Nordista Freeze Talks Space Prom, Puppet Shows, and More
Interview ★ C.L. Wages ★ @soundslikecl ★ 4 Minutes
Hello everyone, and good whatever time of day it is that you are reading this! It’s CL once again, coming to talk to you through your screen. Today I sat down, metaphorically speaking, with Nordista Freeze, the creator of the touring event Space Prom, an 80s-themed dance party complete with amazingly outlandish outfits, sub-themes, and various performances of beloved 80’s songs by musicians of varying fame and style of music.
If you are involved with the Nashville indie scene or really the indie scene at all, you may have heard of this event. It piqued my interest as both a musician and a journalist, and I wanted to find out just how deep Space Prom really is. Before we begin, I want to say a quick thank you to Freeze himself for taking the time to answer these questions and giving us such insight as to what goes on in his mind as the creator of this event.
Shots from Space Prom 2026 Nashville via Von Reisch PhotographyAs the creator of Space Prom, what inspired you to host such an event?
A mixture between my familial desire to party-plan and Nashville’s oversaturated entertainment-plex. My dad hosted many spectacles when I was a kid: pizza parties, puppet shows, and day-trips. He taught me to value the things that bring people together. When I began performing around town, I quickly realized it would take more than music to pique the interest of the local community.
Break it down for me. What all goes into planning? What things do you have to take into consideration when deciding dates, locations, artists, and things of that nature?
It’s all vibes. No secret sauce. We just largely experiment every single year with what sounds like fun. Next year is going to be very different, I can tell you this much.
If you could have any artist perform at Space Prom that hasn't yet, who would it be and why?
Soul Glow Activatur of Family Force 5. He’s my favorite frontman of all time. I’d love to have him sing an 80s song with us.
When it comes to theming, it's space prom, of course, but there are also some sub-themes occurring. How do you decide on what the theme is going to be?
That is decided by my monastic creative director, Sma. I take pride in having no clue what he’s cooking up until he rings the server bell. I really do credit Sma for the continual, conceptual newness. And I assure you that his well never runs dry.
As the creator, I can imagine you've been able to make a lot of connections and friendships through this event. Can you recall any connections that felt particularly special?
The friendships and partnerships are too delicate to compose in this interview. But regarding special guests… Convincing Patton of The Nude Party to fly in to Space Prom 5 was a highlight for me. He’s always been an inspiring artist. Danny from Greta Van Fleet has been a really encouraging special guest for the last three years. He’s uplifted me through our conversations, and I know our vision aligns. Also, he generously uses his platform to introduce many new people to Space Prom’s culture every year. I’m eternally grateful for that.
What does Space Prom mean to you? How has its creation and the fruition of it impacted your life?
It’s just cool seeing my vision be celebrated by a community. You plant a lot of seeds as an artist, ya know, like I have seven ideas going on at all times. But this has been a really fruitful one. And I’m just tending to the garden.
Okay, now I’m going to switch gears and ask you about your own music and what that means for you. I recall seeing on your various socials that you've started another project in which you send out free vinyl pressings of your music. What is the thought process behind a project like this?
I’ve always been into physical stuff. I’ve performed 918 shows, and now I’m trying to give away 10,000 vinyl records. I want to impact people’s lives in a tangible way.
Do you feel like being a creative mind impacts your life in aspects where it requires more technical thinking?
Absolutely. The entire process of artistry is intrinsic. It transforms your life story. Sometimes I feel like it takes everything away from me, so I can slip into the smallest space.
How do you balance the delicate line of making the thing you love into a job and not having it turn into something that feels like a chore?
My flame can lessen, but it never dies. Anyone who knows me knows my will can’t easily bend. Yet the balance is something I’m always learning.
That's all of my questions today! Any last profound words for us?
You can do anything. Seriously.
I want to say thank you once again to Freeze, as someone who has been a fly on the wall, just barely breaking through to my own place in the music industry, this interview (one of my first, not to mention) has been insightful and inspiring to me. Being able to ask these questions and receive truly thoughtful answers is very fulfilling to me in both a journalistic sense and an artistic sense.
