Seeing Sounds WorldThe Boathouse at Canal Dock475 Long Wharf Dr.Oct. 17, 2026New Haven If Lauryn Hill had a musical daughter, she might sound something like Christline. The Norwalk-based alternative RB singer’s voice was all honey and soul, thick and intoxicating as it spilled from th e Seeing Sounds World stage  — during the first gathering for a cultural event affiliated with a local music fest. Her fingers danced over the strings of her blue guitar as she sang: Two better than one Maybe you could Help me to become All that I need, that I want Change me from inside Bring me back to life The semi-circle of people maintained a reverent distance from the stage, as if we knew we were witnessing something sacred. Christline’s stripped-down acoustic set felt intimate, like she was giving us a glimpse of her playing alone in her bedroom or invited us to a studio session. Her irresistible melodies and confessional lyrics about chasing your dreams and pulling yourself out of life’s pitfalls somehow made her private world feel universal. On “safety net,” she effortlessly slipped into a melodic rap-singing flow: Now I look up at the stars And wonder who I are How this ship would travel far Only if it’s in the cards Would it satisfy my soul From experience I know how I sabotage my goals For a temporary role, temporary placeholder “I be in my feelings, guys,” she admitted to the crowd. Watching her, I felt like an AR stumbling upon an unknown talent, a soon-to-be star. The magic of Seeing Sounds World lay in that intoxicating feeling of unearthing something extraordinary before the rest of the world catches on. Christline. Credit: Janday Wilson Photo Everywhere I turned, there was another hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. I spotted Princess Porkypines’ (Toriana Sauro) display of quirky jewelry. Her unique essence also extended to the upcycled clothing, leatherwork and accessories she was selling. I’m still kicking myself for not buying this cool pair of jeans that I saw. I just know I’ll never find anything quite like them again. But as a devoted cat lady, it was Sauro’s “scrap cats” that stole my heart. Princess Porkypines with her scrap cats Credit: Janday Wilson Photo Sauro takes scrap fabric and stuffs them to create the oddly endearing creatures. Each cat was a charming testament to the possibilities of creative reuse. Sauro, who travels from New York to teach beginner sewing classes at MakeHaven, said that she was eager to join the Seeing Sounds event because it seemed like a safe haven for artists. I certainly felt that energy. I reluctantly departed her booth, mourning both my limited finances and those fabulous jeans, another peculiar sight caught my attention: a pot and pan perched atop a DJ mixing board. That was the set up of DJ MilkyWaay, a producer who invites local artists to perform over his original beats. That was one of the festival’s greatest strengths. It wasn’t simply a marketplace where artists could sell their work or musicians could perform. It was a place where creative worlds could collide and opportunities could emerge from chance encounters. And you didn’t have to consider yourself an artist to participate. In one corner, visual artist Xavier Fortes had created a peaceful little refuge where visitors could sit and color his original drawings. Nearby, his paintings offered a glimpse into a richly imaginative world populated by lovers, mermaids and aliens. His lush compositions seemed to invite viewers to wander through the possibilities of his imagination. Like so many of the creatives I encountered, Fortes balances his artistic ambitions with a day job. He drives trucks for a living, though his dream is to devote himself to art full-time. Seeing Sounds World coloring nook with Xavier Fortes. Credit: Janday WIlson Photo Seeing Sounds offered him another opportunity to share his work with the world and, perhaps, move a little closer to that dream. Still, the festival’s eclectic offerings — from 3D modeling to a community closet where you can get color analysis and rent clothing — proved an effective distraction from my complaining stomach. (My one gripe with Seeing Sounds World was the absence of food vendors. There was a full bar, of course, but a girl cannot survive on cocktails and artistic inspiration alone. Griffin Congdon of Field To Fork’s spicy green juice immunity shots revived me. I was never so hungry for vegetables.) The festival embraced not only conventional artistic disciplines but also the inventiveness behind entrepreneurship, fashion and technology. That expansive definition of creativity was precisely what Seeing Sounds founder Trey Moore had envisioned. “I had an idea to do something that would really embrace the fun of discovery and creative exploration,” he said. Rather than simply assembling vendors interested in selling their products, Moore wanted to bring together people invested in exchanging ideas, building community and imagining the future. “I’m just happy to provide a platform for other people,” he said. What struck me most about Seeing Sounds World wasn’t any single performance, painting, or handmade treasure. It was the sheer abundance of imagination gathered under one roof, and the realization that so much exists just beyond our everyday awareness. Visit Seeing Sounds’ website to find out what they have going on next. Trey Moore, Seeing Sounds founder. Credit: Janday Wilson Photo Xavier Fortes’ artwork. Credit: Janday Wilson Photo “Divine” by Kamryn Surprenant of The Offbeat Score. Credit: Janday Wilson Photo Color Analysis by Helix. Credit: Janday Wilson Photo DJ MilkyWaay. Credit: Janday Wilson Photo The post Seeing Sounds The Art Of Discovery appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less