Laura Camien:

Welcome to the Town Hall Spark Sessions. I'm Laura Camien.

Susan Blackwell:

And I'm Susan Blackwell. We are creativity coaches at the Spark File, where we help people fear less and create more.

Laura Camien:

As creatives ourselves, we are obsessed with one of the most dynamic cultural centers in New York City: The Town Hall.

Susan Blackwell:

For over a century, The Town Hall has been a champion for artistry and advocacy, amplifying The Voices of icons and emerging artists alike.

Laura Camien:

And now the Spark File and the Town Hall have joined forces to elevate and celebrate artists who are gracing the stage at Town Hall and using their creativity to fight for the powers of good.

Susan Blackwell:

So, without further ado, let's get into the Town Hall Spark Sessions.

Laura Camien:

Susan Blackwell!

Susan Blackwell:

Laura Camien!

Laura Camien:

I’m so excited to see you today, and I’m so honored to share this spark with you. I had the distinct privilege of talking to Sofronio Vasquez about his creativity, and if you don’t know Sofronio, he is the first Filipino and Asian Male to win a major American singing competition; specifically, he won NBC’s The Voice, Season 26.

Susan Blackwell:

That is unbelievable.

Laura Camien: It’s really amazing, it’s really amazing. And he’s such a proud representative, and he’s so—you’ll hear it, you’ll hear all about it. While he was performing on the show, which I should say, he had the fastest four-chair turnaround in the show’s history.

Susan Blackwell:

Shebap!

Laura Camien:

Shebap! It was just clear. And Michael Bublé, who he chose as his coach, said, “This show was named after you!” The Voice! Sofronio’s show is so velvety and smooth. He’s like a serious crooner. But then getting to talk with him even better. He has an incredibly positive relationship with his creativity, including the fear and anxiety of it all. Like, so much of it is in alignment with what we talk about at The Spark File. He is a serious human spark of creativity walking around on this earth, and I can’t wait to share this conversation with you!

Susan Blackwell:

Alright, let’s get into it!

Laura Camien:

Welcome Sofronio! Welcome to the Town Hall Spark Sessions.

Sofronio Vasquez:

Thank you, thank you for having me, Laura.

Laura Camien:

We’re so happy to have you! Can you tell us how you identify creatively? When someone says, “What do you do?” How do you answer that question?

Sofronio Vasquez:

Well, Sofronio Vasquez is a dreamer, and I’d always say I’m a dreamer, even if I’m fortunately achieving things I never could have imagined. As a Filipino being here in this beautiful country, the United States of America, the country of dream, you know, American dreams. Creatively, I see myself as a singer and a dreamer, and open to more creativity.

Laura Camien:

Now, can you tell us about what you’re doing at Town Hall specifically?

Sofronio Vasquez:

So, I am thankful enough to share the good news that I am doing a concert in the iconic Town Hall in the heart of New York City this July 19, and I can’t wait. I can’t wait. There are a few Filipino artists who got to show off their creativity at the Town Hall, and I am blessedly, one of them.

Laura Camien:

Well, I’d say audiences are blessed to be there as well because you’re adding your incredible voice to The Voices that have performed on that stage, and it’s going to be extraordinary.

Sofronio Vasquez:

Thank you!

Laura Camien:

What can our guests expect at Town Hall that night?

Sofronio Vasquez:

To give you a little information about me, I joined The Voice season 26 from NBC, and luckily with the good effort of people around me, I won that show. I won with flying colors with Michael Bublé as my coach. And so I’m going to be performing my life, all through my journey, the songs that I did for The Voice, the songs that I wish I did at The Voice, and I’ll also bring some friends. I have my friends from Season 26 of The Voice, my friend Shye Roberts, my friend Aliyah Khalyn, and probably more so that’s, that’s two of the confirmed ones. But I also want to highlight a young artist that I recently discovered here in my hometown of Utica, New York. He’s very talented and so people should come and watch him.

Laura Camien:

I loved that you mentioned you’re also going to do some songs that you would have done on The Voice because, at The Spark File, we’re always talking about, you know, how when we do something creative, we can’t help but reflect on what we wish we’d done differently. We call those moments, “Let me try that again!” So when you have an opportunity, and you’re going to be doing that on The Town Hall stage, adding something that you now, with reflection, wish you would have performed so this is going to be a real treat.

Sofronio Vasquez:

I agree with what you’re saying. So much in life, you wish that you could do all the things, but sometimes, with circumstances and limitations, you are not able to do so. But if you have the chance, and you have the biggest chance in your life to perform that, to do that creativity at The Town Hall then why not?

Laura Camien:

That’s right! Let’s take a big swing. Now, besides what’s happening at Town Hall, what is sparking you creatively right now? What fills your cup?

Sofronio Vasquez:

Just the fact that I’m being celebrated and that I’m being recognized as the Sofronio Vasquez now, because sometimes in life, I would always be an advocate of, you know, believing in yourself. I had a beautiful number of rejections back home, like, Laura, I’m talking about the Phillipines. You know, it’s saturated with creativity. I can just say that we are the country of singers. And I humbly say that. We love music, we love art. So I humbly recognize that the Sofronio Vasquez now. I am just blessed. That fills my cup every day, and I’m reminded that opportunities come when you just put forward efforts and I just really try. Failures are just part of your recipe, and you want to explore yourself and know more. I am open to every learning because in this life, you need to be open to the doors opening for you, and you always need to be learning.

Laura Camien:

I’m going to steal that phrase! A beautiful number of rejections.

Sofronio Vasquez:

In our world, you know, whether it's dancing or music or art, you will really find rejections. But instead of taking that like a hiccup, I take that as a blessing, you know, because you learn and you rediscover yourself every time. Like, what is missing? Or what was significant, and so it becomes beautiful.

Laura Camien:

Can you tell us something real about your creative process?

Sofronio Vasquez:

I had the privilege of working with Michael Bublé, and I would always emulate him because he’s just an icon. He told me one beautiful phrase he told me “Sofronio, in life and your artistry, when you copy things from a person, we call it a thief–but when you copy everyone, that’s called research.” Laughs.

Laura Camien:

Yes! Thank you, Michael Bublé. I’m going to use that one. Alright, so we are living; this is an understatement; we are living in some interesting times. So I’m just curious, as a creative, how are you navigating this particular moment in time?

Sofronio Vasquez:

Just the fact that I am able to be onstage, to show my creativity, my artistry, my heart and soul with music, I think that also navigates in life, in whatever. In any circumstance. That also helps me to unlock things that this world might offer.

Laura Camien:

You have such a positive attitude and brightness about you, it’s really a joy.

Sofronio Vasquez:

Thank you! That brings me back to my beautiful rejections, Laura. Um, sometimes I would be calling myself like, oh, how many people are blessed with many rejections? Some people get it right away, but you are blessed with those people who go through many rejections and failures that also add to your heart and the color of your artistry, and so it will open many things. And so it would alos make you a person of adjustment. You love collaborations. You love learning, and you discover.

Laura Camien:

I love your whole philosophy about creativity and your approach to it; it just is not surprising that you are skyrocketing to the top because of your perspective on life and creativity.

Sofronio Vasquez:

That’s a conscious effort, Laura!

Laura Camien:

But it is! You know it’s a choice every day that we get to make when we wake up.

Sofronio Vasquez:

It’s a choice every day.

Laura Camien:

Is there anything you wish people knew about you that they don’t know, that you haven’t been asked before?

Sofronio Vasquez:

Oh, wow. That’s a good question. Well, if there’s one thing I could share with the world that probably they don’t know is that I also have fears, and those fears are still part of me learning myself. You would see me as a positive person, that’s a compliment, but I’m a person…sometimes in life, I go, what’s next? And sometimes you do white lies and fake to yourself– I can be positive every day. And that’s not the truth because you’re a person. But I’m going back to what you’re saying. It’s a choice.

Laura Camien:

I think it’s important for people to know that. I mean, sometimes they could think, oh well, everything works out for you; it looks easy because you’re making it look easy and positive, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t working through fear and anxiety and any emotions any time.

Sofronio Vasquez:

And it’s okay to, if you’re not 100%, but you have to just make sure instead of saying I need to do it, say I GET to do it. And from there, you can start curating yourself and having that choice of I get to do it. And so, I’m going to do it one hundred!

Laura Camien:

I have one more question for you. It’s so clear you’re good at what you do, and you’re committed to your creativity; what’s it all for?

Sofronio Vasquez:

I think it’s—it all boils down to my representation. I would say that sometimes Asians or Filipinos are challenged by the fact that we are not generally from here; we are not born and raised here, but nowadays, because of this creative space and people doing collaborations, we are here to represent and we are accepted and loved. This is a celebration. And so, that’s one thing that keeps me doing what I love. And so, we are blessed.

Laura Camien:

Thank you so much for bringing all this joy and positivity to the work you’ve done and to this podcast. We are so grateful!

Sofronio Vasquez:

Thank you, thank you, Laura!

Susan Blackwell:

Thank you so much to our guest, Sofronio Vasquez, for joining us for the Town Hall Spark Sessions, and thanks to the team at the Town Hall who made all of this possible.

Laura Camien:

The Town Hall and this episode of the Town Hall Spark Sessions were made on the lands of the Lenape people.

Susan Blackwell:

If you'd like to learn more about the Spark File, creativity coaching and how we can support you as you clarify and accomplish your creative goals, visit thesparkfile. com, and you can follow us on socials @ thesparkfile.

Laura Camien:

To learn more about the Town Hall and their exciting upcoming events, go to thetownhall. org, follow them @TownHallNYC and visit them at 123 West 43rd Street in the heart of New York City. It's all happening at the Town Hall.

Susan Blackwell:

And if something you heard inspired you to use your creativity for the powers of good, we are writing you a forever permission slip to make that thing that's been knocking at your door. It's your turn to take that spark and fan it into a flame.

Laura Camien:

We're going to wrap it up with the Town Hall Ensemble. This was recorded live at the town hall in 2017—take it away!

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