Rising Stars: Meet Paternal (Benjamin Soto) of Phoenix, Alhambra District

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paternal (Benjamin Soto)

Hi Paternal, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Benjamin Soto, known by his moniker Paternal, is a dynamic force in the realm of electronic dance music. With a career spanning two decades, Soto’s music is a testament to his profound understanding of rhythm, emotion, and self-expression. Under the name Paternal, he crafts intense, beautiful, and driven tracks that inspire dance and movement, blending themes of queerness, love, and authentic connection with a deep analysis of the modern world and cultural movements.

Soto’s journey began with a double major in music performance from the ASU School of Music, where he graduated with honors. His background in performance laid the foundation for his dual expertise as both a composer and live electronic musician. For the past ten years, Soto has honed his skills in music production, creating immersive soundscapes from his self-built studio.

His work is deeply influenced by personal relationships and an ongoing dialogue with his own identity. This intimate connection is reflected in his music, which resonates with listeners through its emotional depth and rhythmic intensity. Currently, Soto is channeling his talents into licensing music for commercial use, expanding his influence and reaching new audiences.

Paternal’s music is more than a soundtrack for dancing; it’s an invitation to explore, express, and connect on a deeper level. Through each beat and melody, Soto continues to push the boundaries of electronic music and inspire those who experience it.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Haha, not at all. concluding my degree in music performance did not necessitate a career by which I could support myself. I went back to school for speech and hearing science and found a job supporting myself in the field of speech pathology. School was hard, but the things I learned there contributed to my deeper understanding of music production.

Being a musician is no easy road. I have been performing since I was ten in different iterations and styles. I’ve lived most of my life in bands, but ultimately made the most liberating decision to become a solo artist, composer and music producer. Going solo has been amazing but can also be lonely!

As a queer musician the love I receive amazing, but also the hatred for simply being the person who I am is still shocking.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I suppose I specialize in music production, composition and live performance in the electronic music genre. I create a variety of what many would call “dance music” songs. I surely hope it inspires movement in people as well as the freeing of stagnant spiritual energy (which I suspect dance to surely do). I believe that music and art as a whole should serve the purpose of providing a dialogue between the observer and the object of creation, stimulating a change in the inner workings of the observer for the betterment of their well-being and understanding of their own humanity. With that being said, my work focuses on the duality of human experience and the antipodes of emotion we experience in our lifetimes. My music is a focused response to that kind of human experience. The creative act is a form of divinely integrating the suffering and jubilance required in participating in the human experience. I’m most proud that I’ve been able to represent my experience in acceptance and love as a queer man in my music. I think that is so inextricable from my creations.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I think people wouldn’t realize that I have a background in classical music. I double majored in music performance at ASU and graduated Magna. I did well over over 200 credit hours. It did not make me money but it indelibly changed the way that I relate to music and how I write it. People probably would be surprised to hear that I can barely listen to much electronic music and dedicate most of my listening experiences to other genres. I think it honestly makes my music a bit harder to listen to for most people and it is just something I can’t change about the way my brain works and I don’t care to. I think a lot of people would be surprised to hear that I make this stuff for myself so I can survive in a chaotic and insufferable world and manage to glean its unspeakable beauty. And that I really hope to show others that they should and can do the same.

Pricing:

• Mixing session – 100$
• Mastering session – 100$
• Composing session -100$
• Live 1 hour performance – 150$
• Write you a track – 300$

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iampaternal.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.am.paternal/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572940689657
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3AZmEEWvt0YThYLBZMKSlr

Image Credits
Doechii music video for Nissan Altima