Daily Inspiration: Meet Anthony Sanchez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Sanchez.

Hi Anthony, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Pomona, California and throughout my childhood lived between there, East Los Angeles & Ontario, before moving to Chico in Northern California for my high school years.
Ever since I was a child I knew I wanted to make music but never really had the proper support to do so.
I’d write lyrics endlessly in high school and in my junior year, used money gifted to me by my madrina to buy a ukulele.
I wrote my first song, ‘Sugar Skull’, on it pretty quickly thereafter and began playing and writing pretty nonstop.
In the summer after I graduated high school, I worked construction with my family around Long Beach, Westwood and Downtown LA and used up pretty much everything I earned to buy my first drum kit.
I would spend hours and hours trying to learn the drums, both by ear and YouTube tutorials, sometimes forgoing sleep altogether.
All this time I was learning these two instruments and writing songs on them but never had any serious thoughts about pursuing music yet.
I started university as a graphic design and animation student but changed majors after being talked into taking a Music Theory class by my friend Eddie. Everything came together in that first lesson and before long I was taking lessons in piano and teaching myself bass and guitar.
I went on to get my Bachelors in Music from Chico State before moving back down to Southern California and beginning my career as a musician.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If we’re strictly speaking about the music aspects of my life, then it has been surprisingly smooth. I initially started out as Dandelions Club with my friend Eddie, with hopes of being the drummer but it never worked out that way as our goals started to drift in opposite directions. Ever since then I’ve mostly been writing, recording, mixing and mastering all by myself with the occasional help from friends and collaborators.
I’ve had a lot of help since moving back down to LA, from my cousins getting me my first gig down here to my manager Jenna at SoCal Indie Musicians finding me an incredible amount of opportunities since we started working together.
I was also fortunate enough to meet my bandmates Neda and Julian who have been by my side helping me bring my music to life since 2023, and our newest member Jarrett, who right out the gate was so devoted and helpful.
Most of my real struggles came from my personal life and relationships but in the end, all of that really ends up in the music anyways.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I would have to say that I specialize in my lyrics. The more my music is found, the more I’m thanked and praised for the vulnerability in the words of my music, which is a surreal feeling.
I’m proud of making it to where I am so far but especially proud of my last album ‘Untitled (But It’s About You)’!
It’s a project that helped me overcome a very difficult stage in my life and feels like everything I had learned about making music up until that point manifesting into a perfect project.
I think I am what sets me apart from others. I feel that no matter what genre I try to dip into or how simple I make a song, at the end of the day it feels uniquely and distinctly mine.

What matters most to you?
Taking care of the people around me is really what matters the most to me. I’m sure there are deep rooted reasons as to why but at the end of the day, it feels nice to give to those in your life.
The people in my life specifically all have helped challenge me to better myself and take care of myself and it only feels right that I should do that for others too.
In a way, it feels like making music is a part of that. Giving people art to find themselves in and to help them get through whatever it is they’re going through.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sanchezbythesea.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanchezbythesea
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sanchezbythesea
• Youtube: https://YouTube.com/@sanchezbythesea
• Other: https://linktr.ee/sanchezbythesea

Image Credits
Personal photo taken by Erica Torres