Each step of the journey ultimately unlocks who we become. In this respect, everything set the stage for Chris Null to transform into obli. Throughout an unpredictable career thus far, he went from touring with Sonny Moore a.k.a. Skrillex to logging countless shows and hours in the studio with Dead Sara to playing guitar for multiplatinum GRAMMY® Award-nominated superstar Julia Michaels. Dipping in and out of alternative, electronic, rock, and pop, he now infuses his solo artistry as obli with the dynamic and diverse sonic acumen he’s accrued along the way.
After releasing his newest single “hei” (pronounced "hi") on March 29 and garnering support from some of the world's top radio tastemakers, including Zane Lowe (Apple One), Sian Eleri (BBC Radio 1), Jenny Greene (RTE2 Music), Zan Rowe (Double J) and Jason Bentley (KCRW) Los Angeles-based artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist is charting a four-dimensional vision forward for obli in 2022.
“obli is me,” he exclaims. “All of the music I’ve played and listened to brought me to this point creatively. It is the sum of my past and present as well as the art I’ve made thus far. It feels personal, warm, and deep.”
Upon settling in Los Angeles, he toured with Sonny for a couple of years before eventually joining Dead Sara. The critically acclaimed rock band exploded as an indie phenomenon, selling out venues and earning high-profile syncs left and right. Eventually, they inked a major label deal and supported Muse on the road. Chris amicably parted ways with the group and logged a couple of years on bass and keys for L.A. favorite Mondo Cozmo, while Michaels tapped him for guitar duties in 2019.
At the same time, he honed his craft as a solo artist. Inspired by the likes of Four Tet, Bonobo, and Joy Orbison, he sonically accessed a cinematic level of emotion as he layered vocal samples above the living and breathing soundscapes he handcrafted. In the middle of 2019, he shared “hold you” as obli’s debut. On its heels, “recourse” accumulated 800K-plus Spotify streams and caught the attention of Foreign Family Collective who signed him after hearing his music on a KCRW “Metropolis” DJ mix from now label mate Mild Minds. He took advantage of time at home during the Pandemic to cook up his debut Change EP. Right out of the gate, Dancing Astronaut predicted, “With years of musical experience under his belt, obli’s ventures into electronic will certainly be worth watching,” and This Song Is Sick summed it up as “Absolutely stunning.”
Working out of his home studio in Los Angeles, obli has been crafting a new set of tracks slated for release in 2022. “I’ve been playing music for most of my life in bands and at home alone,” he notes. “More than anything up until I met my wife, it’s definitely been the most constant thing. Music has always been there for me, so I always want to be there for music. The world is a crazy place, and it seems to be getting crazier. Within your immediate circle of loved ones, family, and friends, you can always be there for someone though.
With obli, Chris is doing exactly what he was always meant to. “When I watch a great movie, I’m inspired to get up and do something,” he leaves off. “If you listen to my new music, I hope you get the same feeling. It’s dance music, so the goal is for you to cut loose and be free for a little while. At the same time, maybe it goes deeper and inspires you. That’s what art has done for me.”
