Sarah Louise was born with music in her heart and has spent the last 20 years honing her musical skills in all capacities. Whether a classic or one of her original songs Sarah’s angelic vocals are always a pleasure to listen to, and her talented guitarist Steve Miller works alongside her, providing outstanding harmonies, and subsequent elaborate and exquisite live performances. Her love of all things country is infectious and her talent saw her nominated for British Country Music Awards Female Vocalist of the Year 2021.
Like many, throughout the pandemic, Sarah has been creating new songs online and it is through this, that her 3-track release ‘Sunflower’ came to fruition. A 28-day songwriting challenge included writing about ‘something in nature’, by which one of her fans suggested the topic of a ‘sunflower’.
Not long ago, Sarah unveiled the highly anticipated 3 track EP & has kindly taken the time to speak with Fierce& Fabulous Revolution regarding the EP, along with getting to know more from the artist behind the music.
Hey Sarah Louise, thank you so much for this interview. Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?
Sarah Louise: Thank you for having me Jess, I feel I am a very passionate person and care so much for people and animals, I love being a Mum and making a difference in peoples lives. I feel I absorb feelings especially from children, as I love being around them, they are my favourite people as they are so positive, energetic, honest and fun! I love healthy living and keeping fit, I am a gluten and dairy-free eater which is sometimes a nightmare so I like making my own recipes and different foods. I also love friends and family so much and spending time with them, travelling, concerts and being around nature, taking photos, and seeing the sun come up and go down in the same day is my favourite thing to do. Oh and I am crazy about the colour turquoise, I wear it lots, have it all over my house too as it reminds me of the ocean and being free.
When did you first discover your passion for music?
Sarah Louise: I have always been passionate about music, my Mum told me I used to bounce in her stomach in rhythm to Abba and also in my bouncer as a baby to certain songs including Queen. I always used to tape myself singing on my tape player and I still can’t find that tape but it was full of original acapella songs I had made up and just kept pressing play and record. My Grandad also gave me my first mixed tape and I learnt all the lyrics to those songs in about a week he was amazed. Time after time – Cyndi Lauper will always be a special song for me as it reminds me of my Grandad and the times I spent together with my Grandparents and all the special memories.
Have you always known that you wanted to pursue a career within the music industry?
Sarah Louise: Yes always… I had a lot of confidence knocked out of me but once I realised that I was the only person to get it back I feel like now I am more determined than ever before.
How would you describe your musical style to someone unfamiliar with your music?
Sarah Louise: I am an acoustic, stripped back country and folk style singer and I love harmonies and being colourful with using my voice as my instrument and I love writing from the heart.
Not long ago, you unveiled the three-track EP ‘Sunflower’, which sounds amazing, by the way. How did the idea for this EP come together?
Sarah Louise: Thank you Jess, I started a songwriting challenge in August to write one song a day and share it and Sunflower was the most favourite track and it was the first one I had written in my challenge, when I asked my audience members ideas about nature song topics a friend I met on Tik Tok suggested I write about a sunflower and the whole idea came together to put the other 2 songs on there that had a similar meaning and it felt liberating to share them all together.
How did you decide on the three tracks to feature on the EP?
Sarah Louise: It just felt right like the other 2 tracks should be on there with Sunflower and that the whole album was to help people get in touch with their feelings about life and their path.
What does this EP personally mean to you?
Sarah Louise: It means the beginning of self-belief to me, my previous albums have a lot of songs that were leading up to this and that’s why my previous album was called “The Shift” as my mind was in the process of shifting. It is also really special to me as features my little best friend Lottie who is just so advanced in the world for a 5-year-old and totally understood what my song was about which is why I wanted her to sing on it, she truly is a gift.
If listeners could take anything away from this EP, what would you like it to be?
Sarah Louise: To know that what we tell our mind is exactly what we are and that we are all in control of our thoughts and how we react to other peoples opinions of us and that we can all be anything we want to be.
Are there any songs that didn’t make the tracklist that we could be seeing in the near future?
Sarah Louise: I have so many new songs to share but not for this album and it felt right to choose these particular tracks. There is a bonus track that people received when they purchased the album, a song that I wrote for my friend’s wedding called ‘Purple Flowers’ I wrote this in a live on Valentines Day as a prize they had won. I have received some lovely feedback about this song and I will possibly release this as a single in the new year.
What are some of the things you enjoy outside of music?
Sarah Louise: I really enjoy spending time with my Daughter she is my world and the reason I have so many things to write music about, I really knew what unconditional love was, sacrifices, true happiness and what the meaning of life was when she came into mine. I love exercising my body and mind, travelling, taking photos and making memories and also cooking which is why I share a cooking live once a month in my group and let my audience vote and decide what they would like me to cook each time, even though I don’t really like following recipes or rules ha ha, which is why I think it is entertaining for people.
If you could perform a duet with anyone in the world, who would you choose & why?
Sarah Louise: This is such a hard question as I would have loved to have sung with Luther Vandross, I grew up listening to him and dancing to his songs with my Dad most nights as a little girl and his lyrics really inspired me to wear my heart on my sleeve. I also love Shania Twain she has been a massive part of my journey without even realising and I would like to thank her for her emotional honesty in all of her songs and that she helped me to be me.
What song do you always keep on your playlist & why?
Sarah Louise: Since lockdown 2020 I couldn’t perform with a band or my guitarist and all I could do was live stream with backing tracks and I really missed live music, I was desperate so I taught myself to play guitar and ‘Lauren Alaina – Getting Good’ was my go to song to play and listen to and I absolutely love it, the lyrics in the second verse get me every time, I listen to it most days and it is in my running playlist to motivate me.
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Sarah Louise: Another hard question but I would say … Caring, Happy and Positive
What’s one thing that people don’t really know about you?
Sarah Louise: They will find out now haha but probably that I cry over most things especially when it is something involving children, animals, family, friends, nature etc …I am so soppy!
If you could possess any superpower, what would it be & why?
Sarah Louise: To make people happy and to discover their inner greatness because there is so much heartache in this world and I don’t think there are enough people living their best life. I think it is so sad when I witness and hear of people that are just existing, there are so many wonderful reasons to find inner happiness.
What advice would you offer to someone who was looking to pursue a career within the music industry?
Sarah Louise: I would say keep your head held high, have a burning desire in your gut and know you are going to become the best version of yourself, stay strong, read all contracts!, and don’t let anyone or anything hold you back or make you look back. If you do look back make sure it is waving from a tour bus!
Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?
Sarah Louise: Firstly thank you for having me, secondly in life we can listen to the voice in our heads a lot and no one else can hear it, so make sure that voice is your best friend and speaks nicely to you always x
You can check out the full EP on Spotify below or via Apple music here.
Sarah Louise: Website / Facebook / Instagram.
Fierce & Fabulous Revolution 