<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Sofar Love Stories – Live Music, Concerts & Music Events | Sofar Sounds</title> <atom:link href="https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/category/sofar-love-stories/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:25:12 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1</generator> <image> <url>https://sofar-blog-images.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/favicon.svg</url> <title>Sofar Love Stories – Live Music, Concerts & Music Events | Sofar Sounds</title> <link>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Sofar Voices | Meet Anisa & Binit: When music connects hearts</title> <link>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/articles/sofar-voices-meet-anisa-binit</link> <comments>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/articles/sofar-voices-meet-anisa-binit#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[cat.kiene]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:33:50 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Community]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sofar Love Stories]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/?p=3876</guid> <description><![CDATA[Before we dive in, we’re excited to introduce Sofar Voices, where we spotlight different members of the Sofar community — or the Sofam, as we like to call it. In each edition, you’ll get to know fans, artists, crew, curators… you name it. If they’re involved in creating the Sofar magic, they’ve got a story […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before we dive in, we’re excited to introduce Sofar Voices, where we spotlight different members of the Sofar community — or the Sofam, as we like to call it. In each edition, you’ll get to know fans, artists, crew, curators… you name it. If they’re involved in creating the Sofar magic, they’ve got a story to tell and we’re here to share it. Enjoy! </span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, we’re celebrating a love story with Sofar woven into its journey. Meet Anisa and Binit, a couple whose cross-continental journey brought them together through music, meaningful experiences, and lasting memories. This past November, Anisa recreated a special memory for Binit’s 40th birthday: a Sofar show at <a href="https://www.shoreditchtreehouse.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shoreditch Treehouse</a> featuring the </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TlqGWAdsx8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ganda Boys</span></a>,<span style="font-weight: 400;"> the very artists who made their first date so special.</span></p> <p><b>Let’s start from the beginning. How did you and Binit meet?<br /> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anisa: Binit and I were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, while we were living thousands of miles apart. Binit was living just outside of London and I was in Philadelphia. There was no end of the pandemic in sight when we both met (in December 2020), so we continued to speak online every day for 10 months.</span></p> <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3880 size-large" src="https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/First-Sofar-Date.jpeg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=771&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large" alt="" width="1024" height="771" srcset="https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/First-Sofar-Date.jpeg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=226&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=300&wpsize=medium 300w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/First-Sofar-Date.jpeg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=771&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large 1024w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/First-Sofar-Date.jpeg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=578&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=768&wpsize=medium_large 768w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/First-Sofar-Date.jpeg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=1157&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1536&wpsize=1536x1536 1536w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/First-Sofar-Date.jpeg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=1542&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2048&wpsize=2048x2048 2048w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/First-Sofar-Date.jpeg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fm=pjpg&ixlib=php-3.3.1 1170w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p> <p><b>How did Sofar become a part of your story?<br /> </b>Anisa: When it was finally possible to meet in person, we decided to plan a day of fun for each other. As part of my day for Binit, I surprised him with tickets to a Sofar Sounds show since I knew about his appreciation of arts and music through his volunteering work with LIFEbeat, an organization which promotes community through creativity.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anisa: I had also been to my first Sofar show in Austin, TX and loved the concept from the get-go. Binit and I loved our first show together. We got to see the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gandaboys/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ganda Boys</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioBUW_xWE-Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Sebastian</a>, and were touched by their music and warmth.<br /> </span></p> <p><b>Incredible! Fast forward to today, what role does music play in your relationship?<br /> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anisa: We are a year into our marriage and after attending a few more Sofar shows together, we brought friends and family along for the journey for Binit’s milestone 40th birthday. Music continues to be an important connector for us whether through karaoke, dance, or going to a concert. Thank you for helping us celebrate and recreating that magic that brought us together from the very beginning!</span></p> <p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3881 size-large" src="https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Binit-Birthday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=768&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Binit-Birthday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=225&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=300&wpsize=medium 300w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Binit-Birthday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=768&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large 1024w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Binit-Birthday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=576&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=768&wpsize=medium_large 768w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Binit-Birthday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=1152&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1536&wpsize=1536x1536 1536w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Binit-Birthday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=1536&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2048&wpsize=2048x2048 2048w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Binit-Birthday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fm=pjpg&ixlib=php-3.3.1 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p> <p><b>That’s truly heartwarming! Now onto some quickfire questions. What’s the soundtrack to your life?<br /> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anisa: At our wedding, we danced to a song from a Hindi movie that we both grew up separately listening to. It’s called “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” and it translates to “something something happens,” like the butterflies-in-your-tummy moment where you see someone and hold their hand for the first time. We danced to the song at our wedding reception, and it’s a song we love listening to. Very nostalgic! </span></p> <p><b>What would your dream venue be for a Sofar Sounds show?<br /> </b>Binit: On the beach in a beautiful sunny location in Mombasa, Kenya.</p> <p><b>What’s your best Sofar moment?<br /> </b>Binit: This Sofar show here was beyond my wildest dreams and expectations. It was so lovely to see everyone enjoying this music that meant a lot to us.</p> <p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3882 size-large" src="https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Sofar-Voices-Binit-Bday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=771&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large" alt="" width="1024" height="771" srcset="https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Sofar-Voices-Binit-Bday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=226&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=300&wpsize=medium 300w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Sofar-Voices-Binit-Bday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=771&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large 1024w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Sofar-Voices-Binit-Bday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=578&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=768&wpsize=medium_large 768w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Sofar-Voices-Binit-Bday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=1157&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1536&wpsize=1536x1536 1536w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Sofar-Voices-Binit-Bday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=1542&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=2048&wpsize=2048x2048 2048w, https://sofar-sounds-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/Sofar-Voices-Binit-Bday.jpg?crop=faces%2Centropy&fm=pjpg&ixlib=php-3.3.1 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anisa: It’s with our nearest and dearest which is hard to recreate–it really feels like we’re in one of our homes, with all our loved ones, and a much bigger living room.<br /> </span></p> <p><b>Thank you so much for sharing your story, Anisa and Binit! We’re honored to be part of your journey and hope to continue creating beautiful memories together. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f49b.png" alt="💛" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></b></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/articles/sofar-voices-meet-anisa-binit/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Sofar Love Stories: Sam & Nathalie</title> <link>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/articles/sofar-love-stories-sam-nathalie</link> <comments>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/articles/sofar-love-stories-sam-nathalie#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Adrian Sticea]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Sofar Love Stories]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Community]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Date Night Concerts]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sofarsoundsblo.wpengine.com/blog/articles/sofar-love-stories-sam-nathalie/</guid> <description><![CDATA[We love Sofar Love Stories: those magical date night concerts where one person decides to pop the question. When Sam Payrovi heard Sofar artist Odane Whilby perform the song “Agree”, he finally realized how he wanted to propose to his girlfriend, and coworker, Nathalie Paiva. Check out the most recent in our series of Sofar […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We love <a href="https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/articles/sofar-love-stories-stefan-priya">Sofar Love Stories</a>: those magical date night concerts where one person decides to pop the question.</p> <p>When Sam Payrovi heard Sofar artist Odane Whilby perform the song “Agree”, he finally realized how he wanted to propose to his girlfriend, and coworker, Nathalie Paiva.</p> <p>Check out the most recent in our series of Sofar Love Stories. and get inspired for <a href="https://www.sofarsounds.com/lists/date-night">a date night concert of your own</a>.</p> <h2><strong>The Background: From Coworkers to Couple</strong></h2> <p>Sam and Nathalie run <a href="https://cstm.haus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CSTM HAUS</a>, a coworking and showroom event space nestled into the “little flatiron building” in New York City’s Meatpacking District. They met a few years back, “on what we call the Tinder for consultants– Upwork,” Nathalie laughed. It didn’t take long for the sparks to fly, though the two tried to avoid their feelings.</p> <p>“All our friends saw it when we were ignoring it,” Sam said. Eventually the two came to their senses, and became a couple. As they built CSTM HAUS, Sam and Nathalie also began collaborating with Sofar in 2018. One of the earliest Sofars included a surprise cameo from Miley Cyrus, who was walking by and happened to notice a hundred people gathered, and “she stepped in and everyone went crazy,” Sam said. “People were like, ‘what just happened, Miley just walked in and stared at us,’” Sam said, smiling.</p> <p>As the two worked side by side, bringing Sofars and other events into their space, somewhere along the way, Sam decided it was time to pop the question– the big one. But, the planning took some time. The proposal itself was a year in the works– the ring took six months to arrive. When he got it, Sam suddenly had to figure out exactly <em>how</em> to propose. “I had no idea,” he said.</p> <h2><strong>How Odane Whilby Gave Sam His Big Proposal Idea</strong></h2> <p>Three weeks before the big eve, CSTM HAUS held a Sofar. <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4FncEnPHz0nPwPRR32zrC6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Odane Whilby</a> was playing that night. He introduced a song called “Agree” that he’d written to propose to his wife. As Odane sang, suddenly the idea hit Sam. “The one thing I always knew was I wanted to do it in a way that was core to what we do and who we are,” Sam said. “Yea I could do it on the top of some mountain or the Eiffel Tower, but we do so much beyond dating and raising a puppy– we’ve been working together for years, and this has been way more than running a retail company. I just really wanted to integrate something that we do, and we just love these Sofar events so much. I was sitting there that night listening to Odane sing this song for his wife, and I was like, ‘oh my god, I think I know what I’m gonna do.’”</p> <p>It just so happened the CEO of Sofar, Jim Lucchese, was attending that evening. So, Sam went up and filled him in, then asked if they could schedule another Sofar with Odane, playing the same song, so he could take that moment to propose to Nathalie. Of course, Jim was on board. “We went into planning mode secretly, behind the planner’s back,” he said, nodding toward Nathalie. Sam and the Sofar team got to work, secretly sorting out the details for a new Sofar date with Odane. They set the evening for October 19th.</p> <h2><strong>A Wrench in the Plans? Nope– A Key to Surprise</strong></h2> <p>About five days before the big night, Sam got an email update on a separate, important project he was involved in. There was going to be an event for it– October 19th. “I’m like, you’ve gotta be kidding me,” he said. He asked to move it– that was a no. So the night of, he had to start the evening by running to his other commitment. Turns out, that was just the key to keeping the proposal a surprise. Sam had invited friends and Nathalie’s family to Sofar. When they walked in, it could’ve been a big tip-off that something extra special was planned for that night, but it wasn’t. “I was surprised to see my parents and sister– but Sam wasn’t there, so I didn’t think anything of it,” Nathalie said. When Sam came back from his first event, Nathalie still had no idea what was ahead that night.</p> <h2><strong>The Set-Up: Getting Nathalie in Front of The Room</strong></h2> <p>Later, when Odane was about to start, then came the next challenge: “I had to figure out how I was going to get Nathalie up to the front during the song,” Sam said. “I told Odane just before he went on, ‘listen, I see an empty table right by you, if I can get Nathalie to sit there we have nothing to worry about. If I <em>can’t</em>, you have to figure out a way to get her up here in the middle of your song. I don’t care if you kick a drink over, yell “rat!,” whatever you want to do, you just have to get Nathalie to come up.”</p> <p>Luckily, Sam was able to get her up there without any tricky maneuvering. As Odane began to play “Agree,” Sam grabbed Nathalie’s hand and brought her up to the front. “She just surprisingly went along with it,” Sam said. The two made their way up next to Odane.</p> <p>“I thought he was going to announce something about CSTM HAUS and I was like, it’s the <em>middle</em> of the song,” Nathalie said, laughing.</p> <h2><strong>The Big Moment</strong></h2> <p>Judging from the crowd, Sam got the vibe that most people thought they were about to slow dance. Still, it got folks to take out their phones and start snapping a couple pics. But then, Sam whispered in Nathalie’s ear and got down on one knee. “That’s when the crowd understood what was happening, and all the sudden everyone was like, ‘oh my god,’” Sam said. “I think that’s when Nathalie fully realized.”</p> <p>Sam pulled out the ring, and then asked her which hand the ring goes on. “I actually had the dog in my arms, and I had to move her over to give the correct hand,” Nathalie said.</p> <p>Odane finished the song, and they celebrated at the end of the eve. Oh yea– Nathalie definitely said yes. Check out the moment via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVb0OLwlMgM/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Odane’s Instagram.</a></p> <figure style="width: 4032px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/1665185636featuredimage.avif" alt="" width="4032" height="1816" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Sam and Nathalie with Odane, family, and friends</figcaption></figure> <p> </p> <p>Ready to start your own Sofar Love Story? Check out <a href="https://www.sofarsounds.com/lists/date-night">Date Night Sofar shows</a> near you!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.sofarsounds.com/blog/articles/sofar-love-stories-sam-nathalie/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>