Music with
a Message
"The South Got Something To Say" & Sadie Pearl Is Here To Speak Her Mind.
Sadie Pearl Records is an initiative centering music and movement in mindful ways. Named after DJ Soularia's great aunt Sadie Pearl Scales (an outspoken force and analog enthusiast), this is an homage to home, to nostalgia, to doing things the old school way!
In addition to curating live music experiences, like the Tiny Bookshop Concert Series, Sadie Pearl Records supports a boutique record shop at The Bottom. Seasonally stocked with specially curated and hand selected picks -- a heavy emphasis on soul, funk, and music that packs a punch!
You can catch DJ Soularia, spinning vinyl records live in listening rooms, art galleries, community spaces and stages. Recently, she's had the pleasure of opening for legendary musicians Mavis Staples & Seun Kuti at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville!
Click here to watch a set!
DJ Soularia
I’ve always been interested in the way music moves through us, igniting something inside, whether that’s the urgency to dance, the desire to reflect or the need to create.
I started out as a student radio DJ at 90.3 The Rock & later hosted a specialty show called Soul Power every Sunday for 7 years — I loved each minute of it & this was the birth DJ Soularia.
In 2022, I attended a master class with Grandmaster Flash & heard him say “If you a playlist DJ, you ain’t a real DJ”. As a lover of hip hop & all things soul, I couldn’t let the DJ pioneer down. I went home to grab my record collection & dust off the turntables that sat under my bed for years.
My first time spinning vinyl live was in 2023 & the journey has been life-giving. Soul music reminds me of our shared humanity, it’s a force that brings us together, heals, and inspires. It’s a passion of mine & I’m thankful to experience a personal evolution with sound.
For me, soul music is a bridge, deeply connecting traditional African American rhythms to the present day, while also speaking to the universal human experience. Soul is rooted in the rhythm of the heart, the voice of the once-oppressed and the force of the always-resilient.
I started Sadie Pearl Records to center music and movement in mindful ways, to uplift sounds that define liberation and community. In every set, my goal is to curate a sonic journey that brings soul to the forefront, creating an atmosphere where anyone can feel, express, and liberate themselves.
Soul music is about connection to yourself, to others, and to the deeper rhythms of life. It’s timeless, it’s rich, and it’s a reminder that when we move to the beat, we’re always in sync with something much larger than ourselves. And when we come together to dance, we’re united by the power of soul.
Community Jams
Community Jams are events I'm honored to host in collaboration with Knox Community Street Dance (KCSD), a dance collective that utilizes street dance as a way to interact with and learn about Black Culture and History, and SpaceCraft, a grassroots organization unifying artists through playful practice and local investment in the local arts.
Fueled by the spirit of KCSD, we work in tandem to provide brave spaces that explore identity, build community and express joy. Community Jams are where people come together to share, exchange, and enjoy moving to music. We often gather at The Bottom, a nonprofit community arts space and Black-affirming bookshop that we all know and love. This is a time and space to exchange, lab, cypher, or just watch. All styles of dance are welcome, click here to view upcoming jams!
