{"id":17587,"date":"2017-08-04T13:31:14","date_gmt":"2017-08-04T20:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/?p=17587"},"modified":"2017-08-04T14:26:17","modified_gmt":"2017-08-04T21:26:17","slug":"song-and-exclusive-interview-sarah-mcgowan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2017\/08\/song-and-exclusive-interview-sarah-mcgowan\/","title":{"rendered":"Song Premiere and Exclusive Interview Sarah McGowan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17596\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-17-cover-art-panorama.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-17 - cover art panorama\" width=\"660\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-17-cover-art-panorama.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-17-cover-art-panorama-300x127.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>SONG PREMIERE\u00a0&amp; WEB-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Musician:<strong> \u00a0<\/strong><strong>SARAH McGOWAN<\/strong><br \/>\nExclusive Song Premiere:\u00a0 \u201c<strong>Riding in Cars with Men<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n<h1><strong>Women\u2019s Safety and Vulnerability Are the Focus of Sarah McGowan\u2019s Dark Dream Pop Track \u201cRiding in Cars With Men\u201d<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/323414090&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"660\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>A Potentially Dangerous Encounter Inspires a Compelling Song, as a Young Artist Hopes to Spark a Conversation About Consent <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Indie pop\/rock artist Sarah McGowan is no stranger to praise. Over the last two years, she has earned comparisons to such acclaimed artists as Sara Bareilles, Dolly Parton (on NPR, no less), Ingrid Michaelson, Natalie Merchant and others.<\/p>\n<p>With her riveting new Dream Pop track, \u201cRiding in Cars With Men,\u201d she is likely to evoke thoughts of contemporary acts including Phantogram and Banks, as well as industry faves Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17597\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-4.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-4\" width=\"660\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-4.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-4-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/>The sound is new for McGowan, and the disquieting sonic template is intentional, rooted in her personal experience of feeling vulnerable and needing to find her voice to say \u2018no\u2019 to a man who caught her off guard, and made unwanted advances. McGowan comments, \u201c\u2018Riding in Cars with Men\u2019 is a song about getting into a potentially dangerous situation with a man. It\u2019s actually about a true event that happened to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We talked with Sarah McGowan about her songwriting and creative process, the social significance of art in society, the unique times we live in\u2014and the unusual places she finds inspiration.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>SARAH McGOWAN Web-Exclusive Interview<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>with\u00a0<em>M Music &amp; Musicians<\/em>\u00a0magazine publisher, Merlin David<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Tell us how the idea of \u201cRiding in Cars with Men\u201d came to you.<\/strong><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>It was inspired by a true event that happened to me. I once went with a man to a bar thinking it was a networking opportunity. But once I was there, I quickly realized that was not his intention and he wanted to come home with me. He even went so far as to get into my taxi with me\u2014uninvited\u2014at the end of the night. Luckily, I was able to politely decline his advances, but that experience has stuck with me. I remember how vulnerable and afraid I felt while he followed me home, and how difficult it was to find my voice and say \u201cNo.\u201d Writing \u201cRiding in Cars with Men\u201d helped me process the whole event and learn from the experience. Hopefully it\u2019ll resonate with listeners who have been in similar situations.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17595\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-5.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-5\" width=\"660\" height=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-5.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-5-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-5-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>How do the times we now live in inform this song?<\/strong><br \/>\nI think we live in a time where it is often inconvenient to be a woman. From the threat of losing health services like Planned Parenthood to the wage gap, being a woman is a constant fight. We also hear about violent assaults nearly every day, even in places where one should feel safe\u2014like college campuses. It\u2019s unsettling to realize how common these incidents are. I think a lot of women will relate to \u201cRiding in Cars with Men\u201d and how we often get ourselves into situations where we feel powerless. If we can talk about these experiences, we can start to fix them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do you hope this song will accomplish?<\/strong><br \/>\nI hope this song will join the larger conversations that have been started about consent and women\u2019s safety. Although my story turned out ok, I think it\u2019s important to have a dialogue about incidents like this, with both women and men, and how they can be avoided. Women need to realize that they have the power to leave a situation they don\u2019t feel comfortable in, and men need to understand that nothing short of a clear \u201cyes\u201d is consent. I\u2019m optimistic that if these conversations continue and expand, the younger generations will have a much different view of what is OK and what is not.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why do you think it\u2019s important to write songs with social significance\u2014songs that have greater value\/meaning?<\/strong><br \/>\nDuring difficult times, art is often at its peak. Art is such a healthy medium to use as an outlet for heavy emotions. Music is an especially wonderful outlet since it is such a universal and accessible medium. I find it much easier to express emotions and messages through music than in any other way. In our fast-paced world, someone is more likely to listen to a song that has a message than to take the time to read a newspaper article or essay. So art has a very important job in today\u2019s society.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17594\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-6.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-6\" width=\"660\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-6.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-6-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>How can one be vigilant?<\/strong><br \/>\nCheck your gut. My gut is not that great. As a woman, watch out for yourself and watch out for your friends. Try not to get yourself in situations\u2014trust your gut.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there a new album on the horizon?<\/strong><br \/>\nI\u2019m currently working on writing and recording more songs with my producer and songwriting partner, Jason Boule. Fun fact\u2014Jason and I have never actually met. We\u2019ve been connected since 2012 when we both were student representatives for GRAMMY U in college\u2014he in San Francisco and me in New York. We started sending tracks back and forth about a year ago. All the work on the track was done remotely in our respective studios\u2014mine at Engine Room Audio in NYC and his in his house in Santa Cruz, California. I\u2019m really excited about the music Jason and I are creating together. I\u2019m planning on collecting a group of these songs and releasing an EP later this year. It\u2019ll be an EP of five songs\u2014different style from others I\u2019ve done\u2014pop-rock-folk, now Indie pop \/ dream pop\u2014darker edgier songs. I\u2019m growing up, and have had my heart broken.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who inspired you to write songs?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy biggest musical inspiration is Sheryl Crow. When I was 14, my aunt and uncle took me to see her in concert and it blew my mind. I had no idea that music could be that powerful\u2014and that a woman could rock out like that. It was a turning point in my life and inspired me to pursue music. Sheryl is still my favorite artist. I recently saw her perform live and felt the magic all over again.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17593\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-8.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-8\" width=\"660\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-8.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-8-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What made you <em>want <\/em>to write songs?<\/strong><br \/>\nFor me, songwriting has always been about expression. Songwriting is a really effective way of sharing ideas and feelings. A good song should make you actually feel the writer\/performer\u2019s emotions. As a writer and listener, that\u2019s my ultimate goal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is your creative process for writing songs?<\/strong><br \/>\nTypically, I write songs around a hook. I have hooks and chorus parts pop into my head pretty frequently and I record them on my iPhone. Then when I sit down and write, I write the rest of the song around that musical idea. For my current project, my songwriting partner\/producer Jason Boule has been sending me beats and I\u2019ll top-line them. It\u2019s been an interesting way to expand my \u201csound\u201d\u2014and has pushed me to write in a different way. The songs we\u2019ve been creating have been really special and I\u2019m excited to share them in the near future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What songwriting tip would you like to offer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m all about the hook in a song. I try to make sure that every song I write has a part that people will remember and be able to sing along to. This is true whether I\u2019m writing an upbeat pop or a darker rock song\u2014you want it to stick in people\u2019s heads long after they\u2019ve finished listening.<\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17592\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-12.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-12\" width=\"660\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-12.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-12-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/>What equipment helps you write and record?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy home setup is key for me. It\u2019s very simple\u2014a Rode NT1-A condenser mic, Focusrite\u2019s Scarlett 2i2 interface, and Pro Tools on my laptop. It\u2019s great to have this setup at home, since I\u2019m able to quickly record demos and start building tracks. Then I\u2019m able to send the tracks to Jason to work on and use my studio space at Engine Room Audio in NYC to cut final vocals and track additional instruments.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What instruments and accessories can you not live without?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy guitars\u2014acoustic and electric. I have a Guild acoustic and Fender Stratocaster, a Fender amp, and I used D\u2019Addario Strings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What PRO are you with?<\/strong><br \/>\nI am with BMI. I actually have not yet taken advantage of the services they offer, but I know they do great work supporting indie songwriters and artists.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you remember the first time you heard\/saw your song on TV?<\/strong><br \/>\nOne of the coolest moments of my career so far was hearing my song, \u201cWhen I Come Home,\u201d on an advertisement for the Canadian TV show <em>Hello Goodbye<\/em> on CBC. My friend sent me a recording of the ad that he had taken on his phone and I was floored. It was crazy to hear my voice coming out of the TV.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17591\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-13.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-13\" width=\"660\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-13.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-13-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Top 5 Musicians<\/strong><strong>\u00a0who inspired you to become a musician?\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\nSheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, all the Disney princesses (I watched Disney movies constantly as a child), and Elliott Smith.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are your Top 5 favorite albums of all time?<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Blue<\/em> (1971) \u2013 Joni Mitchell<br \/>\n<em>Born and Raised<\/em> (2012) \u2013 John Mayer<br \/>\n<em>Figure 8<\/em> (2000) \u2013 Elliott Smith<br \/>\n<em>Channel Orange<\/em> (2012) \u2013 Frank Ocean<br \/>\n<em>Tapestry<\/em> (1971) \u2013 Carole King<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best advice someone has given you, and best advice you\u2019d give upcoming musicians.<\/strong><br \/>\nMy advice to other artists is the advice my parents constantly tell me\u2014just keep going. You can\u2019t stop working and hustling, even when you\u2019re discouraged. Use the rejection as fuel to make yourself work harder\u2014and prove everyone wrong. And, don\u2019t burn bridges. Be polite to <em>everyone<\/em>\u2014it\u2019s a small industry.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17590\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-14.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-14\" width=\"660\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-14.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-14-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s next?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I just did a single release show at the Rockwood Music Hall Stage 1 in NYC this past Friday. I\u2019m working on writing more songs for an EP that I\u2019m hoping to release later this year. Along with that, I\u2019m working on a new badass stage show to showcase my new material. I\u2019ll hopefully hit the road after the EP is released.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where can your new fans get more info and stay updated?<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.SarahMcGowanMusic.com\">www.SarahMcGowanMusic.com<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.Facebook.com\/sarahmcgowanmusic\">www.Facebook.com\/sarahmcgowanmusic<\/a><br \/>\nInstagram: @sarahmcgowanmusic<br \/>\nTwitter: @smcgowanmusic<br \/>\nSnapchat: smcgowan09<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17589\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-16-cover-art.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah McGowan-16 - cover art\" width=\"660\" height=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-16-cover-art.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-16-cover-art-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sarah-McGowan-16-cover-art-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SONG PREMIERE\u00a0&amp; WEB-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Musician: \u00a0SARAH McGOWAN Exclusive Song Premiere:\u00a0 \u201cRiding in Cars with Men\u201d Women\u2019s Safety and Vulnerability Are the Focus of Sarah McGowan\u2019s Dark Dream Pop Track \u201cRiding in Cars With Men\u201d A Potentially Dangerous Encounter Inspires a Compelling Song, as a Young Artist Hopes to Spark a Conversation About Consent Indie pop\/rock [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7725],"tags":[9422,9424,9425,5879,9426,5736,9427,9428,9430,2744,9429,811,9431,3990,9432,9433,8968,1817,9434,9435,9436,7964,9437,3114,8155,8178,9438,1674,991,7566,9439,3010,7978,278,9440,9441,806,9442,9443,9444,9445,2310,9446,9447,1197,9423,9448,8157],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17587"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17587"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17601,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17587\/revisions\/17601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}