed, Audio Angel noticed the woman was consumed by tears, weeping openly throughout the show. The moment took her aback but also solidified a longstanding belief about the power of creativity and connection.
“I feel like, as Audio Angel, that I am here to serve the music. Whatever is supposed to reach you will reach you during my shows, and I feel like the music and art is here to assist us best,” she says. In times as troubling as these, this statement could scarcely ring more true.
Audio Angel came to the Bay Area in the late ’90s and immediately fell in with the dance party scene that was happening. “I went out to a jungle party, and these incredible lady DJs were playing. I was dancing, and they were like, ‘Your energy is so great. You should come MC with us.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, what’s an MC?’” she says with a laugh. “I just knew I loved what they were doing.”
That same energy is palpable throughout Snapshot as Audio Angel effortlessly moves through genres like house, dance, gospel and rock, just to name a few influences that come to mind. Some albums that push boundaries might feel forced or as if they’re actively trying to be diverse. But instead of coming off as phony, Audio Angel’s music feels honest and—as she so eloquently stated—as if she’s serving the muse.
After teaming up with the lady DJs, Audio Angel eventually eased into herself as a vocalist and songwriter. “I would go with them to raves. And when we drove around, they realized I would be singing along with the tracks. And they’re like, ‘Wow, you should sing along with yelling,’” she says with a laugh. “And then I got my first official booking at the end of 1997 with them at a party called The Gathering and got up and sang.” From there, Audio Angel began to take flight.
Speaking with Audio Angel, a reoccurring thread of her loyalty to the craft while being open to possibilities runs through the conversation. Statements like “Music is my woman, and she does whatever she wants. She tells me what she wants me to do; she is in her own timing” blend seamlessly with a more straightforward look at her work. That view includes saying, “I feel my job is to take risks and make it attractive.” This also speaks to the bustling Sonoma County music scene that, if one is really paying attention, is developing a pretty serious case of cultural homogenization.
Yet, even this proves as a motivator for Angel, who isn’t afraid to push boundaries with her craft. However, in order to do this, she needed a team of musicians that can be as diverse and brave as the music. Fortunately, she’s found fellow travelers in that sense with a band consisting of local favorite Josh Windmiller on guitar, Nate Dittle on keys, Libby (just Libby) on drums, Zachary Thorne on trumpet and Dave Rapa on bass.
While Audio Angel works hard at her music as well as keeping busy with music coaching, voice-over work and some acting, the focus is on the EP release on Nov. 11, which, for those who believe in signs and wonders, is 11/11. This is intentional, says Angel, because “I’m a hippie, and I believe in angel numbers, and that’s when the universe is taking a picture of your thoughts. That’s what they say.”
For more information, including upcoming gigs, visit audioangelworld.com.
