We were lucky to catch up with Cooli Ooli recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cooli, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project is always the next. Our music is a living journal that catalogs and bookmarks important moments in our lives. Everything we write is never from an external perspective. We do our best to channel our thoughts and emotions. Our ego is actualized into audio form.

But truthfully, our music is really a way for us to document personal events in hopes that listeners will relate. Hidden in the angst and melodrama are insights into situations that we have been through as a band and as individuals. We’ve experienced loss, break-ups, financial struggle, identity crises, political frustration, emotional distresses and existential anger. We categorize these under the metaphorical symbol of a heartbreak. Writing about heartbreak in all its shapes and forms is our best way to realize our lives. We know that others go through and feel the same. As these heartbreaks continue to occur, our next song will have its new meaning.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

We are Cooli Ooli: an alternative rock band from Baldwin Park, CA. We started this journey from our garage as simple jams that grew into what we are today. Our individual passions for creativity and self-expression is what motivates us. Our goal is to create music that will help people feel seen, heard or not alone. What separates us from others is our raw expression that comes from personal experiences. We also write bridges. We’re proud of everyone who has stuck by us and with us from the beginning and through our many struggles. We’re proud to have these listeners and friends.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The direction of marketing is never clear. Now with the ever looming takeover of social media marketing that has replaced many “grassroots” ways of growing a brand, it feels like creative artists also now have to take on roles such as online comedians, influencers, models, graphic designers, fashion bloggers and social media managers in order to gain some kind of traction. Of course, not saying this is the only way to “get big” but when you’re a DIY band without a lot of funds to hire all these roles, it’s difficult to create such an eclectic presence online while also maintaining our real world lives. We’ve had to make this change recently when we realized our presence online was very much LACKING. And even today we struggle with it, but remain optimistic in creating something different. Or we could just answer the flood of emails we get to buy our followers or our songs into playlists.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Honestly just go to shows every now and then, like that bands post or even share it. Those types of interactions, digital or not, actually help these bands grow and gain real fans. It’s so easy to swipe so the best we can do is to encourage interaction.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @coolioolimusic
• Other: We’re on MOST streaming platforms! It’s is very hard NOT to find us.