“I just love music more than I love anything else in the world. It gives me a sense of self worth I’ve never gotten from anything else..” Sydney sprague
We sat down with US artist Sydney Sprague following the release of her highly anticipated album “maybe I will see you at the end of the world”. The artist humbly admitting that she did not originally intentionally choose a career in music. She has been writing songs as long as she can remember, and points to her first gig (an open mic at a coffee shop called Mama Java’s), which culminated from a bribe of $10 from none other than her parents to get up on stage. 13 at the time, the artist highlights how it has taken a long time to get comfortable and sharing her songs with other people. A point she freely opens up to still struggling with.
The Album
Having released a great deal of EPs and singles over the years; and drawing inspiration from her personal life, combined with all of her anxiety and worries about the state of the world. Sprague points to her latest album as the first time her production has showcased sounds the way she imagined her music sounding when she first set out. “I really love it, which as a hyper-critical person is a huge feat. All of my past experiences recording and making songs definitely led me to being more prepared to make this record”. Learning to communicate her ideas has taking a long time, she points out. However, she believes she has finally figured it out and the result is an album that the artist is immensely proud of.
Sprague describes her music as vulnerable indie/alternative rock. The artist pointing to mixture of sad, mellow songs and upbeat big electric guitar bops which make her sound stand out, and far more so than previous releases. “Writing is super personal for me, and I really don’t hold anything back so it can be almost a little awkward to put this stuff out into the world. The fact that there are people that listen and go – oh my god, I’m going through the same thing, is what makes me feel less alone in the world”.
Attributing Success
Sprague attributes 100% of her success to the small group of people she is surrounded by. With special reference to her parents, who never miss a show, and where without that original bribe at the age of 13, she would not be standing where she is today!I In addition to Danielle Durack and Chuck Morriss III (producer), who Sprague points out inspired her allowing the artist to realize how much is actually possible if you just go for it. She does point out how there are always going to be critics who are way more tough than they need to be. Taking a mature view that not everyone is going to be drawn to you, and respecting the reality of being in an industry where everyone has an opinion.
She opens up about struggling with depression and anxiety since her teenage years. Something she feels lies at the heart of what led her to writing songs in the first place. “It’s always been my outlet for dealing with it, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever fully overcome it because it’s just a part of who I am. It comes in phases, and I’ve become better at managing it when it does get bad”. The most important takeaway the artist has learnt through her journey (none more so than in 2020), is to be gentle with the expectations she places on herself and to do things she loves (like writing, cooking, taking long naps with my cat) when experiencing an episode.
When it comes to the building a network, Sprague explains how it took ten years to find the right collaborators and producers for her sound. “It’s so common to not have your ideas taken seriously, so working with people who are on the same page/have similar taste is so important”. Whilst it has taking a long time to find those people, the prize is worth it!
Looking Forward
The artist remembers her father telling her that “success is a journey”. Something she openly admits to rolling her eyes to at the time, but wishes she had taken his words to heart sooner, as it is absolutely true. Sprague points to her biggest challenge through her journey was finding motivation and keeping herself on track. “Getting around my own insecurities while also trying to balance a personal life/making a living and getting the bills paid/pursuing a music career is a lot. I wasted a lot of time in my late teens/early 20’s and it took some time to grow out of that.”
Sprague is current working on a host of new material and music videos for her album release, and looking forward to releasing plenty of new songs for her fans this year! #watchthisspace
Follow Sydney Sprague on Instagram
