Voracious Records Shakes Up Santa Barbara’s Music Scene

Over two decades ago, Jim Salvito and Perry Norton agreed that once they were both retired, they would turn their shared lifelong dream of starting a record label into a reality. That time came in April of this year, and since then, they have been interrupting the Santa Barbara music scene with Voracious Records, an artist-first indie record label. 

The pair had already been recording and producing in their Santa Barbara studio, the 805 Room, for 11 years and were frustrated by the money-first approach that they repeatedly saw in the industry. Salvito’s background in business strategy and Norton’s background in TV, film, and radio production combined with their respective musical talents gave them the unique ability to support artists across the entire spectrum of their careers.

“The timing was perfect,” Salvito said, recalling a video he came across posted by Nicole Sophia in efforts to crowdfund for the recording of her EP. Salvito and Norton were in the beginning stages of talent scouting on social media and sent Sophia a direct message because they could feel her sincerity through the screen.

“As a musician, [I] get a lot of DMs from people that [I’m] like, I don’t know if this holds any weight whatsoever,” said Sophia. Feeling like she had nothing to lose, the day before moving to Nashville, where she thought would be a better place to accelerate her career, Sophia decided to meet with the Voracious team and see if their pitch was legitimate. Impressed with the 805 Room and their portfolio, Sophia signed her very first record deal.

Shortly after her move to Nashville, Sophia flew back to Santa Barbara and they began the artist-focused process of finding her authentic sound and recording the EP. As someone who is very vulnerable in her music, writing about her mental health struggles and queer identity, Sophia was especially appreciative of Salvito and Norton’s unique approach. “They take the time to get to know you and start looking at ways to bring the most authentic version of you forward,” she said.

“You can learn a certain amount about a person on paper, but then once you get in the studio, everybody’s got a different way of working,” Norton said. In order to provide the best support for their artists, the recording process begins with an in-depth questionnaire to “flesh out a brand identity of who that artist is and what their voice in the world is.” The questionnaire focuses on musical influences, lyrical content, and the motivation behind the artist’s work.

Next, Salvito and Norton had Sophia curate a playlist of all the songs that she envisioned her own music appearing alongside. Then they start talking about the sonic qualities and the mood or time period they want to channel. “It really comes down to identifying what makes the artist tick as a person and how that translates into their music,” Salvito said.

Since Sophia had written Reveal Your Heart in her Goleta shed in 2020, she had played a hundred different versions of her songs, but none of them felt as true to her authentic self as the ones produced by Voracious Records. The collaboration between Sophia, Salvito, and Norton, along with the supporting musicians and creative team they brought on, provided a whole new perspective that amplified her original vision.

One of Sophia’s favorite parts of the discovery process was figuring out her branding. After getting to know Sophia and her musical identity, Salvito and Norton matched her with a graphic designer, a photographer, and creative director that Sophia felt were able “translate [her] feelings and insights into a really clear and cohesive outside that feels very true to who [she is] inside.” 

They quickly got to work to record the EP and shoot the “Small Talk” music video. Feeling such an overwhelming amount of support in such a time of vulnerability, Sophia decided to pursue her music career where it began and move back to her hometown, Santa Barbara.

Voracious Records is continuing to capture the Santa Barbara music scene with the help of their amazing network of local musicians and creatives. The stunning location of the 805 Room, smack-dab between the ocean and the mountains, is the perfect place for artists to get inspired or meditate between sessions. Salvito and Norton’s goal is “bring back the old support model” of focusing on creativity and working toward a sustainable career in music, rather than maximizing profitability.

Sophia put it simply: “My music is fully, completely, authentically me, and I think it’s the place where I’m the most authentic version of myself. And getting to have this support has allowed me to lean into translating that authenticity from the music outward into the entire way that I present myself.”

To keep up with Voracious Records as they continue to switch the narrative around record labels, you can follow them on Instagram @VoraciousRecords or @805RoomStudio. As Sophia grows as an artist, she is looking for permanent bandmates and asks that fans support her on Bandcamp and follow her journey on Instagram @NicoleSophiaMusic. For more information or to contact Voracious Records regarding talent, see the805room.com or voraciousrecords.com.