Where are you from?
I grew up near a small fishing village called Steveston on the outskirts of Vancouver, BC (Canada).
What is your earliest memory of music?
My parents took me to see the New York touring production of Les Miserables when I was about 4 years old, and I remember being in absolute awe of the whole thing – especially the music! It was like nothing I had seen or heard before. I was literally standing on the seats, totally speechless. My favourite song was one Cosette sang called “Castle On A Cloud.” The gunfire and cannon shots really scared me though, so I had to cover my ears for those bits haha.
When did you start being an artist?
I think artists are born artists, the call is always there. The journey an artist must take is one of answering the call, and discovering the path of how to connect to others with your art. I always knew I was going to do something in music, even at a very young age. In fact, I can’t even remember a time when music wasn’t a huge part of my life.
Apparently I sang before I spoke, started piano lessons at age 6, then saxophone at 11, guitar at 13, and it kind of all took off from there! I was in all the high school bands, choirs, combos, and a member of every honour group/ensemble in my city.
How would you describe your style?
I would say my music is an upbeat fusion of soul, disco, MOR and pop, with elements of jazz. In terms of songwriting, my partner and I write in a similar style to the golden age of Brill Building songwriting duos (think Goffin & King, Weil & Mann, Sadaka & Greenfield, etc).
Are there any particular themes or messages that you often explore in your music?
My writing partner and I tend to write “grown-up” songs. The themes I/we seem to explore a lot are the assumptions that are made about traditional relationships. Does marriage really mean “‘till death do us part?” Should one always struggle through stoically in a relationship that isn’t working, or do some relationships have a natural “sell-by date” that should be observed to save both people a lot of pain?
What is the meaning behind your stage name?
My stage name is…just my name! But I think a name is like a mask. I can still “play” Sandra-Mae Lux the performer on stage, but then go home and play Sandra-Mae Lux the pyjama-ed bookworm who goes to bed with herbal tea.
What is the story behind your most famous song?
My track “Moment In The Sun” came from a feeling of frustration with being told what to do, what to say, look like, etc. I was just tired of people proselytizing about how people should run their lives and careers. So, I wanted to write an upbeat song dedicated to anyone who had ever felt marginalized, put-upon, and use this song as an anthem to break free, feel positive and just have fun!
What is the hardest thing about being an artist?
The hardest thing about being an artist (especially an independent one) is just trying to survive and make more art.
With record inflation, staggering financial inequality and a massive cost of living crisis (plus the fact that streaming does not pay), it’s almost impossible to make a living as an artist right now. Even the costs of gigging and touring are economically prohibitive. I work a few day jobs to be able to pay for rent, food, etc and also to pay for things like production and mastering costs, and other musicians to play on tracks. Working day jobs really makes it much more difficult to allow creativity and inspiration to happen. And even with those multiple jobs, it is quite a balancing act. It’s frustrating because I have so much music inside of me, so many more songs just dying to get out into the world, but the financial reality is that this can’t happen on a regular basis.
What’s the best thing about being an artist?
My favourite thing is that feeling you get when everything comes together in the right way, at the right time, with the right elements to create something that is a part of you, and a part of the universe as a whole. It’s finding that connection to the divine, and then getting out of your own way so that it can work through you.
Another one of my favourite moments as an artist is finally hearing a song we’ve written being played by a whole band of incredible musicians, and it sounding even better than you could have even imagined! That is a pretty incredible feeling.
What are your goals for your music career?
My biggest goal is to just be able to make a living as an artist so that I can continue to create and release music.
The current system of remuneration for an artist is unsustainable. Purchasing music directly or becoming a patron to an artist, cuts out the middleman.
If I have to work a bunch of day jobs just to survive, that leaves me very little time and mental capacity to create new work.
Composers and artists like Mozart and Beethoven were financially resourced through direct patronage. Maybe it’s time to look at that system again.
What do you like to do in your free time (outside of music)?
I love exercising, visiting with friends, cooking, watching movies and relaxing at home with a great glass of red wine. I like interior decorating and DIY. I’m also a professional voice over, so that’s a big part of my life too!
What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?
That I’m actually a pretty big introvert! Some people call me an extroverted introvert haha. When I’m out meeting friends or just in public I just love connecting with people, but it does take a lot out of me. So I definitely spend more time at home alone than out, and when I do go out I need a good amount of time to rest and recover.
What does a typical day look like for you?
It depends on the day! If I’m working one of my day jobs, I’ll wake up and do that. But on a day off I’ll have tea in bed, exercise, eat a healthy brunch, and then do life admin or work on writing a song, recording, mixing, editing, etc.
Do you have any upcoming projects we can be excited about?
Yes! Along with continuing on the soul/funk/disco train, it seemed like there were a whole bunch of new original jazz “standards” that wanted to come out. I’ve recorded half of this album, and once I get more funds I’ll record the other half. All very exciting, especially because I get to play a lot more sax!
What are some of the standout tracks on your latest project?
I re-recorded and re-mixed my Christmas song called “Where Is Christmas Now” and with added backing vocals and a piano solo, it really sounds beautiful. I also really liked the single “Perfect Weather” which came out in the summer. Working with Juno award winning producer Chris SD on that track was a thrill!
What are your favorite topics to write about?
Every song is a love song at its heart, but my favourite topics to cover with my writing partner are really about “grown-up” issues in relationships.
Paradoxically, I also write about the trauma that I’ve experienced in my life. It can be incredibly cathartic, and writing out some of the traumatic moments allows me to finally let them go. Actually writing and singing them out means they no longer hold power over me.
How do you deal with creative block or artist block?
Well, I just keep writing – even if it’s really bad!
Not everything is a staggering work of genius, but sometimes you just need to start something, and push through to the end. And if it’s total garbage, that’s fine! There’s always another song that wants to come out into the world.
What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Were it not for encouragement from my extraordinary high school music teacher Jeremy Hepner, I might not be here. He opened my eyes to what a career in music could actually be, that it was even possible. And frankly if Jeremy hadn’t caught me at that time, I probably would have gone into some other career altogether, and been a very very unhappy person.
In my last year of highschool he said to me “you don’t pursue music, music pursues you.” He went on to say that you can either do it now while you’re young, or find out that you have to do it later on, when it’s a lot harder!
What was the best show or tour you have ever been on?
The best show I did was when I first played the songs there are on my first album live. It was such a thrill to play these songs live for the first time, and so many of my friends and family (and strangers) came out to the show! It was a joy to see so many people connect with the music, and come to me after the show and say which songs had really touched them.
What’s been your favorite moment of your career so far? Where can people find your music online?
Hearing these new jazz standards being played by a killing rhythm section was a huge thrill!! And we got such incredible results in the studio; it was like the studio gods were on our side that afternoon.
If you’d like to support me in continuing to record and release music, please consider buying my music on iTunes or BandCamp.
You can find my music on all major streaming platforms at https://linktr.ee/sandramaelux
