Artist Spotlight: Sarah Katherine Lawless
The rising NYC-based indie-rock artist talks one year of her debut EP, Look What I’m Learning!, and shares a sneak peek into what’s next.
By: Spencyr Aronson
March 24th, 2025
Sounds by Spencyr: Hi Sarah Katherine! Thanks so much for chatting with me today.
To start off, I read in a past interview that you were born in Atlanta. That’s where I grew up! Just wanted to shout that out. Have you been back recently?
Sarah Katherine: Oh my god! I was actually only born there and lived there for maybe five years, but funny enough, a lot of people I’ve met along my musical journey were randomly born in the hospital I was born in, haha.
Small world! You’ve mentioned that your family says you were always singing from a young age. What are some of your earliest memories of music, and how did that shape your path as an artist? Were there any particular artists or genres that had a lasting impact on your sound or style?
SK: I remember getting this handheld recorder as a gift when I was maybe 8, and I would run around the house writing my own songs. No notebook, just singing really loudly at full volume into the recorder. I think one of the songs was called “Outta Control Diva Freak,” but I’m almost positive I just ripped off Super Freak by Rick James, haha. That’s a pretty vivid memory. There was also a lot of singing in the kitchen growing up, and that was amazing because it made me so comfortable with singing out loud in general. Therefore, I was not a quiet child…
As far as genres/artists that had a lasting impact on my sound, I was really a sad pop girl in my youth, but it wasn’t until late high school when I started listening to Sidney Gish and Soccer Mommy! Once college came around, that’s when I really started to write music on the guitar. So, I feel like my songwriting has the catchiness of pop music but the sound of indie, folk-rock, and maybe some grit and desperation as well.
You’ve also mentioned that you felt like a “lost puppy” when you were starting out in music. How did you overcome that feeling and find the confidence to start releasing your own music? What advice would you give to other young artists who are feeling the same way you once did?
SK: It was a long process to really get to the place I am now. Three people in my life were a big proponent. My best friend Nora gave me the impetus, and then my mom and dad really gave me the confidence to go for my music. With Nora, it was a couple of years ago, and we were on the train. I was feeling low and going on and on about how I felt like my music wasn’t reaching people. They basically told me, in a beautiful and blunt way, “It’s because you haven’t released music in years and should.” And with my parents, they have always believed in me so much. So, once they told me I should really go for it, that’s when I did. I guess I just needed to know that people believed in me.
Having a support system means everything to me, so I totally resonate with that. Continuing on, your debut EP Look What I’m Learning! is such a personal and raw reflection of your journey, and it actually came out a *little* over a year ago today! How have your feelings toward the project evolved since then, if at all? What were some of the main things you learned from the release of the project?
SK: It feels like a little time capsule of how I was feeling, what I was dealing with, and what I was learning (haha) at the time. It is my first-ever EP, so it will always be really near and dear to my heart, but I also equate the EP to maybe…orientation week at college. At orientation week, everyone is the extreme of themselves, trying to show everyone who they are, and I think that’s how I feel about that project. I will always feel really attached to God You Get Me, though, since it’s my favorite off the EP. That song really allowed me to be vulnerable. It was also a great production process with Ben Coleman, so that reminded me how much I love music and that it’s the thing I want to give my energy to.
What was the most difficult lesson you learned during its creation, and how did that affect your approach to songwriting?
SK: The biggest thing I learned is that I can’t do it all. And trying to act like I’m this perfect person (when I am very clearly not) is super detrimental. Allowing myself to show the more desperate sides of myself was cathartic for sure, and I think it made the music better. Whenever I’m lying to myself, I can’t write music. It’s as if my mind won’t allow me to write bullshit, haha. Or if it does, it’s usually a really bad song that doesn’t see the light of day.
Switching gears a bit, eating disorders are obviously incredibly prevalent among adolescents today more than ever before—I’ve struggled with one myself. I read that you went through a similar issue in the past, and that experience shaped the song Good Lord! I’m Trying!. How did writing the song help you process those emotions and experiences?
SK: I’m so sorry that you’ve struggled with that too. Writing Good Lord! I’m Trying! felt like a cry for help but also the complete opposite, as if I was trying to prove that I would be okay, or was trying to be. I am so glad I put that on the EP, though, because it felt like I was finally being honest with myself and anybody listening. I also just knew at the end of the day that I have to be healthy and happy to be able to be there for myself and others, so that song was kind of the journey and maybe a promise to myself that I would try.
You just put out a new music video for that same song, Good Lord! I’m Trying!. Tell me about the filming process and your creative vision for the video!
SK: Yes!! This was so fun, crazy, hectic, and everything I had hoped for. I knew I wanted this video to feel like it was nonstop—like you don’t get a second to think. But I also wanted it to mimic my life at the time, which was on trains, buses, planes, etc. So I had this idea to shoot on as many different types of transportation in New York as possible. Fletcher (the director) is such an amazing visionary and was able to make it happen in basically a day.
We ended up going all around New York City and checking off each different type of transport that took us to the next shot. I am so happy it is finally coming out! I didn’t know when the right time was for it, but I felt like the one-year anniversary would be perfect.
It’s clear that you put a lot of thought into the visuals behind your music. How involved are you in the visual aspects of your projects?
SK: I am also a photographer and graphic designer on the side, so I’m always thinking about how things come together visually! I get a lot of joy out of it. With this specific EP, I did a lot of the media rollout, which was so fun to brainstorm, but I also worked with @trashygraphic. Their work got introduced to me through a friend, and I’ve admired their work ever since. So, all of the text overlays used were by them! For music videos, I love being involved in how it looks creatively, but I also love collaboration and have a lot of fun following other people’s inspiration.
That’s incredible. With your next EP in the works, can we expect any new sounds or themes from your upcoming music?
SK: Yes! I am so, so excited for this next EP—it feels like the second chapter. A bit more elevated. Still lost, but closer to having things a bit more figured out. I really wanted to lean into the indie-folk side of myself, but there are still some indie-rock tunes for sure!
Speaking of your new project, you’ve mentioned collaborating with some incredible producers like Jake Aron and Jack Harrington (and BAERD) for it. How has the collaboration process been different for you this time around?
SK: I am such a perfectionist, so I feel like I’ve definitely been more in my head this time around. I just want it to be good and want it to feel right, so thankfully I’m working with such incredible producers and people who really understand what I want musically and can get me out of my own brain. It’s been really, really nice.
Who are some of your favorite up-and-coming artists you’d like readers to discover?
SK: I’ve been obsessed with Molly Parden! She is so crazy good. Also Catie Lausten! I have a show coming up with her in May, and her music is just so amazing. I’m also always blasting my friends' music (Ava McCoy, After Hours, Mer Marcum) since a lot of them have been releasing recently!
Awesome. This past weekend, you hosted an EP anniversary party/show with Ava McCoy and Dan Harris (of Shallow Alcove)! What was the inspiration behind the event, and how did it go? Would you like to host similar events in the future to further foster a special fan-artist connection?
SK: I am so glad it actually happened! When I initially released the EP a year ago, I remember waking up on that day and feeling so off. I had hopes of throwing something but got too busy with work and life, so I was really sad. Luckily, my roommates and best friends inspired me to get a little cake and just celebrate the three of us that day, but I always had dreams of eventually doing something like this. I was so, so excited to have Ava and Dan play because I just admire their music and songwriting so damn much. And if I have the time and energy, I would love to keep hosting [similar events]!
Just a few more questions for you. What is one thing you’d like for any new fans to know about you and/or your music?
SK: There is so much more coming! So stay tuned. And when anyone listens to my music, I am so thankful—it really keeps me going! It really is for all the twenty-somethings who are trying to figure out what the heck they are doing, haha.
Lastly, what are your goals for the future, both as an artist and as an individual? What would you like to learn or explore next in your music career?
SK: Recently, I’ve been trying to figure out how to find true happiness as a person. The world is in a really scary place, so it’s hard to think about the future sometimes. Hopefully, in the years to come, I am happy and around the people I love! As far as my career, I feel like I’m a simmering pot, and hopefully by next year, all the good stuff I’ve been sitting on will be ready for everyone’s ears!