NeoSeoul500 doesn\u2019t just write songs \u2014 the members of the band assemble them.<\/p>\n
Like a collage, the band\u2019s sound pulls from every which way; airy vocals, gritty basslines and smooth sax riffs result in something impossible to describe with a singular label.<\/p>\n
The members pull inspiration from musical icons across many genres, including The Beatles, Childish Gambino, Bob Marley and Young Thug.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re molding these styles together,\u201d vocalist and producer Sam Ellis said. \u201cPeople aren\u2019t used to that \u2014 it just hasn\u2019t been done before.\u201d<\/p>\n
NeoSeoul500 sees its music beyond labels. They describe the sound as feeling like mixed media, a type of visual art that acts as a composition of several mediums.<\/p>\n
\u201cCut, paste, scan it back in, print it out, cut it up again,\u201d guitarist and producer Jack Xavier said.<\/p>\n
Now, this mix-and-match approach to genre and sound is a core part of NeoSeoul500\u2019s brand.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an enlightened, emotional experience \u2014 something new, something never heard before,\u201d vocalist and songwriter Tahjier Helaire said.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t how NeoSeoul500 started, though.<\/p>\n
In 2022, Ellis and Xavier formed the band as a duo, later launching a creative collective called Future X Youth.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Future X Youth] ended up doing a film festival with 30 filmmakers and a panel. We\u2019ve done fashion shows, we\u2019ve done art galleries,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cWe just tried to bridge the gap between these different mediums and connect all these different artists who do different things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Future X Youth was once hosted at Yes We Cannibal, but since the venue\u2019s close, the coalition has been put on pause. With less distractions, this has only made NeoSeoul500 stronger.<\/p>\n It would be easy to get lost in the chaos of a band with such strong goals. Though NeoSeoul500 occasionally runs into issues with clashing visions, members rely on consistent communication to solve any problems.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s something we struggle with at times, because we all love what we do, and we all love doing it all the time,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cThat just comes down to rehearsal and really understanding each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Outside of performances, though, they don\u2019t compete with differing creative visions; they simply see this as fuel.<\/p>\n \u201cWe let ourselves influence each other,\u201d Helaire said. \u201cIt\u2019s very real and off the cuff.\u201d<\/p>\n NeoSeoul500\u2019s sophomore album, Auxblood, is projected to release during the early summer.<\/p>\n \u201cAuxblood has been just the embodiment of setting aside your own ego and trusting other people with your ideas and building something new off of that,\u201d Ellis said.<\/p>\n The band views this as its most communal work, both within its own members and with outside producers.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s something beautiful about the collaborative effort,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cI think it just grew our artistry by allowing us to really experiment more and allow not just a new type of music, but also new people into [the process].\u201d<\/p>\n While figures like NBA Youngboy and Boosie Badazz are regarded as local royalty, the music scene in Baton Rouge hasn\u2019t had the most support, even internally.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was definitely like crabs in a bucket,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cNow it\u2019s like, \u2018I\u2019m gonna reach my hand down and pull you up with me.\u2019 People are starting to kind of grow up and realize that there\u2019s a lot more benefit of just being friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n That shift has made space for a more collaborative and experimental scene.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like there\u2019s a genuine ecosystem now,\u201d Helaire said.<\/p>\n He believes that the city has the potential of being nationally recognized as a musical mecca.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope that honestly grows into [Baton Rouge] being the capital of creativity, because it\u2019s already the capital of Louisiana,\u201d Helaire said. \u201cBut the only place that people outside of Louisiana think of is New Orleans. There\u2019s a subculture here that\u2019s very untapped, very original and very sponge-like: we like to soak up different influences that ultimately created the scene that you see right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Tiger TV\u2019s Battle of the Bands is one such showcase of local talent, where NeoSeoul500 beat out groups like Foam Finger and Highland Band.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t expect to [win] because it was in Fred\u2019s,\u201d Helaire said. \u201cPeople that are in the LSU scene don\u2019t necessarily know about the artistic scene.\u201d<\/p>\n Before performing, group members became nervous; while the competition largely played covers, most of NeoSeoul500\u2019s set was original songs. They believe that their sole cover of \u201cGhost Town\u201d by Kanye West, which they put their own creative spin on, was ultimately what clinched their first place win.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we just won the crowd over by expressing ourselves, expressing our own art,\u201d Helaire said.<\/p>\n For most sets, the band leads with authenticity over palatability.<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell these people are engaged, but they don\u2019t know the songs and they\u2019re not going to sing along,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cWe just came at it from a point of putting on a performance and giving an experience, rather than just a listening session.\u201d<\/p>\n This emphasis on crafting an experience will be best displayed at their upcoming show.<\/p>\n With headliners Kee Nola, DJ Trebble, JoshSimmons and, of course, NeoSeoul500, The Varsity Theatre is the place to be on Thursday, March 26.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone compliments each other in a weird way,\u201d Ellis said. \u201cIt\u2019s just kind of a perfect storm for this event.\u201d<\/p>\n With The Varsity temporarily closing for renovations, this will be one of the last live performances for at least the next few months.<\/p>\n For NeoSeoul500, it\u2019s another opportunity to do what they love the most \u2014 create a night that sticks with the audience long after it is over.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited to see people jump and dance and be mesmerized by every artist that comes out,\u201d Xavier said.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lsureveille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-60-300x200.jpeg\")