Sarah Osborne is a singer-songwriter from the west coast of Canada. Hailing from a musical family and holding a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, this songstress and sea queen draws inspiration from the ballads of her childhood and the beauty and harshness of the natural world.
Like a tumbleweed going with the wind, Sarah is a natural rambler. She has played vastly diverse stages, from train cars crossing the country as part of the ‘Via Rail Artists on Board Program’, to house concerts in the Maritimes, outdoor bars in Honduras, and the Capital Ballroom in Victoria, BC. She appears as a one-woman show, alongside peers, and often with her talented backing band “The Magic Buttons”. As a performer, she thrives on the emotional connection she builds with her audience via her songs and light hearted storytelling.
Merging art and nature in the vessel of her music, Sarah aspires to empower people to take care of the environment. She believes art is a powerful tool in encouraging people to make positive personal changes. This will ensure that the benefits and beauty of caring for our ecosystems and each other are valued for generations to come.
Sarah is currently taking a pause from her science career and wanderlust ways and is living on Gabriola Island in a tiny home among the trees. Most days she can be found working on her latest recording project SEASONS (a 4 part series of seasonally released mini albums), getting her hands in the dirt, and sharing a good laugh with the locals.
On “Autumn Wind,” Sarah’s distinctive voice purrs out a a story of finding belonging. In our interview, she tells us more about the “Seasons” project and how she builds collaborations.
Does your album have an overarching theme?
I have a bit of an obsession with the weather, and I had a spark of creative genius (and to split up the cost and timeline) and do a an EP for every season. The songs were already written, and it was just a matter of using a wall of post-it’s to organize them seasonally. The Seasons project is also a great exercise in limitation. Each 4 song EP is and will be recorded in two weekend sessions and then sent out to the world promptly after. We avoid the curse of perfection in this way. This is also the first recording project I have done with my band The Magic Buttons. “Volume I // The Heat” came out this summer, and this fall, October 22nd , I am releasing “Volume II // The Wind”. There will be two more to correspond with the coming seasons and a compilation of the four EPs will be released on vinyl & CD in Spring 2022.
Who would you love to collaborate with? Why?
I am a lover of long-term collaborations through solid relationships. Like Elton and Bernie. There are some brilliant women coming up on the scene around me right now and I have great interest in collaborating with them. For me it’s a slow burn, the friendship needs to brew naturally, and then comes collaboration. I find social media so useful in forming collaborations these days. It starts simple, with likes and comments and becoming fans of each other’s work and vibe. Then you get to a point where you’re merging minds, cultures, ideas, energy, and voices and that is a very powerful thing.
How do you manage having a good time at shows, but also trying to stay mentally and physically fit?
I like this question because it is something I am still trying to balance. In fact, I am currently working on a song about “la balance”. I often reach out or observe what other touring artists do to stay healthy, and I have toured with some folks who were a very good influence in this respect. Recently, I was on the road all over the place for a couple weeks– late nights, long drives, not great sleeps, lots of people & energy, celebratory imbibing. I am now nursing myself back to health.
It is NOT easy to be a roaddog and stay healthy. But I believe it is so important to keep the lifestyle sustainable. I do my best to take in moments of self-care when I can –
walks, stretches, eating well, hydrating, going to bed when I am tired. I also often check in with my bandmates and team and we share and support each other. Bringing and sustaining my healthy routine of home life on the road is the goal!
Do you play covers at your shows? Why or why not?
I like to sneak a little cover in here and there at my shows. Sometimes it’s a “Tennessee Whiskey/I’d Rather Go Blind” mashup or a slowed down version of the Boss’s “Dancing in the Dark”. Each “Seasons” EP has a cover on it & our upcoming Fall EP has one of my uncle’s songs on it! It’s always a challenging and fun exercise to do my own version of my favourite songs. I find people often relate to covers, so it’s nice to engage them in that way.
What’s the best way a fan can support you?
The best way a fan can support me is to share my art with their people.