Artist Spotlight: SAHRA
It’s easy to get lost in the immersive sonic world of SAHRA. With a tone plucked from the most ethereal stock, it’s impossible to window shop in SAHRA’s voice; you are destined to find yourself leaving the shop with brimming bags in both hands. Seasoned with delicacy, it cuts through buttery soundscapes with mouth watering ease, drawing you into its bruised deity.
Born in Berlin but now based in London, SAHRA has been enthralled by music and creation since a young age. Adept vocally and as a composer and arranger, the songstress highlights her diverse and innovative talent in abundance on Stolen Moments, her masterful and grandiose auditory novel, with each chapter engrossing its listener further into the author’s rousing tale. Co-produced by Slim Typical, the EP meanders through Jazz, Soul and R&B, snapshotting both rapturous and downtrodden times in SAHRA’s journey over the past few years. There’s even room for a silky, heartfelt appearance of Pit favourite Bawo. The singer will be showcasing her EP in intimate style tomorrow night, 27th July, at Servant Jazz Quarter - grab your tickets HERE.
I sat down with SAHRA to chat about her eclectic musicality, her boundless yet refined style, and her endearing and spellbinding new EP.
Who and what influences you?
It changes. The easy answer is everything, which is kind of true, but really I’m influenced by whatever’s going on with me. I wish I could say I think of a subject and write about it but I think I can only really write honestly about the things that affect me or the people close to me. Often it’s romantic relationships or close friendships, in some cases it’s something I’ve seen on a journey as an outsider. With this EP I was heavily influenced by my friends and their breakups along with my own. I wanted to make songs for my girls to uplift us and reassure us.
How did you first start creating music?
I did a great music programme when I was younger called “Aldeburgh young musicians” . I originally joined on violin but they took me on as a vocalist. It was amazing because they had different musicians come in as tutors during the summer holidays and weekends and they’d run a course on their speciality: you’d learn about jazz, classical music, improvisation, afrobeat, contemporary music and all sorts from people who worked within that genre. It was really special and not only did it give you room to create music with likeminded people but you could freely express yourself without the barrier of genre. I started writing songs on a songwriting course and I guess that’s how it started. It’s also how I met a lot of the people I still work with.
How do you juggle your singing teaching with being an artist yourself?
I don’t think I necessarily have to juggle. I definitely feel like the two feed each other. I’m not sure I could ever just be an artist, being able to work with different people of different ages and backgrounds inspires me. It’s nice to have a break from writing and it’s always a joy to hear people sing. I love music and especially teaching singing and helping people nurture their talent. It’s fun and I think because it’s not everyday it feels well balanced.
What does your relationship with music mean to you?
I love music, I don’t always love singing or performing but listening to music and discovering artists and songs is everything to me. I can confidently say I go to a gig nearly every week, often more than that. I just feel so happy when I’m around music, I don’t feel I have to be involved if that makes sense but I just feel joyful when I hear a great song.
You are really multifaceted in your musicianship, how important is that diversity in your artistic outlook to you?
It’s massively important. I don’t ever want to be or do just one thing. I enjoy music so much and music feeds me. I think like with food I wouldn’t want to eat the same thing everyday, I also don’t want to listen to or make the same music everyday. I also nerd out on music, if I hear something I want to copy it or know more about it. I often am trying to figure out why I like something and then in some ways I want to bring that into my own music.
Your writing style is really personal, where does that bravery to be honest in your lyricism stem from?
Thank you, I guess I don’t overthink it too much. To me the songs I write are like a catalogue or diary that I can look back at one day. So the more honest and true they are the better I’ll remember the time they were written in, if that makes sense. I think if I start trying too hard to write about something and start making stuff up, I’ll look back at it and cringe. I guess in some ways the songs are for me and being honest with myself doesn’t feel brave it feels easy.
How would you define your style?
Forever changing.
How do you think you stand out amongst a busy and flourishing scene?
I think I have lots of very different interests and have spent a lot of time working within music in different contexts. For example I’ve sang in afrobeat bands, worked in Cuba with afro cuban musicians, studied Jazz and played classical violin. So by nature it makes me quite versatile and means I don’t think of myself as solely a R&B singer or songwriter.
It feels like you’ve really refined your sound now, how have you worked to do so?
It’s funny I don’t think I have but I guess that’s how a lot of artists feel. I’ve definitely been working on my sound and it helps working and experimenting with different producers. I’ve gotten into layering my vocals and building choirs, finding interesting harmonies and lines and I think that’s massively added to the development in my sound but one thing that’s been important has been keeping a live element and having some real instruments instead of just production.
Talk me through the main ideas and concepts behind the EP?
I didn’t have a concept before I started but the way the songs naturally came together the common thread was capturing pivotal moments of growth in my life over lockdown particularly through the eyes of my last break up. I pinched the name from a Jazz standard by Oliver Nelson “Stolen moments''. There is a particular version by Carmen McRae and Betty Carter were they sing “How I miss all those stolen little moments the many times I’m not with you, they are such precious stolen moments that are meant only for us two”. I’ve always loved those lyrics, the idea that memories you have with someone are almost sacred and kept in a special place, especially when you break up. I wanted to share some of my intimate memories and thoughts with the EP but also wanted to delve into the aftercare and self growth that happens once you break up and some of those memories are tainted.
What was the creative process?
All of the songs were written in the last two years and all of them, apart from come with me, were written at home on the piano. I’d been introduced to Slim Typical, who produced the EP, in spring 2021 and they’d helped with someone added production on one of my songs.
How did the collaboration with Bawo come about?
My brother actually put me onto Bawo. He showed me his music a few years ago and I became a fan. I followed him on Instagram and when we were working on me and you we thought it would be cool to have a feature and Bawo came to mind. I sent him a message on instagram and he was really up for it, he came down to major toms in Hoxton and we recorded everything super quickly. It worked really well. He was so great to work with a really lovely person and everything was really easy.
What do you want listeners to take away from it?
My favourite thing about music is when a song perfectly describes how you’re feeling in words that you couldn’t have come up with yourself. That’s what I hope people get from my songs. I hope that there’s a line that catches someone’s ear and makes them go “ahh I’m not alone” or “yes that’s exactly how I feel” I think the beauty of relatable songs is that they bring you comfort, you know someone else out there is going through the same thing as you and therefore your problem somehow seems smaller.
If you were introducing yourself to a new listener, what track would you play them?
Crowds
What’s next for you?
I’m just taking my time, I always say you need to live in order to have something to write about. So I’m living, writing more music, and enjoying the process.