Nashville + My Music Story + My NEW SINGLE!
At the end of July I took a quick but super special and fun work trip to Nashville with two dear friends of mine!
This pretty scene is from the photographer Nicola Harger’s beautiful studio in Nashville
See, Nashville and I have a little bit of history. When I was 18 and fresh out of high school, I packed my bags and my new-to-me guitar and headed west to start music school in music city. I was SO excited and so scared.
In high school, I was heavily involved in choirs, regional honors choirs, competitive ensembles, and musical theater. When I wasn’t doing music in school, I was writing music with my friends in our band (Chasing Salem, for those of you who might have been around for those days!)
I auditioned for one of the most intense music schools in the country and was over the moon to get in! I met one of my best friends there, fell in love and got my heart broken, had a ton of highs but also had a lot of lows. I got diagnosed with clinical depression, lost my grandma (who helped raise me), and my parents went through a bankruptcy I didn’t see coming.
I took a semester to recoup, prayed for a financial miracle, and when God delivered (another story for another post!) I was off to Appalachian State to finish school. I minored in music, was part and eventually president of the campus all-lady a capella group Ear Candy (before a capella was somewhat cool thanks to Pitch Perfect!) and also joined up with another band that was pretty popular on the college circuit!
Michael Alvarado and The Band : )
Boone was home to a sweet season in songwriting for me. It is this little mountain town with incredible nature all around, all hemmed in, with a very artistic culture. I was processing trauma from the previous season, and I remember just sitting on my apartment floor, looking out at the Blue Ridges, playing my guitar and singing out song after song, a few of which I compiled to make my first EP Royalty (which you can still listen to! Just try not to giggle too much!)
Recording my first EP, Royalty
Music has always been a friend to me when I needed one most, even from the time I was a little girl. It has been a therapy, a very real medicine, and one of the best ways for me to express my emotions. I have always done it as a love language between myself and God, but the experience of sharing songs has been its own kind of rewarding! The songs take on their own life as people listen and relate to them through the lens of their story, which never ceases to amaze me.
So when Jess and Tay asked me to join them and provide hair and makeup for their first official photoshoot signed to their new label, I was so excited to have a work-related reason to travel to Nashville! I’ve been on set for tons of photoshoots like this for hair/makeup, and it was a BLAST doing what I do for my friends! I got to meet their whole team from the label and their management, be on set, help them with outfits, and touch up throughout.
It was a blitz of a trip - we flew in early on Monday morning, had the photoshoot, and left Wednesday afternoon. I wasn’t expecting to do much the rest of the trip after the shoot, except tag along with my laptop and do some writing. In a serendipitous turn of events, I got to attend two songwriting co-write sessions with Jess through her label! Co-writing is a popular way to write songs, and is common in Nashville, but I had never tried it before!
I was a little nervous before the first session, but as soon as we started crafting the perfect lines and melodies, I felt right at home! Thankfully Jess and I have a history with songwriting, so we were there as a support for each other. I sincerely hope it’s not the last time I get to experience that!
In the writers room at Integrity Music
I have to admit that I’ve battled with some insecurity with my songwriting and singing, because I often feel like I have to live up to the Sam from college, or people’s expectations of me. But in true form, music is the place I can turn to be myself, exactly as I am in that moment, and create something new, different, and beautiful. Its arms are always open for me!
This year has been a reawakening for me musically, and I am so excited. I’ve continued writing songs throughout the nooks and crannies of the years, but God has taken me through seasons of hiddenness that I am so thankful for. I treasure those times. Jess asked me toward the end of 2018 if I’d like to record something in her and her hubby’s home studio, and I knew it was the perfect opportunity to experience recording again in a safe space, and share something fresh with others!
Sara Maria laying down the strings for Center of It
It took a little while to turn it around, what with Jess and my busy work schedules, but I couldn’t be more proud and more excited! And I can’t wait to use this momentum to continue recording, writing, creating, and sharing music with you all!
Image by Nancy Ray
If you want to check out my new music website, head on over to samantharaysounds.com, where you can stream the song!
Or you can head to Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, Apple Music, or wherever you stream your music to take a listen!
I hope you guys love it, and thank you for cheering me on in all my creative expressions! I’ll end with my favorite quote about art from Andy Warhol:
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” – Andy Warhol
Love y’all, and thank you for being my creative tribe! If you want to read more on my thoughts about creative expression (and why YOU deserve it!), check out this post!
Sincerely, Sam
