Tim Sowa

Tell us about yourself as an artist/musician. What do you do?

I am a guitarist and pianist. I primarily write songs with my sister. We’re mostly acoustic-driven. We also experiment with electric guitar, piano, or whatever sound we vibe with on the MIDI. I guess we would categorize ourselves as Indie Folk.

How long have you been making music, and what sparked your interest in music?

I always loved music and writing as I’ve been writing poetry since I was a young kid. With music, funny enough, a breakup is what got me into it. I was thrust into music as I needed something to do with my time and found myself playing guitar multiple hours a day. I would even bring it to work, and play in the late hours into the night because I worked a Night Shift at the time.

Tell us about your time at NOMU so far. Do you have a favorite memory or experience during your time here?

My favorite memory in Norco Music was the totality of being in the MIS program for the recording class. I went in there with not a lot of confidence as I was nervous about collaborating with other musicians. However, Brady and my classmates motivated me and gave me the self-confidence and boost that I needed. I was made to feel like I belonged, and I felt welcomed as an artist and was able to fit in perfectly thanks to the collaborative spirit that exists in NOMU.

When you're writing or playing music, what influences constantly inspire you as a musician/artist (specific artist, film, art piece, etc.)?

Initially, what motivated me to learn music was a newfound love of The Beatles of all bands and 60s music in general. However, since then, my tastes have expanded greatly. I grew up listening to a wide variety of music, but since I started collaborating with and getting inspiration from other musicians, I’ve expanded to a lot of genres that I listen to. I like a lot of old school Jazz like the guitarist, Wes Montgomery. I listen to a fair bit of newer Indie sound, I guess that’s what you call it. As well as 70s acoustic stuff, soul music, and Spanish guitar music. I grew up listening to Hip-hop, Folk Punk, and bands like MCR, Nirvana, and System of a Down. I also get my taste from my parents as they played a lot of 80s music when I was growing up. But overall it kind of depends, wherever I can get inspiration I will take it.

What are your plans or goals in your life now concerning school, music, or just personally, any other pursuits?

This has been a year of transition and self-discovery for me. I was dedicated to healthcare and I still am as I currently work as a paramedic. I was a nursing major for a long time, but I had an epiphany over the new year, and I realized that my heart is in music and the arts. My goal is to somehow make a living making music with my sister, Allie, who is also an alumnus. You could say I’m following in my little sister's footsteps.

Since your sister (Allie) is an alumnus here at NOMU, how does it feel like to be able to make your mark alongside your sister here?

Mind-boggling, honestly because I went from a place of barely being able to play the guitar two years ago to somehow regularly writing songs, getting stuff on the album, and seeing it come together. It’s very encouraging, and in a way, a dream come true as it helped me actualize myself as a person. It felt like a missing piece of my life that I didn’t know I was missing.

Are there any hobbies outside of music that you're interested in?

Aside from writing music, I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to my Youtube algorithm. I like watching a lot of educational stuff about the universe, planets, ancient history, and medieval history. I also do like to keep up with politics to the point that it doesn’t give me a headache haha. Finally, anything nature related. I like being out with my friends in the forest and going on hikes. There’s nothing too specific, just being with the trees is where I feel at home.

Is there anything you’d like to add, anything you want to tell whoever might be reading this interview, or anything you want people to know about you?

The only thing I would like to add is for anybody interested in getting into music or the arts but is afraid for whatever reason is to not let their fears hold them back. The whole point of this is to express yourself and to have fun as I found that to be the most important thing. I mean it’s very easy for artists to put a lot of stress on themselves to perform and get better, but at the end of the day, it’s about human expression and having a good time. Nothing has brought me closer to my family and friends than my love for music.

I decided to do something interesting for the website where the last artist I interviewed can ask you a question. The last person I interviewed was Francis Flores and the question was, "What was the moment you decided that music was going to be part of your life?”

The moment that I think it was truly solidified in me was when I heard one of my sister’s songs from the Norco Music album and was blown away by it even if I didn’t know it yet. Secondly, the natural evolution of our chemistry as artists together where it would start with me jamming a string of chords or riffs, and all of a sudden, Allie is singing something. When we play together it feels like we are speaking our language of shared experience. It just naturally evolved like that. Finally, after visiting my sister in Europe and seeing the variety in the art and music scene, I felt there was absolutely no reason that I couldn’t add to this as well.

Keep in mind; you also get to ask the next artist a question, so what would you like to ask the next artist that I interview?

What do you do when you are feeling mentally discouraged or in a rut? (See Michael Ortiz’s interview to see the answer to Tim’s question).

Album Credits:

Worth the Weight

Flowers Grow