In this interview spotlight, we chat with Sara Kendall about her new project, influences and more.
Full Q&A, links and a stream of her single, Detach Me, can be found below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I am from a small little suburb in Massachusetts called Southborough. It’s very quiet and serene with a lot of lovely foliage. Not a lot goes on there, but it’s a fine outlet for a healthy escape once in a while for me. The town has its secrets, and it’s sparked a lot of inspiration for me musically. The music I’m creating now is alternate pop – I tend to try and be a bit experimental and use some darker synths and sounds.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
A lot of the music I’ve been writing mainly stems from my personal experiences or from stories i’ve read. At this point in my writing, most of my songs are about my personal relationships with family or romantic interests. It allows me to enter a vulnerable state, get a little uncomfortable, and push my limits into talking about thoughts and feelings that have impacted me greatly, but I tend to hide or suppress. I hope in doing this it inspires others to let themselves fully experience their own emotions, and to not be ashamed of the weight they carry in the mind.
Who or what are your biggest influences when it comes to your creativity?
The things I witness, the books I read, and the relationships I have.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
Detach Me represents a time in my life where I was afraid to speak my mind and respect what I wanted for myself. I was afraid that I was doing something wrong my turning a guy away even though our relationship wasn’t a healthy one. I began to think about why I felt like this…as though I owed something to him. It made me think back to how I would go about turning guys away before. Usually I would say something along the lines of, “I have a boyfriend” or, “I’m not looking to date anyone right now” instead of simply, “I am not interested in dating you”. Why did I feel as though having a boyfriend would be the most valid reason to convince this guy not to talk to me anymore? Were my own personal wishes not valid enough? I noticed a trend with myself and my girl friends. I want Detach Me to empower people to know what they want and don’t want, and to not feel guilty or ashamed for being honest with themselves…and others.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
When I started performing, it was just me and the piano. Moving forward as an electronic musician, i’ve opened up a new world of possibility in creating my music and live performances. I’m always looking forward to how we can switch up the set and incorporate new things to make the show more engaging and interesting for the audience.
Anything else before we sign off?
In October I will be featured on a CRNKN track which I am totally excited about along with a few other collaborations. I am preparing to self release my full EP this November on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and Bandcamp. My website, www.sarakendallmusic.com, keeps everything up to date and includes different social media links where you can follow me.
