What So Not

For Chris Emerson, professionally known as What So Not, this past year has been one of realization and research, rethinking and renewal. Long before the pandemic hit, the Australian producer and DJ made the decision to scale down his touring significantly in 2020 to re-center himself as a person and refresh himself as an artist.

“I had to get out of the cycle of the touring artist life where you feel like you’re forever chasing your tail,” says a clear-eyed and rejuvenated Emerson from Perth, Western Australia, where he has temporarily set up camp.

He continues, “As an artist, you have to be careful not to get caught up in your own machine and in your own world. You have to come down to ground level and see what’s actually up, what’s emerging, check in on some younger people doing interesting stuff and prop them up like you were propped up when you were in that position.”

It would have been very easy for Emerson to stay sequestered in What So Not’s significant accomplishments. He has surpassed one billion global streams, his song “Beautiful” featuring Winona Oak won Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club Single at the 2019 Australian Independent Record Awards, and Gold certifications for his releases continue to accumulate.