Singer, actor, and filmmaker Emily Sara has released her 6 song visual E.P., Mismatch, now available on all streaming services and for view on YouTube. The multi-genre visual E.P. explores identity and belonging and features a mixed group of musicians ranging in styles including R&B, Latin jazz, alternative pop, spoken word, and pop soul.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Emily about the new project, surviving lock downs, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and how do You describe your style of music?
I was born in New York, New York, grew up in Washington, D.C., and spent the last five years living in Appleton, Wisconsin. I’m finally back home in Brooklyn and loving it.
I consider myself a “crossover artist” which basically translates to, I like to do lots of different styles. I grew up listening to all sorts of musicians; Billie Holiday, Amy Winehouse, Gypsy Kings, Buena Vista Social Club, Googoosh, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and loads of classical music too. My grandmother would always have the classical station on in her car and we’d listen to opera together. I used to hate it but ended up going to college for classical voice. I would say my music now comes from all of that, all the places I’ve lived and all the people in my life who’ve said, “hey listen to this cool sound.” My music is definitely vocalist heavy. I’m a trained opera singer but have studied multiple styles and techniques and I try to experiment with that in my songs.
How did you get here? As in, what inspired or motivated you to take on this journey through music and the music biz?
Music has always been a part of my life. I started taking piano lessons when I was six and my love has grown from there. I was always singing too, in the car, in the shower, at the dinner table (much to my parents’ dismay). There’s always been movement towards music for me. A song will come on and things will start turning inside of me. I studied the crap out of music in college and there were lots of things I liked and some things I really didn’t. So one day I just said “okay, let’s try this my own way,” and I started putting the things that I’ve had in my head for a while out there. I showed them to other musicians and I was lucky enough to have a few really like my ideas. Working with other artists really inspires me and has kept me going when I’ve had doubts. I can’t imagine my life without music making, so I’ve decided to make it my life.
How does your latest project compare/contrast with your previous release(s)? Were you setting out to accomplish anything specific, follow a specific theme, or explore different styles of creation?
I really started finding my songwriting voice recently. This is only my second official release under Emily Sara. I’ve written with other bands and producers before, but it feels much more vulnerable now that I’m out on my own. I began writing for “Mismatch” before I knew it was going to be an EP. There were songs that I’d been working on for a few months that needed to come out of me, but it wasn’t until I got a grant from my university that making something bigger became a real possibility. “Mismatch” became a visual album exploring identity and belonging through multi-genre songwriting. When I moved to Wisconsin I had little idea of what to expect. I come from an Iranian American/German Jewish family and I felt like a complete outsider when I arrived. I was afraid to put myself and my identity on the table. Slowly I began to meet others who felt the same as I did, like a mismatch, like a fish out of water. I learned about their stories and backgrounds, all different from my own, and knew I had to make a project about it. Each song on the EP is written in a different style. I decided the final product should represent the mixed group of musicians who worked on it. We didn’t want to limit ourselves so we’ve got R&B leading into Latin jazz, alternative pop, spoken word and a pop soul ballad at the end. I wrote about womanhood, sexuality, heartbreak, refugees, being multi-ethnic and multi-racial, bullies, and everything in between. This project is really nothing like my other releases and I hope my next release is also something completely new.
Name the biggest challenge you faced as a creative during these unprecedented? How did you adapt? How have you kept the creative fires burning during all this?
The pandemic hit during my second to last year of college and I remember sitting in my dorm room wondering what I was going to do. I had been training to perform onstage, was about to start applying to grad programs for opera, and felt pretty hopeless about the live performance career I’d been preparing for. After acting in a pilot for a TV show right around this time (closed set, covid tests weekly), I decided to start experimenting with film and started a production company with a friend. That experience really kick started my drive to make my own things, especially my own music. The pandemic became an extremely important time of creative growth for me. In a strange way, I’m grateful for the slap-in-the-face it brought. Now we are taking on other clients, but initially, the production company was a playground for me to take risks with new visuals and sounds. We made music videos for my work and I got to be the creative director for all of it. While I had very talented and generous collaborators throughout, “Mismatch” is the first project I’ve done that’s felt truly, completely mine.
What was the last song you listened to?
Don’t Worry (feat. Ink) by Leon Bridges and Ink
I love the blend of their voices together and how they build on each other so beautifully and naturally. Such a feel good song.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? 8-tracks? Cassettes? CDs? MP3s? Streaming platforms?
Streaming platforms are obviously the easiest to access these days but I’ve always really loved CDs because they come with liner notes. Artists spend so much time on the notes and for me it’s often my favorite way to connect to the songs and songwriter’s/musician’s intentions.
Where is the best place to connect with you and follow your journey?
Instagram is where I’m most active and I announce new projects there most reliably: @emilysaramusic.
Also Spotify!
I really appreciate Your time. Anything else before we sign off?
I am a relatively recent transplant to Brooklyn. I moved here officially in October and I left my band behind in Wisconsin. I am really looking for musicians to start a band with, write with, jam with, take this show on the road with. I want to start working on a new project too. If you are a musician living in NYC and reading this, have listened to my stuff, like any part of what you hear or see and are interested in joining forces, please reach out! Let’s make some things!
