Author: Robert
EraseRestart, 1st issue: When at home & when in worry
My Greek passport is less European than I thought.
“Greek anger over Schengen checks at German airports. Athens has lodged a demarche with Berlin over increased checks on Greek travelers at German airports that contravene procedures stipulated in the Schengen Agreement”. – source ekathimerini.com
YES! With a delay…
I emailed the Greek Embassy in Berlin regarding the extensive passport control a while ago. It happened to me and not just one time. Greeks are on the long list of the ones treated like second, third class citizens. Anger is the first emotion that fills my body, frustration’s what comes next next. Because passport control is not only happening at the airports; it’s become a state of mind for many.
I grew up with the understanding that we’re all equal. After traveling and settling in abroad, I realised that not only I was wrong about equality, but also that even *I* could be targeted as one of a lesser importance. In my case, it’s because of where I was born.
Passport control, soul control
As I’ve met with many lovely people who embraced me for who I am and were curious about my heritage, I’ve also met with people who decided to turn their backs on me, from the moment they heard where I came from. Others took it further and put me in the corner, talking to me as if I were “Greece” (quoting their words) and blaming me for stealing their money. I’ve been called lazy and dirty. I’ve been terrorised because I’m coming from a “poor” country. What kind of world is this? Measuring privilege in skin colour, gender, sexual orientation or… a country’s market performance? Putting labels on people because of coincidences? NONE OF US is able to pick where we get born, how we’ll look or what our heritage will be.
I understand that many of you might be here because of the music and probably feel like you didn’t sign up for all of this. Since I started releasing music on my own and through my work, I feel compelled to share my experiences and talk about topics that many of my peers prefer to keep their lips sealed. I don’t feel like a saviour nor do I do it because I like ranting. Or because I’m “negative” and “angry” as some people called me in the past. I do it because I believe that we can do a whole lot better in our societies and as individuals.
It’s all made up!
Nobody deserves to feel like a second, third class citizen because there is no such thing. It’s all made up! Privilege is made up because money is made up – everything we know is made up and most likely roots back to centuries ago. We’re progressing technologically, but not when it comes to our ideals and social systems. This shall be questioned and our problems must be treated with care, then solved. Not sure if fully relying on politics brings the ultimate cure – each and every one of us must do their bit.
Conscious living is key. Respecting and being kind to one another should be taught at school next to the ABC. And for goodness’ sake, let’s all stop playing police.
Thanks for reading.
Sarah x
A Summer Prince, Athens, The Sea & My Teenage Dreams
Hi everyone,
I hope you’re doing great. I’m writing you from Athens where I’ve been for the last month. Today I’m sharing with you a very special video for “Summer Prince” from my recently released debut album Who Am I. It’s very candid, like the song itself – very spontaneous, summery and Greek, if you please. It’s filmed in Marathon and features me… basically, being me. I hope that you’ll enjoy watching/listening it and I wish for all of you to get the chance to visit the sea this summer. Even if it’s just for a couple of hours, like my husband and I did!
A few words for Athens
I’m always asked if I’m visiting Athens too often and how people get by during these hard times for Greece. I didn’t visit my hometown for almost a year and I have to admit that many things have changed since then. What hasn’t changed though is the Greek desire of living a good life. The bars, the restaurants, the cafes – they’re all full of vibrant people who spend their evenings exchanging views on matters that others wouldn’t dare to discuss. In my culture, things are somewhat simpler and the whole point of life is to live it well. I worship that. Greeks will never get on their knees – as long as the sun’s shining above their heads, as long as the sour orange trees fill the evenings with their distinct perfume. It’s magical, it’s like a dream!
The purpose of my trip to Athens is mainly for the promotion of my album Who Am I. There are many amazing features coming up and I’m beyond excited to share them with you. However, yesterday we got the chance to get away for a couple of hours and go to the sea, dip our feet in the sand and get inspired by the perpetual movement of the water.
The video of “Summer Prince”
In contrast to all those amazing, big productions that come out every day, we went for spontaneity and let the scenery speak for itself. “Summer Prince” is inspired by summer holidays with my parents, while road tripping across Greece (through Crete, especially), seeing the landscapes changing and waiting for the moment I would sneak a peak of the sea – the place where I wanted to be the most.
“Summer Prince” is also inspired by all those vivid dreams I had as a teenager and young adult. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic and during those sensitive years where unrequited love was one of the greatest themes of my life, I used to spend a lot of time alone, by the sea, contemplating about all those ifs and maybes that would make me able to be loved back. Later on, at night, whilst asleep, a summer prince – my summer prince, would come to find me. He would give me all those things I wished for – romantic strolls at the beach, sweet conversations about nothing. He would look me right in the eyes because I was the only one he saw. Then he would leave me, and I would think that my dreams were more exciting than my actual life. I would wait for him to come back again the next night – sometimes he did, some others not.
Nostalgia, innocence, and authenticity
When thinking about my childhood and teenage years, I always tend to be nostalgic, while as a kid I was always looking forward to becoming an adult. It was even him – the “Summer Prince” himself – who told me that better days were on their way and that what I wished for would find me later on. And it did. It surely did.
Life can be hard on us – teaching us lessons and showing us tough love. The moments I catch myself to be more suspicious and skeptical, I feel very disappointed in myself. When my gran tells me that I used to laugh and smile more, I get sad. Unfortunately, we’re teaching our children that innocence is equivalent of a simpler mind, of stupidity. We wish for them to be canny, otherwise, we tell me they will be taken advantage of. And most likely they will. Innocence is a gift given to be taken away later on, sometimes savagely. But there can be dots in time that bring it out again – or at least a memory of that feeling where all that mattered was being in the moment without having second thoughts. I think that my husband, Robert, captured through his lens that exact burst of innocence and authenticity, and as spontaneous as we were yesterday, we want to be the same today – cutting frames together and sharing sequences of a day at the sea, as visuals for “Summer Prince”.
I really hope that our video will bring to you the same feelings of being and feeling free. And I really wish for you to live it up on a daily basis.
Much love,
Sarah
My debut album Who Am I is out now:
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2q87R38
iTunes: http://geni.us/rQaGq2
Amazon: http://geni.us/N7YU3Hq
GooglePlay: http://geni.us/guQD
FAQ: My Debut Album WHO AM I
Photo by Fotini Chora
Hi everyone,
I hope my words find you well, somewhere safe and lovely. Today WHO AM I was released and I’m beyond excited. It’s quite different from what you’ve heard from me so far, however, it’s still electronic and weird. I keep my awkward in tact.
I’ve been asked lately by several people about my writing process & my label EraseRestart. Today, I thought of sharing with you some behind the scenes – where did I write the record, where did I produce it & how did I put it out? What I’d like you to keep in mind is that my reality is similar to the reality of many of my peers. More and more artists are founding their own labels nowadays & some of them are even self-published. You might have picked it up from somewhere, that the music industry is struggling (like every other industry). So here I am, shedding some light on what it means to be an indie, DIY artist in 2017 and sharing some inside information about WHO AM I.
Where was WHO AM I written?
I wrote my album at home, in Berlin. To be more specific, I wrote everything while in bed, like a true bedroom musician. At the time I had an old laptop that would turn off the moment I unplugged the charger. However, I didn’t need more than that – it was more than enough for me to compose, write the lyrics, record my demos and pre-produce all of my songs. Now, you’ll ask what does it mean to “pre-produce”? Well, it means that except for the vocals, the guitars, the bass and a couple of synths that were recorded later on, at the studio, I came up with the sounds, the initial arrangement & structure of the songs. That’s why my name is also credited as a producer. Why do I need to mention that? Well, I have the feeling that, especially as a female artist, I always need to justify all the bits and parts of my work, which feels a bit weird. You’ll rarely read a post about a male artist that’s stating the producer and the studio where he recorded, but when it’s about a female artist, all details have to be stated as some sort of verification process. Obviously, that has nothing to do with you and me who love music and worship it, but more with the outdated mess of the music industry and its unwillingness to accept all that’s different from what it’s used to idolise.
Tracklist
1. A Letter From Urban Street
2. ForgetRegret
3. Away From Me
4. Instead Of You
5. LoveStory
6. Summer Prince
7. Who Am I
8. Millennial Girl
9. To You
10. Berlin During Winter
Where to get WHO AM I
Buy: iTunes | Amazon | GooglePlay
Stream: Spotify | Deezer | Apple Music
What is the album about?
I have previously addressed how WHO AM I is like an ode to humanity. One will quickly notice that while an ode is always positive, my album appears to criticise the modern societies quite a lot. However, despite our era being all about either godifying or ostracising people, my ambition was to create something that, in its imperfection is humanly & beautiful. And as all of us break and mend, so do my songs. Whenever I criticise something, I always try to find something to praise, too. Even on “Millennial Girl”, I make clear that the heroine of my song is aware of her situation and the vanity she’s surrounded by. I chose to show it from the perspective of a woman who grew up amidst all technological evolution. However, although technology seems to progress, she is still hung up on false stereotypes (“they say if I lose 50 pounds I will look pretty for my bae”) and feels lost (“my family and friends say I live on the edge”). What’s important to mention is that, although there might be some people who are acting like my “Millennial Girl”, I don’t suggest, generalise or imply that my song refers to my generation. I based my song on what media and older generations assume the millennials to be.
What’s each song about?
“A Letter From Urban Street” is about loss. “ForgetRegret” is about acknowledging and standing up for what’s right for you. “Away From Me” is about always have been the weird kid. “LoveStory” is about healing. “Instead Of You” is about the futility of war. “Summer Prince” is about heartbreak and trust issues. “Who Am I” is about one’s lost identity. “Millennial Girl” is about the portrayal of millennials on the Internet and the media (FAKE NEWS!). “To You” is about finding true love. Last but not least, “Berlin During Winter” is the most personal song of WHO AM I & is about my struggles with mental illness. And Berlin.
Where was WHO AM I recorded?
The album was written at home and recorded where I consider to be my professional/second home. I recorded it in my hometown – Athens, Greece at Artracks Studios – the studio where it all started for me. And honestly, if it wasn’t for George Priniotakis (with whom I produced WHO AM I), I wouldn’t be sitting here today. It’s a decade since I set my foot in Artracks for the first time. It was also where I met with my old bandmate & recorded all of our songs. Working on my first solo album at a place where it feels safe was like a dream come true and I’m very grateful to all those who made this possible for me.
OK, but how do you release a record?
Once the record is mixed and mastered, one can start the process of the release. There’s a lot of planning and scheduling. I work together with my husband, who’s also my manager. I also work closely with my distributor and my publisher. Very roughly, the distributor is the one who makes sure that an album is available on all shops and platforms, while the publisher is the one who takes care of other administrative tasks, like listings, registering the songs etc. However, there are even more office tasks for my husband and I to take care of like planning, promoting, budgeting & producing more content around the album (e.g. videos, photographs, interviews). When I decided to run my own label, I thought of it as something really cool. At the time, I was used to having other people taking care of everything that seemed too “businessy” and “boring”. Early enough I understood that, while running your own label can be very empowering, it’s also a really hard work.
Will there be a physical release of WHO AM I?
Yes, but not quite yet. Stay tuned!
Are there any touring plans?
No, there will be no live shows, at least for now. That’s by choice. You can read more about it here.
I think that’s all for now. I hope I answered all your questions. And I really hope that you’ll enjoy listening WHO AM I.
Much love,
Sarah
My “Berlin During Winter” playlist
Hi everyone,
I hope y’all doing great. The sun seems to be coming out – the winter is almost over. It was a tough winter with so many things to process. Core values are at stake, people’s lives are at stake and this is a reality that we face – a dance that we must dance. But fear not – I know first hand that many artists out there are writing songs for you and I and all the people who care and worry about what’s to come next. I know it because I come across so many wonderfully talented people on a daily basis. I made a playlist on Spotify for us all who, despite the better weather and the first blooms, we’re feeling weary and gloomy in this uncertain world. However, we can’t just feel and be blue – we need to stand up to bring the change.
Artists want to be and want you to be aspirant of a better future.
Melancholy and sadness have their art. While snooping around other artists profiles, I noticed that most of the songs that were written in the past couple of years are not just sad. There’s a hope coming with them, whether in the form of a brighter melody or of a more optimistic line. Artists want to be and want you to be aspirant of a better future – one that we build and not one that’s imposed on us. There’s so much to look forward to and so much to improve – and yeah, there will be sad moments ahead of us, as well as happy ones, too. I hope that my picks will not bring you down, but be the light to guide you through these particularly disturbing times. I also hope that you discover some new amazing acts and songs. And just to let you know, I will be updating this playlist all year long.
Onwards and upwards! We’re together in this!
With love,
Sarah
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As I wrote this Spotify playlist is for us all. If you have any song suggestions, feel free to contact me.
Sunny & summery: Berlin During Winter remixed by Holly
Hi everyone,
I hope you’re all doing great, despite the cold and the American depression. It’s pretty much a month since I shared with you the first track of my upcoming record Who Am I. I’m really thankful for all the spins and the lovely notes you sent me. I’m really grateful to all of you and genuinely amazed by your support and feedback. Today, I’m writing to share with you a piece of sunshine. Holly, a very talented young man from Portugal, reworked Berlin During Winter and gave it a South European treatment. And it got sunny and summery – definitely nostalgic and eerie. It lost its rocky edge, but for a very reassuring beat and calming piano melody that’s embracing the words and the feelings. Berlin During Winter is not depressive now – it’s just melancholic, like a beautiful girl with dark lips and a nonchalantly empty look. But she’s got more to it, the song’s got more to it.
As I wrote in my previous letter to you, Berlin During Winter is about all those things that I cannot wrap around my head. I ask you to take a moment and think of all the things that you cannot understand. All those things that are happening in the world and upset you, annoy you or leave you in shock. If the original track feels too heavy for you, perhaps this version will be more soothing to your ears. Perhaps, this version will help you understand better what’s bugging me and why I’m writing all those lengthy texts and notes. And maybe you’ll write to me – the offer still stands. I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts and views and opinions on the world and the politics, the social (in)justice and everything that’s bothering you. My solidarity goes to all of you who feel confused and disoriented. We’ll always have Berlin during winter.
Much love,
Sarah
Berlin During Winter (Holly Remix)
Berlin During Winter