While the coronavirus pandemic has been a setback for many musicians, one up-and-comer has seen it as an opportunity to make himself heard.
Noah Floersch, a 21-year-old musician and senior business major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, for the first time has been releasing music as a solo artist. He's grown his brand by garnering almost a million Spotify listens on his most popular song, "Girl from the Sidewalk."
On Aug. 1, Floersch released a five-song EP titled "A Book of Stories," a collection of narrative-focused songs he wrote and recorded during self-isolation.
"Each of the songs is a little journey unto itself," he said.
Floersch, who describes his sound as indie-pop, was scheduled to play his first live show with a full band as a solo artist early this spring, but that event and his entire summer schedule were canceled.
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The news was devastating, but the situation also presented an opportunity.
Because major mainstream artists often only release new albums ahead of a large tour, Floersch said, fewer artists are releasing albums during the coronavirus.
While music fans sat at home with few new releases, Floersch diligently wrote and recorded. He said he's hopeful his new album can help to fill a void, possibly catching a little more of the limelight than it would in a regular year.
Regardless of any quantifiable success, Floersch said he felt he needed to write this album now.
"At the end of the day, this EP is more for myself and my listeners," he said.
The inspiration came from the storybooks Floersch read as a child. He tried to tell stories with every piece of the music — even the instrumentation. For instance, he employs ukuleles and island rhythms for his up-beat beach bop "Robinson Crusoe" and measured, meditative guitar picking for his "Ballad of the Moon and the Earth."
"Each of the songs kind of has their own soundscape," he said.
But keeping creativity flowing during the pandemic can be a tall task, Floersch said.
"It's a challenge," he said, "especially because I can't play live shows."
Floersch began playing music as a child, when he picked up the banjo to learn a Mumford & Sons song. Frustrated by the intricate picking, Floersch began to express himself by writing his own music.
While he doesn't consider himself the world's strongest singer or guitar player, Floersch said the honest self-expression of his songwriting sets him apart from other artists today. As long as he sticks to that formula, he said, there's no reason he can't be successful; the Creighton Prep graduate lists a world tour, sold-out shows and a Grammy as his long-term goals.
As his career has progressed throughout his time in college, Floersch said he's found more confidence in his future, but it's a difficult time to create plans — especially as a musician.
Still, lots of things are looking up for Floersch, including an expanding fan base across the country. Online statistics through Spotify show Floersch that Chicago is an enclave of listenership for him. Â
"Lincoln isn't even in my top 25 cities," he said.
Floersch is quick to say that his music doesn't solely rest on him and his guitar — his producer, recent UNL graduate Ross Grieb, helps Floersch take his creations from simple songs to intricate, thematically minded soundscapes.
"We have a very strong sense of creative chemistry," Grieb said. "We're kind of at the point where he knows what I'm thinking and I know what he's thinking all the time."
Grieb, who is moving to Fort Collins, Colorado, this fall to pursue producing full time, said he found Floersch's work on Twitter. A simple video of Floersch playing his guitar was enough to catch Grieb's attention, and he offered to produce his work. Floersch agreed, and the duo has worked on every release of Floersch's solo career, beginning with "Girl on the Sidewalk."
Expecting a slow start, Grieb said, that song's rapid success left them floored.
"We freaked out when it got 10,000 streams," Grieb said.
Floersch now has over 94,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
The pair have had aspirations to make a longer project for some time, but the pandemic had a way of removing excuses, and they were able to complete the EP. It was Grieb who encouraged Floersch to pursue the concept for "A Book of Stories" because of his prowess as a songwriter.
"With Noah it just fits him super well," he said. "He just naturally writes stories."
The EP's release has been a success, Grieb said, and Floersch already has demos completed for four more singles to be released this year. Between his talent, drive and demeanor, Grieb added, Floersch has what it takes to succeed.
"I really think he's one of the most talented artists I've ever met," he said.