Willie Soul shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Willie, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Pull-Quote Option:
“Music is where I can live forever and lose all sense of time. From melody to harmony, from dreaming to performing—it’s the place I always find myself again.”
Full Response:
Music is where I can live forever and lose all sense of time. From the moment I hear a melody or build a harmony, to the hours I spend dreaming, creating, and performing—it carries me to a place beyond the clock. Music isn’t just sound to me; it’s a world I enter, a space where I’m fully alive. No matter where life takes me, music is always where I return to find myself again.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Willie Soul is a Jazz, R&B, and Soul artist and guitarist dedicated to creating music that feels both timeless and fresh. His style fuses classic jazz and soul traditions with a modern edge, delivering authentic, emotional performances that connect deeply with audiences. Guided by his slogan Feel the Soul, Willie is focused on new music and live shows that remind listeners of the power of soulful sound.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
“A moment that really shaped how I see the world happened back in middle school jazz band. After one of our performances, an adult rushed to the back and asked me for my autograph—my very first as a teenager. That moment showed me how deeply music could move someone and how it could leave a lasting mark. Ever since, I’ve carried the belief that people should feel every touch of my guitar in their body and their hearts. That’s what it means to Feel the Soul—making sure every note lingers long after the music stops.”
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
“Going through my divorce at a young age turned my whole world upside down. Around the same time, the church where I was playing let me go, and it felt like everything I leaned on was slipping away. I was touring, often driving from one state to another just to make it back for a 7 a.m. Sunday soundcheck, pulling over to almost every gas station just to try to get some sleep. It was one of the hardest periods of my life, but that pain pushed me to grow. Up until then, I was just a musician, but I started writing lyrics, not just playing. Suffering taught me that music isn’t only what I do—it’s who I am. Every blues, every lesson, every piece of my story comes through in my playing and writing. That’s the heart of why I say Feel the Soul—because the soul is made in both joy and pain.”
“Pulling over at gas stations to catch sleep between shows, I realized music isn’t just what I do—it’s who I am. Every note carries that truth.”
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
“For me, it’s music. I believe it’s my calling and my purpose to the universe—a gift I was given at birth. I’m in it for the long run. I’d literally risk it all, and I mean that. No matter the ups and downs, the peaks and valleys, the wins and losses, I’m committed. Music isn’t just what I do—it’s who I am, and I’ll follow it wherever it takes me.”
Pull quote
“Music isn’t just what I do—it’s who I am, and I’ll dedicate myself to it for as long as I live.”
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people remember me as someone who lived and breathed music with every fiber of his being. I didn’t just play notes or perform shows—I shared my soul. I want them to say my music made them feel something real, that it healed, uplifted, or moved them in ways they didn’t expect. More than the fame or the awards, I want to be remembered for giving everything in me to the world. I won’t take a single song to the grave. Creating and performing is what I love, and like Frank Sinatra said—I did it my way. Ultimately, I want to inspire before I expire. That’s what it means to Feel the Soul, and that’s the legacy I want to leave behind.
“I won’t take a single song to the grave—I want to inspire before I expire.”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @therealwilliesoul
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/Williesoulmusic
- Youtube: Willie Soul
