I really hope your new single “Sometimes I Wanna Cry :(“ brings back the pop/punk era I’ve been craving, this song is absolutely INCREDIBLE! Can you take us through the creative process for this new track and how it was a cathartic experience for you?
Sarina: The creative process was really straightforward! The song itself is very simple, I didn’t want to spin poetry like I do with my other singles, instead hoping to make a song anyone can listen to and relate to. I wanted a song I could just scream. Whether it was in the shower or in the car or just jamming out in your bedroom. I think it ended up working out as intended which is wonderful!
The growth you’ve experienced on social media the last few months has been insane! How has your experience been gaining this whole new audience and seeing how many people relate to your lyrics?
Sarina: It’s been crazy!! I wasn’t expecting to blow up all of a sudden but I’m incredibly grateful to all my followers and supporters who believe in me and like what I do. In a way I feel so honoured that my music speaks to people and resonates, but at the same time it’s sad to know how many people are suffering in that way. As someone who dealt with and is still dealing with some mental health issues, I hope my music can help people to feel more seen, maybe more understood and less alone.
I’ve interviewed a bunch of Berklee College of Music alumni, so it was so exciting to learn you also went there as well!! What was your experience like while studying there?
Sarina: Berklee is an amazing school and a wonderful atmosphere surrounds it. I think If I ever decided to go to college I’d want to apply to Berklee. The pre-college course I did there absolutely changed my life! Both what I learned and the people I met were amazing. In such a short time I feel like it really broadened my horizons.
If you could write a song with any other artist, who would you pick and why?
Sarina: This is such a hard question!!!!!! There are so many artists whom I admire and respect and I think it would be impossible to choose just one. I think I’d love a chance to work with a living legend. I recently had the privilege of meeting and seeing Alan Menken live in concert. To work with someone like him, I think, would truly be an experience of learning and growth.
What would you say is at the top of your bucket list for your career?
Sarina: I think I don’t really have a bucket list but more I have an ultimate goal. I just want to leave behind a legacy, Something that inspires people long after I’m gone and something that transcends generations. I believe art is a language that is never forgotten and is never learned. It is simply known. No two people will be impacted by art the same way, and yet art is something connects people regardless of who, what, or where they are.
I know you have a new single coming out this month, which I am so excited to hear by the way! Can you give us a hint on what to expect from this song and its connection to one of your past singles?
Sarina: “Melancholy Roads (No More)” is an orchestral ballad that is a culmination of years of self isolation only to open my eyes and recognize community. The song is supposed to be a sort of coin flip from “Yuu-Utsu na Michi” (Melancholy Roads) which was a J-pop song about following your dreams and persevering in the face of loneliness. Where “Yuu-utsu na Michi” uses a lot of synthesized instruments and is a generally fast paced song, “Melancholy Roads (No More)” is mostly piano with accompaniment from violins, viola and cello. It’s slow, it’s heartfelt and it’s incredibly emotionally raw. I think in a lot of ways, glorifying sad or negative emotions is easy. It’s comfortable to look at our darkness and say “this is me.” But there is a strength that comes from looking at our darkness, and making a conscious decision to reject it. To say “I am more than this and I am not alone.”
Interviewed By Sarah Curry
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