Careful Confessions

Her sound has been described as everything from Norah Jones to Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple to Alicia Keyes. It is tempting to make comparisons but she's much more than a carbon copy. In fact, she is anything but. Influenced by soul, jazz, rock, and pop-her writing is bold, honest, and edgy. Intelligent, unpredictable lyrics and melodies delivered courtesy of a truly soulful and powerful voice, Sara's music is something that definitely sets her apart. Sara sang and performed in her native Humboldt County community productions and high school ensembles, but has no formal training in either voice or piano. Much of her adolescence was spent perched in front of a worn piano teaching herself chords and scribbling out simple melodies and lyrics. Though her first compositions 'Star Sweeper' and 'I love a Parade' didn't win her any Grammies they remain testimony to the fact that songwriting has been a passion of this 25 year-old since a young age. Over the years, those early compositions have grown into songs that are currently heard in independent films, television, and on local radio. The first performances seen only by the walls of the house she grew up in are now experienced by hundreds of people at a time. A graduate of UCLA's Communication Studies Department, Sara has spent the last three of her seven years in Los Angeles developing her skills as a songwriter, vocalist and performer. She can currently be seen performing at local venues, festivals, and universities on a regular basis. In 2003, she co-produced her first independent studio demo, 'Careful Confessions.' She exhibits an insatiable thirst to challenge herself and find new ways to tap into her own creativity. 'This recording was a milestone for me, and a lesson in understanding the relationship between being in creative control and knowing exactly what you want. I was very humbled by my own lack of confidence and vision. It made me crave a better understanding of my own music, and what I love about the music from my favorite artists. It made me realize the role of a producer and my own capacity to fulfill that role. The whole experience was very powerful, and the final product is a tangible piece of my learning process. I'm nowhere near being finished. Now, I want to do it all over again.' In April 2005, Sara signed a record deal with Epic Records. She is fast approaching the next level in her career, and she is thrilled, but has reservations about trying to find her niche within the music industry. While her pursuit of a career in music was never really in question, Sara is finding difficulty in deciphering where her path leads now. 'I know where I want to go. I guess I'm just becoming more aware of the millions of different ways to get there. I'm struggling to find my identity as an artist in an industry that seems to punish you for needing time to figure it out. I'm going after my career goals in a way that makes me feel confident in the decisions I'm making and allows the music to speak for itself. If I achieve a more modest level of exposure because of this, so be it. It's about the music. End of story.'