After treating us to her wonderful debut single 'Soothe Me' earlier this year, which has already begun to make some serious waves across all streaming services, Irish singer and songwriter Saige has now returned with her highly-anticipated follow-up 'Ultraviolence'.
With influences stemming from alt-pop community such as Christine & The Queens and Sigrid, as well as darker outfits like London Grammar and The xx, 'Ultraviolence' looks set to see the frontwoman blossom into one of the leading names on the new music circuit this year. With her sweet yet powerful voice flowing effortlessly over a bed of atmospheric synths and rising drums, her newest delight delivers that bright and uplifting sound we are all in need of right now.
So with her latest cut doing the rounds right now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what first brought her to the world of music.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
When I was young I was insistent on getting an electric ukulele to write songs on.
What has been the most prominent inspiration behind your music so far?
A lot of the music on this EP was inspired by passing through different phases of a period in my life where I was trying to figure out who I am. At the time I found writing these tracks about what was happening around me cathartic. It was only after sharing them with friends (who are now the band that create Saige) we decided to release.
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
Big love for the Alt/Emo music out in the mid-noughties. This would have been combined with a lot of stuff my parents introduced me to, like Gloria Estefan, Thin Lizzy and Norah Jones.
Can you remember the first song that made you want to pursue a life in music?
It’s a song by an Irish artist called Frances Black called ‘Fear is The Enemy of Love’.
When you wake up in the morning, what kind of music do you like to listen to?
I’m a big fan of Maggie Rogers, and Hozier at the moment for calming morning vibes. But if I’m trying to give myself a kick up the butt to wake up, it’d have to be Grimes or Die Antwoord.
How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?
On this EP, each song is about a different person from that period in my life, and when all together form a little timeline. They don’t have to be particularly close to me and some tracks are about people I only met briefly that made an impact on me at the time.
What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?
I got the incredible experience to support Cher before. She’s such a nice woman and gave some great advice.
Outside of music, what is your biggest passion?
I’d say travel. I’ve been backpacking a few times now and keen to go again, you learn a lot about yourself.
If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?
As I said before, I love to travel so probably something travel related. I actually did a brief stint as a cabin crew but left when missing music got too much. That was a couple of years ago, and actually the beginning of the timeline of this EP.
And what advice would you give to other musicians looking to stay productive through the coronavirus lockdown?
Don’t force it. Don’t feel pressure to be productive, and don’t feel pressure to be unproductive. If it feels natural, write it down and let it flow.
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Saige's new single 'Ultraviolence' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in the player below.