Draft:Indie soul

Indie soul, also referred as alternative soul and soul pop, is a genre of music that incorporates characteristics of soul, funk, jazz, and hip-hop with indie rock and pop. It is distinguished by its eclectic mix of styles, frequently featuring a blend of live instrumentation and electronic production. It has been described as "not answering to any kind of gatekeepers".

Indie soul can have a relaxed, mellow vibe, with lyrics that are often inward-looking and thoughtful. It can also be boisterous, riff driven, smooth bounce, blurring boundaries from elements of funk and pop.

1960s
In the 1960s with the success of labels like Berry Gordy's Motown, notable for being African-American owned, unlike most of the earlier independent R&B labels, soul music was popular and black music was in a beginning phase of independence. It had changed from a vocal style into a sound style that was increasingly dependent on arrangers and producers. Black artists began looking to escape the record industry's mistreatment and financial abuses in which they were often given less than 5% of a records sales. In addition they wanted to be able to be more vocal in their social and political messages of self-sufficiency, economic and political empowerment, unity, and racial pride, they wanted to form a community they controlled.

1970s
The 1970s brought a general decline in soul and Motown style in favor of rock, funk, disco, and pop, the sounds that would later be used in indie soul. In addition, a contributing factor in the decline was a shift from party music to an increasing political nature of the music due to the challenging social issues of the times. Black artists, specifically indie soul artists, used their music to shine light on the disparities and led to a less accessible music to the general American public. The Black Power movement, itself with roots in Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League developed along side indie soul music and strengthened the color divisions. Messaging that would later reappear in the African ideals of neo soul. Additionally, music had traditionally been single(s) based which had previously allowed independent soul to compete with major labels. However in the 1970s album sales became more popular and brought with them soaring production costs. The independent labels like Motown had been and the artists were not able to compete.

1980s
While the 1980s brought a continued decline for soul, their message of independence had grown more powerful. In 1982 Tina Tuner became the first Black woman to appear on MTV and the indie soul artist's social agenda had inspired newer generations and genres to seek their independence. Community based hip-hop, which started as a social movement in the South Bronx, consisted of breaks from soul artists. Linked with the "new" digital recording format, Artist owned labels entrepreneurial efforts became prevalent, like 2 Live Crew Records in 1985 or James Brown buying a radio station in 1989.

1990s
With the rise of contemporary R&B and hip-hop at the start of the 1990s, African-American music and American music as a whole had a new soundscape. In the late 1990s, shortly after the rise of neo soul on the East Coast, with analog sounds featuring funk, jazz, africana, and drum breaks from groups like the Soulquarians at Electric Lady Studios and Erykah Badu. On the West Coast, artists like Sa-Ra began experimenting and blending indie rock sounds, more live instrumentation, pop production, and upbeat funk while artists like rapper Eric Roberson, nicknamed The King of Indie Soul, began to modernize the soul sound outside the traditional framework of labels, and the roots of the modern indie.soul sound emerged.

Artists
In 2018 indie soul singer Kameron Corvet won a Grammy for co-writing "Don't Make Me Wait" with Sting and Shaggy.

Indie soul artist Janelle Monáe has been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards, her collaborator Sean Combs said of her unique talent and style "It was time for me to recognize that other people maybe had ideas that I didn't understand..."

In 2020 Nané appeared on NPR Music's Tiny Desk series.

The genre is a diverse showcase of artists such as Ben l'Oncle Soul, Blood Orange, Toro y Moi, Amber Mark, Poolside, Tim Gerard, De la Soul, Conya Doss, Tom Misch, Free Nationals, Allen Stone, Elder Island, Franc Moody, Teddra Moses, James Blake, Masego, Sa-Ra, Sault, Saskwatch Solange Knowles and Parcels.

Historic labels
Independent record labels like Dome who is distinguished and has been consistently voted one of the leading black music labels has been an advocate of the genre since its inception and is active in signing American artists.

Stones Throw Records who since 1996 have signed artists across genres leading to collaboration and diverse innovation have amplified the genre with influence from artists like Aloe Blacc, Questlove and Nxworries.

Events
In 2007 Norfolk, Virginia, Mojo Entertainment announced the first outdoor Indie Soul Summer Concert.

In 2008 the city of Springfield, Massachusetts began the Springfield Indie Soul Festival which is in its 15th year and is aimed to spread music, community, positivity and diversity in the spirit of Black Woodstock and Boston 68'

In 2013 Brown Baby Girl and Adina Nyree put on the first Play It Forward Eclectic Soul Tour, with proceeds going towards community based philanthropic development.

In 2022 indie soul artist Endel collaborated with SXSW to rethink the television, making an indie soul sleep track.

In 2023, the Minnesota Zoo threw an after-hours silent disco and scavenger hunt festival Wild Nights: Indie Soul, Rhythm, and Blues.

In 2023 San Francisco announced its summer festival Indie Soul Fest at Golden Gate Park.

Media
In 2014 a documentary, Undeniable - The Story of The Independent Soul Music Movement, told stories of artists and music lovers right from the genres late 1990s origins to the halcyon days of the mid-2000s to the no rules mindset of the day. It was partially funded through Indiegogo.

Eric Roberson's the "King of Independent Soul Music", was featured in a PBS episode profile of Indie Soul Journeys about his career and struggle with vocal polyps.