Interview with Singer-Songwriter Sara Melson

                Sara Melson's music is a rich, variated  tapestry, sometimes composed softly on piano, other times energetic with songs that drown out the barroom noise. Then there is the dreamy, ethereal Daniel  Lanois' reminiscent "No Expectations", the perfect track for a late night highway drive, preferably in the desert, confronting the wide open spaces of the surrounding dark. Influenced by powerhouse songwriters like Carole King, Sara manages to dip into that rich well while pulling out sounds that are uniquely her own. Much of that is due to her diligent self awareness, as she writes, "Let's face it, most topics have been covered, most chord combinations have been used. So it's trickier than you would think to come up with something "original" that feels different and new. That's the work at hand, is figuring out how to do that." Tricky as it is, it's not impossible. The result is a music that feels profoundly lived in, experience that speaks in a universal language and a strength both quiet and loud. Singular, searching and utterly unafraid. 



AHC: What has this journey in music, so far, been like for you, the highs and the lows, and what sort of life lessons do you feel you've picked up along the way?

Sara: Wow, so many. First of all, being an artist, and committing to really walking the road and living that life, is not for the faint-hearted. For one thing, you have to be on yourself to get up, get dressed, practice, rehearse, write, record, and then of course do all the tedious social media stuff that is required of one today... It takes a lot of self-discipline, since your boss is essentially yourself. I must say I often fantasize about what it must have been like to be an artist making music in the 60s or 70s or something, before the internet. It feels like now people are more concerned about how many followers you have on a multitude of platforms than they are about what you're actually doing artistically. The web has brought us many gifts, and connected us in marvelous ways, but that's not one of them... As far as highs and lows - the ultimate highs for me are recording in the studio, and playing live. Also, I must say, making a difference in the lives of fans, who write me and express the most beautiful messages of gratitude and inspiration. That's what keeps me going. The lows are realizing that due to the advent of streaming, records aren't really being "sold" anymore, and it's very hard for artists to make a good living nowadays. I was lucky enough to have a record deal a few years ago and be on the receiving end of some great licenses. But it's an uphill climb for sure. 


AHC: What first drew you to music and what was your early musical environment like growing up? Were there pivotal songs for you then that just floored you the moment you heard them?

Sara: Oh yeah, music was my life, from an early age. My parents had an outstanding record collection. Just all the greats. The Beatles, Stones, Carole King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Van Morrison, Bowie, The Band, Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Leonard Cohen, Ike and Tina... Tons of classical, tons of jazz... I used to spend hours upon hours immersed in all these great albums, memorizing every note and lyric. SO many pivotal songs. All of Tapestry (Carole King) was just huge for me. Also the Beatles. I think Strawberry Fields was the first Beatles song I remember hearing. My mind was officially blown at age 6! 


AHC: Do you remember the first song that you ever wrote? Or that first moment when you picked up a pen and realized that you could create whole worlds just by putting it to paper? 

Sara: Well, I was writing poems and lyrics in my journals way before I understood that you could actually merge them with music to create songs. So I had tons and tons of lyrics already written by the time I wrote my first song. Interestingly, even though I am classically trained on piano, I didn't start writing songs until I picked up a guitar. A friend showed me a few basic guitar chords, and then I pretty much explored on my own and started writing immediately. I think the first song I ever wrote was called Make It Last. It's about living in the present. As soon as I began writing on guitar, it dawned on me that I could write on piano as well. Until that point, it really hadn't even occurred to me that I could play piano without the classical sheet music in front of me! So then the floodgates opened up... :)


AHC: Which musicians have you learned the most from? Or writers, artists, filmmakers etc?

Sara: Again, I'd have to give a shout-out to Carole King, whose voice I simply adore, and the Beatles. And the Stones, and Dylan, and Fleetwood Mac... Just huge influences for me... Later on I went through a giant Who phase, also discovered Roxy Music, Mazzy Star, Oasis, Blur, Wilco - love Jeff Tweedy so much!... The list goes on and on. Truly.  


AHC: What do you think makes for a good song, as you're writing and composing, is there a sudden moment when you know you've found the right mix, that perfect angle of light, so to speak?

Sara: Yeah well, to me, it has to say something. I realize it's not like that for everyone. In fact, some people aren't even concerned with lyrics, and that's totally cool. I can get just feeling a vibe, and having that be enough. But it's so magical when the song can both have a vibe AND say something meaningful in a different way. I'm a pretty big fan of traditional song structure. I do play around with it and find myself experimenting more and more. But you can't really go wrong with a good Brill Building structure. As long as you make it your own and make it cool. Let's face it, most topics have been covered, most chord combinations have been used. So it's trickier than you would think to come up with something "original" that feels different and new. That's the work at hand, is figuring out how to do that.  


AHC: Do you consider music to be a type of healing art, the perfect vehicle through which to translate a feeling, a state of rupture, hope lost and regained? Does the writing and creating of the song save you in the kinds of ways that it saves us, the listener

Sara: I think you mean state of rapture! Lol! YES... Definitely. In fact, I write music primarily as a means of self-therapy. Almost all my songs start out that way, coming from a deep innate need to make myself feel better, to process emotions, to work through revelations and learn from heartache... And the beauty of songwriting is that at the end of that, you have the song! And when that healing can impact and soothe other people too, then you know you're onto something. 


AHC: What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town? On-tour, on-the-road?

Sara: I've played in a lot of wonderful places, one of my most favorite being up in Big Sur at Fernwood. It's such a gorgeous place and such a fun vibe. I always play with a full band up there, and it's fun to get out of my head and play upbeat, fun songs that people can dance to. I also do a really special night here in LA at the Besant Lodge in Beachwood Canyon. It's an incredibly beautiful, unique venue with a grand piano, in a hundred year old church. It's imbued with so much spirit and history. I often have other songwriters get  up and perform as well. Really fun event. I've played in Japan, England, Mexico... and of course hope to do a lot more touring in my life!  


AHC: With the traditional ways that we listen to music rapidly changing, does it affect how you write and put together an album? Too often people are downloading and engaging with singular songs rather than albums as on ordered and thematic canvas, do you regret that your work may not be received the way it was intended or created?

Sara: As a consumer I'm a huge fan of streaming! But as an artist, it's tough, because streaming simply doesn't pay. I mean, seriously, each stream is like .0025 percent of one penny. Not kidding. So it's basically free. But on the upside, I actually kind of like the way that singles have become the way to get music out, as opposed to albums. It makes it way easier to stay productive and prolific, because you can just release stuff whenever you want to, piecemeal. I like that model. It can be hard to have to sit on your finished masters and wait for a proper album release, when you really want to get the music out! 


AHC: Do you have any words of advice for other musicians and singer-songwriters or anyone who is struggling to create something of value out there, who are just starting out and trying to find their voice and their way in this world? What are the kinds of things that you tell yourself when you begin to have doubts or are struggling with the creative process?

Sara: I would say two things. One: If there is anything else that you could imagine yourself doing, do it. Because as I mentioned before, it's a tough road. Two: If you insist upon doing it, then do yourself a favor... Take your influences, study them, imbibe them, but when it comes time to sing... Let them go. Don't ever mimic. Don't imitate. Find YOUR own voice. It may not be the most perfect, and you may not be doing vocal gymnastics, but just make it yours. Neil Young or Bob Dylan would never have made the cut past the first audition for The Voice or American Idol. But they have those special, unique voices that are truly their own. That's what I strive for. It's so tiresome to turn on the radio and not be able to distinguish between any of the artists on there. There's too much imitation going on and not enough originality.  


AHC: Could you talk about your new album 'Safe and Sound'?

Sara: Safe and Sound is a collection of a couple of older songs that were kicking around before but had never been released, a couple of cool covers that I chose to interpret in my own way, and some new songs that stretch me outside my comfort zone when it comes to production, especially. I worked with a few different producers on this record, which makes it interesting, since there are different vibes -- alternately melancholy and trippy, and then poppy and upbeat -- depending on the song and also how it was recorded. I worked primarily with Rick Parker, who is responsible for the excellent Lord Huron records, as well as a bunch of other indie artists like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Raveonettes, and Joseph Arthur. The album has a sort of dreamy feel to it, which is what I was going for. The two covers I did, No Expectations by the Rolling Stones, and Thank You by Led Zeppelin, were produced by Oliver Newell, who does a lot of electronic music and beats. His production on both I think is amazing. Super psychedelic and beautiful. Was so fun making those. I want to sing on some ambient electronic music... would love to collaborate and lend vocals to other people's tracks!



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