Today we’d like to introduce you to Fool in Utopia.
Hi Marc (Fool in Utopia), so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Fool in Utopia began with a ukulele and a general feeling of discontent. On this earth, which we call our home, we exist in ways that seem normal to us. Feeling confined like the greenery around us, I (Marc Rodriguez) wanted to scream out my own perspective — that I didn’t feel as if this utopia was as perfect as it could be. I started recording songs alone in a dorm room while attending undergrad, and this eventually became the self-titled first album.
A close friend of mine (Ben Castillo) joined me to put on an electrifying album release show at Broadway 5050 in San Antonio, TX in 2019, and that marked the beginning of our journey. Over the next few years, I continued to write for the second album (Arcadia, released June 2022), and we played a few more shows before finding a crucial component of the sound that defined us, our drummer (Kendall Lawson).
Since then, we’ve had shows in San Antonio, San Marcos, and Austin, Texas. After the musical lull of the pandemic, FIU hit back hard and rocked out with new fans, new music, and a new live performance that has defined who we are as a group.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Our journey as a group has definitely had its highs and lows. Specifically, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability and energy to record new music and play shows were affected. We found a new groove, as many other musicians and artists have this year, and we came back stronger and more refined because we continued to grow and practice together.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
FIU plays music that could sort of be classified in the indie-alternative rock genre, and we put on electrifying shows at local venues around the San Antonio area. I think one of the biggest things that set us apart is the unique sound and stage presence that we have as a group. I have also heard that people connect with the lyrics that sit right inside the instrumental grooves of the music, and that others can bring their own experiences and meaning to these words.
I’m proud to promote healthier habits in our consumerist society, which include reusing items, contributing less waste, and just buying fewer new things (even though we ourselves fall into these patterns). It helps to have people around you that hold you accountable so that we can be more mindful of our environment around us — both in the things we have and the planet we exist on.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
It took me a while to understand not to compare myself to others.
The main reason FIU has lasted this long and evolved to what it is today is because of the happiness that each of us finds in this music. While there are many aspects to consider, especially financially, our best shows and the most growth we’ve accomplished as a band have come from the moments when we are true to ourselves and connect with people because of that.
It’s definitely important to create and flesh out an idea or general message behind your work so that you can articulate that to others. That personal soul-searching gives other people the opportunity to connect with you as an artist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.foolinutopia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foolinutopia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foolinutopia/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/foolinutopia
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQoZ1q9OqBFQNKy5wZ5VPMg
Image Credits
Project Rare @projectrareusa and @Nimsicor
