ChickSpeak

With the recent release of her debut album, Little Voice, and in light of the fact that we’ve had her album playing on repeat in our ChickSpeak office, we knew we had to find out more about the beauty behind these soulful and heartfelt songs.

What we found was a young woman who’s passion for meaningful music and authentic self-expression blended effortlessly with her down-to-earth charm and endearing goofiness. Simply put, Sara’s the type of gal we’d want to take a road trip with or share stories over a bottle of wine— just so refreshingly real.  

Read on for Sara’s musings on the making of Little Voice, what “home” means to her, and her best advice for us.

ChickSpeak: When we think about musicians with record labels and albums, we tend to think of them rolling in the big bucks- larger than life- yet you admit to renting a piano and working from the smaller spaces in your bedroom to craft many of your songs. That’s surprisingly real and down to earth. What are a couple other things that might surprise our readers to learn about your world?

Sara B: I SUPPOSE I’M NOT VERY FANCY AT ALL. I HATE BEING IN HOLLYWOOD, I RIDE MY BIKE AT HOME WHENEVER I CAN, I LOVE COFFEE AND LIFETIME TELEVISION FOR WOMEN. I PUT MY FOOT IN MY MOUTH WHENEVER I CAN, AND I GUESS I’M JUST A DORK, THRU AND THRU.

CS: What was the most challenging aspect of creating your first album, Little Voice, and will you do anything differently when you begin work on your follow-up album in the future? (Assuming/ hoping for a follow-up:-). 

SB: I WOULD HOPE TO CHANGE A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THE FOLLOW UP. I WOULD LIKE TO MAINTAIN THE EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM I FELT WHILE RECORDING THIS RECORD, BUT I THINK I WOULD SIMPLIFY THINGS A BIT. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME DOING FULL PRODUCTION ON A FULL ALBUM AND SO IT WAS FUN TO EXPERIMENT WITH LAYERS AND LOTS OF SOUNDS. THE MOST CHALLENGING PART ABOUT IT WAS STAYING VERY FOCUSED ON STAYING AUTHENTIC TO THE SONG’S NATURE. BUT I WOULD NEVER WANT THAT TO CHANGE…THAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

CS: You say that Little Voice is a collection of the songs that “pretty much mean the world to you, since they chronicle your life, relationships, basket-case-ness and your utter devotion to write honest stuff…” Pretty vulnerable position for a girl to be in, don’t you think? What has song writing taught you about the power of your voice and being confident as you present your ‘little voice’ to the world?

SB: I THINK THE POWER OF OUR OWN VOICE, HOWEVER SMALL IT MAY FEEL, IS PARAMOUNT. WE ARE NATURALLY INTUITIVE CREATURES AND THE MORE WE PRACTICE LISTENING TO OUR TRUE INNER SELVES, THE EASIER IT BECOMES. SONGWRITING IS THE MOST NATURAL PLACE FOR ME TO BE TO HEAR THAT “LITTLE VOICE”, BUT I HOPE THAT IT BECOMES EASIER TO HEAR IT ALWAYS.

CS: With no formal training and what you say was a borderline-normal childhood, when did you first consider yourself to be a real musician? Did someone else label you as such or did you first claim this on own?   Can you tell us about when this took place and what this felt like for you?

SB: I STARTED MAKING ENOUGH MONEY TO QUIT MY JOB AS A WAITRESS. I TRIED ONCE, BUT COULDN’T MAKE ENDS MEET, SO I WENT BACK TO WORK, BUT ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER THAT, I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO PAY MY BILLS FROM MY SHOWS AND CD SALES ALONE. IT WAS EXHILARATING. THAT’S WHEN I FELT LIKE I COULD CALL MYSELF A MUSICIAN FOR REAL, EVEN THOUGH I DON’T THINK YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOURSELF COMPLETELY FROM MUSIC TO BE A MUSICIAN.  I KNOW INCREDIBLE MUSICIANS WHO HAVE DAY JOBS.

CS: You seem have great relationships with your band/road mates- citing that they helped you rediscover what “family” means- can you please elaborate on this? What does ‘family’ mean to you, and how or when do you feel most at home?

SB: THE IDEA OF “HOME” IN MY WORLD CHANGES ALL THE TIME. SOMETIMES IT’S A PHYSICAL PLACE, MY BEDROOM AT MY PIANO, OR IN MY KITCHEN MAKING BREAKFAST… AND SOMETIMES IT’S JUST A FEELING. MY BAND/ROAD MATES ARE THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW ME THE VERY BEST. WE SPEND A GREAT MAJORITY OF OUR TIME IN EACHOTHER’S COMPANY, SO YOU START TO REALLY UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER. WE CAN BE AT A HOTEL ROOM IN IOWA AND I FEEL AT PEACE.  BUT LIKE I SAID, IT IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING. 

CS: With where you are in your life and career now, what advice can you give younger women about the power of their voices? If you could go back in time and give your 20 year-old-self some advice or even a ‘talking to’, what would you say?

SB: I WOULD TELL MYSELF, AND ALL OF YOU THIS:

TRUST YOURSELF. SPEAK UP, AND DON’T EVER APOLOGIZE FOR SPEAKING YOUR MIND. WE ARE ALL GIVEN GREAT GIFTS AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO GIVE THOSE THINGS THE MERIT AND VALUE THEY DESERVE. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE I FELT LIKE I DIDN’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING, BUT I FOLLOWED MY GUT, AND IN RETROSPECT I WAS ACTING WITH WISDOM I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND IN THE MOMENT. OUR LITTLE VOICES ARE THE BIGGEST ONES WE HAVE, AND THEY DESERVE TO BE HEARD.  

CS: Lastly, if you had a magic wand, what would you do with it right now?

SB: HEAL THE EARTH.

*A big thank you to Sara, Tara Melega and the Sony BMG team!*