[Hear The Curator Mixtape here]
This month’s mixtape comes to us from Amanda in Nijmegen, the oldest city in the Netherlands. Hear Amanda’s dynamic mixtape including tracks from Mama Duke, Van Tastik, and more, and hear a little bit from Amanda herself.
Do you have a creative outlet outside Sofar? If so, tell us about it.
I do a lot of creative writing. I have several projects still in progress, but now I am focusing on finishing a poem book and three novellas. For them, I pair key scenes to songs, like a soundtrack of sorts for the readers. When I come across a new song, I immediately start imagining scenes based on the emotions they evoke. Needless to say, reviewing artist applications and curating lineups for the shows are activities I really enjoy.
What drew you to curating shows?
Definitely the diversity and community that the Sofar shows have to offer. I attended my first Sofar show in San Francisco back in 2017 and ever since then, I try to join a Sofar show every time I visit a new city.
I’ve had a wonderful time at every Sofar show I’ve attended up to date. I truly enjoy connecting with new artists, listening to their music and meeting other music lovers like me. Helping build a community that brings artists and listeners together is such an amazing experience and made me want to take on the opportunity to make Nijmegen a Sofar city.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Nijmegen?
Visiting the cafes around the city, especially when the sun starts to shine and the weather starts to warm up. These cafes and bars often participate in live music and cultural events, so it’s always nice to stumble upon these creative spaces.
What’s something special about your city only locals might know?
This might be known by a few more people than locals… but, although Nijmegen is a small city in the Netherlands, in the 3rd week of July, the city hosts the largest walking event in the world, Vierdaagse (International Four Day Marches). Last year they had over 45,000 participants from all over the world.
Although Nijmegen is a lively city any time of the year, I would highly recommend for anyone planning a visit to try and come during Vierdaagse.
Thoughts on a couple standout tracks from the curator mixtape?
Valntna | “Vivid Dreams”
The first time I heard Valntna sing, was at a Sofar show in London. Her performance and songs were breathtaking. On my way back from London, I streamed her album Shadow Work and the emotion and openness of the songs really inspired me to get back to writing after a really long writing slump.
Ato Pérez | “Should we?”
Ato played his first Sofar show in Nijmegen back in January and has gone to perform in other cities around the country. His songs are full of emotion and I think the world should give him a listen.
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Words by Sofar Editorial Team
