Sarah Black
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“I’m The Whole Package”: Pop Musician Sarah Black Talks To Us About Her Hunger For More

Pari Pradhan

When people think of heartbreak, they often consider it a period of mourning. Classic movie breakup scenes show our protagonist sobbing in bed, eating tubs of ice cream to cope. What we neglect to consider, however, is that the process of healing a broken heart is an emotional rollercoaster. Whether you’ve been rejected, broken up with, or done dirty by your partner/lover/situationship, moving on is like going through the stages of grief. Of course, tears will eventually be shed, but you usually start in shock, a period of numbness and even denial as you process what happened to you. 

And then comes what I consider to be the most visceral part of the break-up process: anger. It's a feeling that screams, “How dare they do that to me?” You’re staring out your window, fantasising about taking revenge by moving on with someone hotter and more successful or, more simply, by dumping a drink over their head in an act of public humiliation. When things end badly, it’s only natural to crave retribution, even if you probably shouldn’t act on those thoughts. 

Sarah Black brings this revenge fantasy to life in her music video, ‘Red.’ Unlike other breakup anthems, lamenting over lost love, Sarah takes matters into her own hands in this indie-electronic pop release. The video starts as a sweet love story in South India, as Sarah shares shy, innocent glances with her lover-to-be. But her energy quickly shifts as she questions “What if I act like you, get bored, fuck someone new, then lie about it too?” By the second verse, she’s a transformed Sarah, in full glam as she seeks vengeance. The singer told Homegrown that the video’s concept came to her in a daydream, reflecting that, “Finding that duality of a girl who was innocent to the same girl dumping [her ex’s] head in water when he wronged her seemed so good to me visually with the song.” 

While it’s satisfying to watch Sarah fulfil my breakup revenge fantasy, I found true gratification through the discovery of a refreshing new voice in Indian Pop. Her raspy vocals, matter-of-fact lyricism, and indie pop sound are a breath of fresh air in our film-industry-driven, somewhat generic music market. Despite the cinematic feel of her music videos, Sarah Black is unapologetically honest and herself. This authenticity is something she strives towards, stating “I want my fandom to know my personality, I want to be be real and raw.”

Although Sarah Black started gaining traction in the past few years, particularly due to her viral cover of the Tamil hit ‘Unakku Thaan,’ she started making music at just 9 years old. “My parents were going through it and 9-year-old Sarah thought she could write a song and make it better,” she reminisced. This personal songwriting approach continues today, as she says, “Whatever I’m feeling, if I feel it too much, I write songs.” She started performing at open mics and gigs at 16, and now, at 22, has performed in shows in places like Melbourne, Paris, and this weekend, in her hometown Chennai. 

What most caught my attention when I came across Sarah’s videos was her unique vocal timbre. Her husky tone sets her apart from the rest of the Indian pop industry, deviating from the typical Indian classical-trained vocal stylings we’ve come to expect. While the singer never received formal training, she imitated vocalists she admired when learning how to sing. Sarah credits artists like Jon Bellion, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Billie Eilish as her vocal inspirations, the last of which her audience on social media frequently compares her to. 

However, her “inspirations are ever-changing,” explaining that, “In the last year I’ve listened to Mac Miller, Kendrick, Doja Cat, and Doechii.” Just as every writer is told to read any and everything, a great singer can draw from a large array of influences, giving her room to adapt and transform in her musicality. At times her voice is sweet, at others, it’s biting and full of attitude. It’s clear, then, why she says, “I don’t like being the same version of Sarah Black all the time. As my sound changes, I change.”

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Sarah is her unabashed drive. Like most other artists, she is driven by a love for her craft, but Sarah is also unafraid to admit that she needs her voice to be heard. “I’m selfish. I want to be the reason you feel and that makes me happy,” she confidently states. It’s hard not to feel excited when someone is so ready to share their art. When asked what comes next, she tells me, “I’m focusing on releasing all the songs I’ve written in the last 6 months. They have a new sound and this version of Sarah Black is hungry for attention to her music and her art.”

“I’m the whole package and I hope to deliver it right to all of you reading this.”
Sarah Black in an interview with Homegrown

There are a lot of artists I feel proud to proclaim that I knew before they blew up. I feel quite confident that Sarah Black will be joining their ranks soon enough.

Get tickets to Sarah Black’s February 15 Chennai show here.

Follow Sarah Black here

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