With the momentum and excitement growing around her latest single release “Higher” in collaboration with Nathan Dawe and Joel Corry, emerging artist Sacha, originally from Scotland and now London and LA based is spreading good vibes around the track. This summer, Sacha headed to Ibiza where she performed the song live and went down a treat with the island’s party-goers.
Taking some time out of her schedule, we caught up with Sacha to find out a little bit more.
How are you enjoying sunny Ibiza, Sacha?
Yeah, not bad at all. It's absolutely roasting here but I can’t complain.
As an emerging artist, what have your footsteps been like over the past few months?
I mean, it's been a very hectic few months, to be fair.
I think everything's moved very fast. I went from being in the studio writing and trying to figure out what my next steps were to working with two of the biggest DJs who had taken a song that I'd written, then flying out to Ibiza to perform it and all sorts. It has been a bit of a whirlwind, but very exciting, to say the least.
So when Nathan and Joel got in touch with you and said, “Sacha, we want your involvement”, what went through your mind?
So, I'd originally pitched the song to Nathan's manager and I was in Sainsbury's doing my food shop when I got a phone call from Nathan to say,” I love this song. I want to release it”.
What did you think about Joel Corry hopping on it?
It was all very surreal. It was very exciting, and again I got the exciting news in Sainsbury's of all places!
Did you do anything to celebrate at the time? Or were you playing it cool?
The thing is, I think with music, because so much changes and things can fall through, and I've had this happen before, I tried to, even now, keep myself as ‘unexcited’ as I could because things can get moved and release dates can change and all sorts. Until it's out on Spotify and I can play it, it doesn't feel like it's real.
So I think I just try to manage my expectations and not get too ahead of myself. Obviously, of course, I was running around Sainsbury's like a lunatic, excited, of course.
In terms of your journey as an artist, at what stage did you find yourself saying, OK, music is for me?
To be honest, I think when I left school, because I was living in a small town. I just wasn't quite sure how to get into music.
So, I trained as a hairdresser. I worked for my mum for a couple of years and as amazing as that was, it wasn't what I wanted to do.
So, I started posting YouTube videos about 10 years ago now. And that was kind of what got me into doing music, slowly but surely. And then I was travelling down to London, doing sessions and travelling back and then looking after my hairdressing clients.
Eventually, it got to the point where I was building up enough of a network in London so then I made the move five years ago and have been doing music full time ever since. But back in the day I was a hairdresser and I worked in a shoe shop and all sorts but was bit by bit trying to transition into doing music. Brilliant!
So, can you remember what some of your earlier sessions were like?
Oh, God. I mean, at the time, I thought I'd written hits. I was like,” I'm a natural. These songs are incredible”. And now I listen back and they are some of the most embarrassing… terrible lyrics and melodies. But the thing is, I think you're constantly evolving as a writer as much as I love the stuff I'm doing now.
You work with different writers and different producers who bring different bits out of you as a writer. And I think you're always evolving as a writer. So, although those songs were not the best at the time, it was all learning about how to write and what works in a session and who I like working with and things like that.
It's important to just try lots of things out, which I definitely did over the years.
Based on where you're at currently, what would you say is your style as a singer and as a writer?
God, I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out because dance is such a broad thing.
I'm trying to figure out even within dance where I want to sit. And I think the songs that I'm gravitating towards most that I've written have big vocals, emotional songs, but they can still be flipped into a dance song. So, a lot of the songs I'm liking at the moment have been written super strictly on a piano.
Then you send it to a DJ and they do all the kinds of stuff around the song and kind of bring it to life. So, I think for me, just big epic vocals are kind of where I want to go.
How do you find the transition of having the confidence to send it off to someone else when it's your baby?
I mean, with this song, for example, ‘Higher’, there were many versions with many DJs, which were all great, but none of them were quite 100 percent there. And then what we ended up doing was me, Joel, Nathan, the original producer and one of the original writers I'd written it with all sat down in a room together and I thought it was the perfect collaboration.
So, I just wanted to make sure that the version itself was perfect and everyone was happy with it. So, we all sat down in that room in March. It was actually on my birthday we did it.
And we all were happy by the end of that. But it took a lot of structural changes and we added different melodies and all sorts. But we eventually kind of collaboratively got to the end result and everyone was happy.
Sometimes it is nerve-wracking when you've written a song and you hear it a certain way and you send it off and you're then giving someone else complete freedom to change it. And sometimes it works and you're blown away and it's far bigger than you expected. And sometimes it just doesn't quite work.
And that's just the process of, I guess, writing and collaborating. It sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. But luckily with this one, I couldn't have asked for more.
I'm so happy with the song and how it turned out.
When you think about all the different people that were involved in bringing it to life, what do you think they each brought to the party? And also, how do you think ‘Higher’ really complemented each of the strengths?
I mean, Joel and Nathan, in their own rights, pretty much dominate the UK dance market. They've both had number ones.
They've had a number one together with Ella Henderson, which fingers crossed we can recreate with Higher. But they also have an Ibiza residency. Every Wednesday, they've done it all summer at Ibiza Rocks.
So, it made sense for them to do a song together and it all just happened very organically. The boys both liked the song and it all happened as it was supposed to, I feel, with this track. And obviously I then got to go out and sing it live with them, which was an incredible experience.
So, yeah, I think they're both amazing. I would have been happy with either of them, but the fact that I've got them together is just incredible for a first big feature.
So, talking about your performance at Ibiza Rocks. What was it like? Because obviously you've created it in the studio. What was it like being able to recreate that magic in a live setting?
I mean, that was my first live performance, which was, I mean, as far as first gigs go, I think pretty epic. I was very excited for that being my first experience and everyone there is just so professional and the stage is perfect. And the crowd was amazing. I mean, it was an amazing experience.
I was definitely nervous, but I wanted to do it all over again straight away. As soon as I came off, I was like, “Oh, God, can I go back out and do it again?”. It was incredible. And I feel like the crowd there is amazing.
I really enjoyed it.
Obviously you're out in Ibiza for a little bit longer, but what's the next steps look like for you as an artist?
So I actually performed again with Nathan in Birmingham in early September.
That was great and was my next gig with him. And hopefully I will get to go back out to do it in Ibiza Rocks, maybe for the closing parties later in September. I'd love to go back now the song has been released.
Even before it had even been released there were people singing the lyrics back to me. They had obviously been looking on socials, which was incredible for a song that hadn’t even been released. Now it's out, I'd love to go back and perform again.
Once people have actually, you know, learned the lyrics and it's on all the platforms, I'd love to go back and see how different an experience that would be then.
Have you yet had your pinch yourself moment?
I think honestly, when I was standing up on the stage and even just the fact the label had flown me out and it was just all so surreal and it's everything I've been dreaming of for the last few years, just kind of slowly starting to happen. I mean, this time last year, I would never have imagined that I would have a song coming out with either of those DJs, let alone both or singing at Ibiza Rocks or having this incredible film crew capturing all the moments.
It was surreal. And I do feel very lucky.
So what currently does a day in your life look like?
So, when I'm back in London, Monday to Friday, I'm in the studio writing.
That is, I guess, even in my head now, I'm thinking of the next thing. I think as a writer, you can never go, “Oh, great, I've got this amazing song coming with these amazing DJs.” You always have to think forward about what's next and what songs can I write now? I'm in the studio working with lots of different producers and lots of different writers trying to write more songs.
And when I'm not in the studio, I'm working out or I'm spending time with my friends or with my family or my dogs.
How important is it to have that healthy balance of time for music, but also time for you?
I think in the last year, I really did discover the importance of this. This time last year, I was terrified to take a day off. I think I overworked myself and I was scared to take holidays and I felt guilty taking time off.
I think as a creative, it is important to take time off and not be thinking about music, not be thinking about lyrics. And I've always noticed that when I come back after a little break, I write better songs and I have fresh ideas. You can definitely overdo it and then you don't feel so creative.
And sometimes when you're going into a session and you've done two weeks in a row and you've not had a day off, it's like you've run out of ideas and sometimes I write something and I'm like, oh, that's great. And I'm like, that's another one of my songs that I've stolen from myself. So, it's definitely important just to take a break and relax and get yourself in a good headspace and travel and see different things.
Because the ideas kind of pop into your head at the most random times, sometimes when you're not trying to think of the ideas. I definitely think it's so important to get that healthy balance. And it's taken me a while to realise that.
What's been the best advice you've been given that you've only started to realise actually they had something going on?
I mean, a couple of things, I think. First is do not listen to what anybody else says.
You know what your vision is. I think earlier on when I was a bit younger in my career, I was maybe influenced by what other people said, like “You should sing this or you should wear that or your Instagram should look like this.” And ultimately, the most success I feel I've had is when I just do what I think is right and I trust my gut and I do what I want to do.
And I think, I mean, I've had people tell me, you should just be a writer. Don't push the artist thing. It's really hard.
It's really a saturated industry, especially as a female. And it's so easy to let people, like influential people that are kind of in high up positions influence you. But ultimately, I think believing in yourself and not actually listening to anyone else's opinion has helped me the most.
And just because you're going to hear so many opinions and so many differing things, people telling you this, people telling you that. But I think ultimately the most success I've had is just believing in my vision and being a bit tunnel vision with that. And I think that's what I'm going to continue to do.
So, when you think about everything you've been through so far, what's some of the things you are most grateful for?
I mean, honestly, I was having this chat with Nathan in the car. We were in Ibiza shooting content. We were complaining about how hot it was and how we were out having to take content in the heat.
And I was thinking and we both just said, this is our job. The fact that we get to have a laugh with our friends in the studio and even just the writing process. You're just around your mates.
You're having a laugh. You're talking about life. I love music. I love singing. The fact that I just get to do this for a living now and I'm earning enough that I don't have to have another job. That in itself, I think I could never have imagined three, four years ago being in the position I am now.
And that alone, being able to say that I do music for a career is something I'm super grateful for. Awesome.
So what's the best way for music fans to embrace Higher?
I mean, it is available on every platform you can imagine so no matter what streaming platform you listen on, you'll be able to hear it. Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, all of it. So anywhere where you want to listen to it, it is available.
Ibiza Rocks made a music video for it. So, I mean, it's going to be everywhere, basically. You won't be able to avoid it, hopefully.
Obviously you've got a supportive team around you and got supportive friends and family. So how important, how valuable and priceless is that support to you?
I mean, yeah, at the moment I have no manager. I'm managing myself.
Having supportive friends and family is so important because I don't necessarily have anyone to kind of springboard ideas off. So, I have to use my family and my friends. And even just getting the opinion of non-musical people about how they like a song! How does this one make you feel? This is so important as well. Obviously within music, I've got loads of people that I can bounce ideas off. But sometimes people that aren't in music, having their opinion on things is just as important because that's really your target audience. So yeah, it's super important, especially managing myself right now, having my friends and family support me is super important. Three of my friends flew from Scotland to Ibiza Rocks to support me.
Well, Sacha, it's been amazing chatting to you. To all those ‘day one fans’, what would you like to say to them?
We effing did it, baby. We're here. It's happening.
Sacha, Joel and Nathan’s “Higher” is available now all on major platforms so make sure to give it some love if you haven't already.
Article By Thushara Chandrasiri
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