pH Balance

The first time I saw Cardboard People live, I didn’t know what to expect. There were, of course, actual cardboard cutouts (Dracula and a Stormtrooper) propped up on stage. As their three-dimensional counterparts were setting up, I tried to guess what kind of music I’d be hearing. Once the show started, I found myself surprised, impressed, and constantly fighting the urge to get up and dance. After each song finished, I kept changing my description of the “kind” of music Cardboard People performed: each track was lyrically, musically, and performatively different from the last.  

After seeing them a few more times, I gave up trying to pigeonhole Cardboard People. If you were to ask me what kind of music they play, I’d reply with just one word: good. Curious about how such an eclectic mix of energies, sounds, and lyrics came to be, I sought out the band after one of their shows. Jim Greer and Yunoka Berry of Cardboard People had a lot to say about their current artistry and where they’re headed next. 

“My friend described our band as ‘Depeche Soul,’” Greer says. “I’m doing nerdy music stuff on my synthesizers, and then Yunoka will butter it all up with Soul singing—and all kinds of vocals, really.” Cardboard People’s musical variability is attributed to a lot of tinkering and experimentation in the studio. Berry explains that such diversity isn’t new: our favorite artists often blend and switch genres on their most popular albums.

“For example, Lemonade was so experimental,” she says. “you had a country track, and a rock track—but there’s still an overarching theme.” She adds that Cardboard People’s self-titled debut album also unites a diverse tracklist under one thesis. 

After working together on a few projects, Greer and Berry started Cardboard People. The songs they recorded together began to pile up, and they turned to some of their titles for a band name. Cardboard People was one that clicked. Once the idea was thrown out there, Greer and Berry began to see the possibilities—sonically, aesthetically, and thematically—of a band with the name Cardboard People. 

“We have this inclusive mentality around the band. We want it to cross genders, races, and be practically anonymous,” Greer explains, comparing his vision for Cardboard People to projects like Gorillaz and Daft Punk. Since its inception, the band added a couple more musicians: a bass player, Rhonda Kinard, and a drummer, Genesis Valentine, who both worked with Berry in a six-piece all-female band, The Onyx. Cardboard People hopes the project can grow to include more musicians, sounds, and ideas.

“Anyone who wants to be a part of Cardboard People, should,” Greer says, “Even if it’s just playing shaker on a song.”

As Cardboard People started playing more live shows, they’ve found that being themselves has led to an overwhelmingly positive response. Greer compares it to being on a date where you don’t have to pretend about anything—relief, accompanied by a whole lot of excitement and confidence. Whether in front of 10 or 1,000 people, Cardboard People shows up as they are: a group of talented musicians passionate about sharing their music. 

“When we play, we get fans—like a good, old-fashioned Dave Matthews Band kind of thing,” he explains. “People who love us tell their friends, and it slowly builds that way. And I’d rather have 100 fans that show up than thousands who breeze through our Tik Toks.” Berry adds that, this way, social media supports who they are instead of becoming their entire identity. 

“People engaging with us on social media have probably seen us in real life,” she says, explaining that their followers will probably continue to attend more shows.

Cardboard People’s relationship with their fans ties them to the community in a unique way, from recognition on the Oakland streets to playing a fan’s wedding. Some of the first gigs Cardboard People had were small, intimate concerts with SoFar Sounds. From there, they’ve played crowds of all sizes, from birthday parties to the Castro Street Fair to South by Southwest. 

Berry and Greer hope to continue engaging with Bay Area communities of all shapes and sizes. Berry mentions that Cardboard People feels at home in the SF Drag subculture—as both a community and a source of artistic inspiration.

“I’m really inspired by drag queens’ outfits, theatrics and performance,” she says, “and we’ve done a lot of really fun shows where Drag has been included.” Greer adds that working with Ellie Stokes’s organization, Big Leap Collective, has led to some of his favorite experiences. One such performance got him thinking about doing more all-ages events. 

“We were doing a show on Valencia Street, and I looked out and saw 100 kids under the age of 10 in the crowd just going insane,” he recalls. “And then I thought—we gotta go on tour with the Wiggles—and we totally could!” He’s right—their infectious energy and fun sound would feel at home with the Wiggles. It also would complement similarly lively adult projects like Gorillaz or The Roots. Greer adds that there’s a layer to their performances in more adult-only spaces. Cardboard People underscores musical engagement that’s still fun but more political and gritty. These kinds of themes are present in songs like “And Still I Rise” and “Green.” Black female perspectives should be trumpeted, Greer adds: the potential for a band like Cardboard People to give a voice to groups that have been historically silenced is very much in the band’s present and future.  

“I’ve been doing music for awhile, and I’m not jaded at all,” he concludes. “I’m really happy with every little thing that happens for Cardboard People”

Cardboard People has a lot of shows coming up this summer. If you’re in the Bay Area, be sure to check them out:

• June 28th: @ the Rickshaw Stop (see flyer below)
• July 15th: Patyochella in Oakland
• September 23rd: North Beach Festival

And if not, join the fun online:  BandCamp, LinkTree, and Instagram are great ways to stay connected with Cardboard People.