After spending the last few years building and developing his sound, emerging newcomer Sasha Dawe is now ready to introduce himself to the wider world as he delivers his dreamy debut single 'Baby Blue'.
Capturing a wonderfully warm and breezy aesthetic for his initial offering, reminiscent of The Whitest Boy Alive and Jeff Tweedy, 'Baby Blue' makes for a rousing introduction to his sound. With his rich and textured voice layered across a humbled acoustic-led production from start to finish, he is definitely one to keep a firm eye on for the months ahead.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I want to say the guitar, but if I really think about it, it would have to be the voice. Early memories of my mother or father singing to me before I slept at night come rushing back right now. As a child I loved singing to animals, I somehow picked up at a young age that the voice was incredibly powerful - it’s definitely the first instrument I fell in love with.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Well, I was quite rebellious when I was younger, so when I turned old enough to collect and manage my own music I naturally gravitated toward more rebellious music. Bands like Blink 182, System of a Down, Alien Ant Farm, Linkin Park. But I loved other stuff too, in particular, I remember latching onto Dido, Gorillaz and Outkast.
What was the first album you remember owning?
That is a good question as I now have to reveal what I regard to be a guilty pleasure. The first album I remember owning came in the form of a CD which was given to me by someone my father used to work with, and it was an album called Let Go by Avril Lavigne.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
A song that I aspire to from a writing point of view, would have to be Moonshadow by Cat Stevens/Yusuf. They say you know something well when you can explain it in simple terms. In Moonshadow, Cat Stevens uses the human body as a subject and imagines that he loses the functioning of some crucial limbs. But he remains completely grounded, drawing strength from the moon and its shadow. The moon is a symbol for water and water a symbol for life. He masterfully writes a song in appreciation of life and makes it relatable to everyone.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Not particularly, as I try not to overcomplicate it. New songs for me, usually come after a little while of strumming around on the guitar and humming for the melody. Then I record the ideas onto my voice memos on my I-phone. Sometimes I forget about them for a while then pick them up later and sometimes, I get totally affected and will have to finish the song as soon as I can.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
At the moment I’m listening a lot to Townes Van Zandt, Tom Paxton, Kris Kristofferson (The Law Is for the Protection of the People), Melody Gardot.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Alice Phoebe Lou. She’s awesome.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The feeling you get when you finish writing a song that you’ve been working on for a while.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Until now, probably the whole marketing and releasing process. The effort often doesn’t seem to pay off, so I guess the frustrating part is grappling with patience.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Don’t give up.
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Sasha Dawe's debut single 'Baby Blue' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.