Meet SOMOGYI | Musical Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with SOMOGYI and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi SOMOGYI, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
My favorite quote is actually from a poem by Walt Whitman titled, “O Me! O Life!”. It’s from his 1892 publication “Leaves of Grass”. The whole poem is one long question in and of itself, and since it’s not very long and it helps to read the whole thing to understand why the quote at the end of the poem is my favorite, I’ll just share it here for you:

“Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.
That you are here—that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.”

The “answer” at the end of the poem is something that has stuck with me all my life and really shaped how I view life.

When he says “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.”, that is the part that has always stuck with me.

I love this concept of life being one big “play” as he calls it, and the idea that each of us has the chance to contribute something to it, a “verse” he says.

I have always wanted to contribute something to humanity during my lifetime, whether that be music or art or contributions to science, or even motherhood.

I’ve always wanted to leave something behind or at least play a part in shaping the evolution of humanity.

Even if it’s just a small contribution, I feel personally that offering something to the story of the universe it’s ultimately my biggest pursuit and end goal.

I guess you could say I have already done this, at least in small ways. I’ve released music, it’s forever in the ether of the internet. And some of it is in tangible form via CDs and cassette tapes.

I’ve also made art, such as paintings or drawings, that I suppose will last beyond my lifetime at least for a while.

I think the ultimate contribution I’ve made though, is my children. I have a 4 year old daughter and an 8 month old boy.

I will always encourage whatever dreams and aspirations they may have, but I know without a doubt that they will do something great. Just as I hope to keep doing. So, with me continuing to offer something great to the world any way I can, and the confidence that I will raise my children to want do the same thing in their own ways, I believe that I have already lived up to this idea of “contributing a verse” to the powerful play of this universe.

When I mentioned science, I have a passion for science and education as well. I think a part of my story will include more education at some point. I want to go back for a masters and doctorate someday. There are big ideas I have in the realm of science as well, specifically my background is in nutrition science and biochemistry, but I also have a passion for physics and biophysics. So, when my life allows for that pursuit as well, I will go back.
Nonetheless, I will always strive for more, it’s in my nature, I will continue to put out music and play shows, and be an inspiration wherever I go and especially to my children.

I hope to make a full time living from music, but I know whatever I put my mind to, I will succeed at. Even if there are obstacles or detours, I’ve always believed that if I want something, I can make it happen.

So, this quote has been so inspiring for me throughout my life, and I strive for, in everything I do, making a positive contribution to this world and the future.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve never given up on my music career despite challenges I’ve faced. I think everyone has challenges they face in life, and what matters is we don’t let those things stop us from going after what’s important to us. I have tried to let the challenges be a part of my growth.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take them to Denton, around the square, maybe go see a local show. It’s where I got my start, so that’s a must. I would probably take them to the Bishop Arts district as well, it’s just a super quirky and creative area with lots of good food and entertainment. There’s also a few places in Dallas I would take them to, maybe lower Greenville area, of course maybe another show if there was a band worth seeing in town.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Definitely my mom and my dad. My mom helped me through some challenging times, and without her I probably wouldn’t have been able to continue doing music during that time. My dad has also always supported my musical endeavors. He has always listened to new songs I wanted to show him, and given me wise critiques being a musician himself.

He got me my first guitar, first keyboard, helped with getting my second guitar which is the one I use now for all my gigs. And he helped me fund my second EP, “Sideways Dreams”, which was recorded at Redwood Studios by McKenzie Smith of Midlake. McKenzie also deserves a shout out. He has helped bring my music to life in new ways, and has and will be an important part of my story as a musician.

Both of my parents have also been my biggest believers. Both of them have always encouraged me to pursue music and given me confidence and self-esteem by always telling me how talented and special I was.

And that is something that is really important for kids, I think a huge part of me believing in myself has a lot do with my parents always making sure they let me know how unique and talented I was.

It really helped me believe in myself and have the confidence to go after a career in music.

I think it’s important we tell our kids how special they are and allow them opportunities to find that out and build confidence and self-esteem. It’s important and I hope to do the same for my kids. Even just telling them how unique and amazing they are on a consistent basis makes a huge impact.

Other than my parents, I want to give a shout out to Jared Herzog. He’s a friend of mine who discovered me at an open mic, and instantly wanted to record me.

Because of him, I was able to make my first official music release, and that opened up so many more doors for me. He will always be an important part of my story as a musician because of that.

There are of course so many other people that have shaped my music career along with way, too many to name here I suppose. But either way, I’m thankful for each and every person who has been a part of my story.

Website: www.somogyiofficial.com

Instagram: @somogyiofficial

Facebook: @somogyiofficial

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCvQvldCPDTwVOva4QBHyUHQ

Image Credits
Katherine Tejada Bob Ralph