Catching up with Sorebae, the funniest soft boi in town with ‘no morals or artistic integrity’
This is A HOT MINUTE WITH, a quick-fire interview series championing all the rising talent catapulting into fashion, art and music’s fickle stratosphere. From pinch-me moments to bad dates and even worse chat-up lines, think of it as an overindulgent conversation – like the ones you have in sticky club toilets at 4.A.M. Except these guests don’t regret the overshare…
With Lo-fi beats to melt away to, the Manchester based Sorebae (you can also just call him Sam) is a not-so-proud soft boi, fully qualified topiarist and J.D Salinger stan. Following the release of his debut single lilmore, we caught up with him to chat a little bit of nonsense.
Courtesy of @__mealtime
NAME Sam / SOREBAE
LOCATION Manchester, England
Phoebe Shardlow: How would you describe your music in three words?
Sorebae: Sugary, melancholy and a little bit jaded.
PS: Sorebae is your alter-ego of sorts - is there a huge difference between Sorebae and Sam?
S: He is this character I’m doing but he’s not a million miles off from me at all. It’s just a bit silly really.
PS: Where did you get the idea for Sorebae? He’s clearly a pastiche of ‘soft bois’.
S: Being this character feels safer to me - I’m getting away with saying what I want. It also means I don’t have to write autobiographically which I think in a weird way allows me to be more honest. Often I’ve been scared to write autobiographically because of people thinking ‘oh well this is about this…’
PS: I like that as an idea! I think it works.
S: Yep, and it means if I ever get in any trouble I can run off.
PS: It’s true you’ve got a cover. How long have you been doing music for?
S: Since my teens but this is the first time I’m doing it by myself.
PS: What artists inspire your sound?
S: In Manchester there’s PHOEBE GREEN who I absolutely love. I’ve also been listening to a lot of classic singer/songwriters - I’ve been mad on PAUL SIMON again recently.
PS: Taste!
S: And proper like Dad music - Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan and Van Morrisson - all them lot, it’s nice to go back to it.
PS: Does being based in Manchester influence your music?
S: You can hear my accent in my music as much as I try to hide it but other than that there’s no one from around here I try to emulate. The Mancunian has almost become a caricature, I don’t want to be bouncing around here like Bez. I love the history of Manchester but it’s like seeing your Dad dancing at a disco.
PS: I get what you mean about your accent, but when I was reading your press release I was just thinking ‘well he sounds like any other guy in South London talking about Salinger and what not’.
S: I guess there must be something universal about the soft boi. I really like that Instagram account @beam_me_up_softboi and I realised that was probably me when I was single - thinking I was so unique with the weight of the world on my shoulders. But all these boys are exactly the fucking same.
PS: They really are! What’s the softest soft boi thing you’ve ever done?
S: That’s a good question. Hmmm… I’m trying to think of all the terrible messages I’ve sent over the last few years. Maybe it’s basing your attraction to someone solely on what albums they listen to and you think you’re being so obscure and found the only person in the world who listens to Bright Eyes.
PS: I think I went through that phase too but with different albums.
S: What were yours?
PS: Hole’s Live Through This.
S: I think any boy who has ever told you they listened to Hole was lying.
PS: I think so too - it’s female manipulator music. But anyway, I read in your press release that you are begging girls to read J.D Salinger - care to explain?
S: In Sorebae’s own head he is the protagonist in every single J.D Salinger novel. The one I read over lockdown and loved was Franny and Zooey. It’s just a cute story about finding spirituality in everything you do…which is a really pretentious thing I’ve just said there. Everyone goes for The Catcher in The Rye but I’m too edgy for that.
PS: I was expecting you to go on a rant about Holden Caulfield.
S: Well the world is full of phonies.
PS: He’s the blueprint!
S: He’s the original soft boi. I think The Catcher In The Rye is why I started smoking and now I really regret it. My teeth are going yellow.
PS: You can always get your teeth whitened.
S: I enjoy nothing about smoking anymore, it has lost all romance.
PS: Do you smoke rollies or straights?
S: Straights - Benson and Hedges Blue.
PS: I didn’t think young people still smoked B&H!
S: It’s the cheapest cigarette you can get without it being totally disgusting. Bit of a sad phone call this, init?
PS: Right I’ll bring things back to music before we go on about your lungs.
S: Or lack thereof.
PS: What’s an underrated song?
S: In terms of their discography I’d say Close to Me by The Cure. I know it’s a really famous song but I still don’t think it gets the credit it deserves. Friday I’m in Love or Just Like Heaven gets all the attention.
PS: I read on your press release that you’re a fully qualified topiarist.
S: I am!
PS: Like Edward Scissorhands?
S: Well I’ve not got scissors for hands. I just go about it. But I live in the city and I’ve not really got a lot of work.
PS: Have you ever had to make a crazy shape for someone?
S: A clenched fist. The most popular is a swan but it’s hard to get the neck right.
Courtesy of @__mealtime
PS: Topiary is underrated I think.
S: I think Edward Scissorhands killed topiary - made it too kitsch.
PS: Where did you get the name Sorebae from?
S: I just thought it was a really good pun. I’ve had the name kicking about for years and it’s this little world of mine. Like Disneyland.
PS: What would the main attraction be?
S: The small dipper.
PS: Do you also like sorbet?
S: I think sorbet is a great palette cleanser - to be honest I think I’ve only eaten it once.
PS: Would you collaborate with a sorbet company?
S: If they’re out there I’ll promote anything. I’ve got no morals whatsoever. No artistic integrity.
PS: Hopefully one will read this piece and get in touch.
S: Are you popular amongst the iced desserts brands?
PS: You would be surprised… You’ve been a hoot - thanks so much! Jeffrey will love this.
S: Who’s Jeffrey?
PS: THE EDITOR OF THE MAG!
S: Oh no, well let me know if he needs some topiary doing.
Sorebae’s debut single ‘lilmore’ is available to stream on Spotify.