Meet Saie Saie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Saie Saie.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up on an island outside Stockholm, Sweden until I was 13. I really didn’t like it. I was the only non-Swedish kid in my class and it was just a horrible experience.

I then went to Argentina on my own to pursue a career in horse polo and spent my time back and forth between Sweden and Argentina and eventually moved to the south of Spain in high school and studied online. I did three years in Spain. I was playing as the only girl on men’s teams… and usually the youngest too. I was one of the best female players in Europe but music was always my calling in life.

When I was about 19-20, I applied for the famous music school in Sweden called “MusikMakarna” (Music makers) and it was more as a joke because I never thought I would get in. It was like a bet with myself – I said if I get in I quit polo – and then I got in!!

So, I left Spain and moved to the north of Sweden which was … a cultural clash, to say at least. Swedish people are really quiet and don’t take a lot of space. Everybody thought I was laughing too loud and I couldn’t understand what the problem was, haha!

I wrote lots of songs with other people in mind. I never really thought of myself as a front person but then the last year of graduating I got a worldwide record deal with Universal Music Group (with the songs that I wrote for other people in mind) and it’s not like when you’re in your 20’s that you think about your “artistic integrity”, so I went with it but absolutely hated it.

The music was very bubble gum pop, but it brought me to the US. I hated being a product and I hated not having the creative freedom. Once I got here, I started fighting to get out of the deal. It took me 1.5 years to get out of it. I basically sold my soul to the devil and took it back, haha! When I finally had freedom, I knew I had a responsibility to make music from my soul. I grew up on soul and funk music. My dad would play Aretha, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield every single day. I just knew I had to sound like myself. I started to “rehabilitate” from the industry and what I was “supposed to sound like”. Now, I make soul music and record everything analog with real musicians.

Please tell us about your music.
I make soul but with a touch of rock and roll and funk. I would say it’s a mix between Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin but modern. I got some of the most amazing musicians and I couldn’t be more proud of them. They are some of my favorite people and we always have a blast on stage. My band consists of: Terin Moswen Ector (bass), Sebastian Harris (drums), Max Naseck (keys), Ricky Lucchese (trombone), Marc Rey (guitar) and Gabe Martin (trumpet).

I record everything analog and live with my musicians at Killion floor with Sergio Rios as producer (Orgone).

My favorite thing in the whole world is to write the song on my own, take it to the studio and have my amazing musicians sit down, jam it out and then it’s a song!! We usually jam it out for a couple of hours and then we record it on tape.

It’s a certain type of tension that drives all the musicians to play in a different way then if you would be in a modern studio because you only have so much tape and you can’t mess up!

I hate autotune, it makes people lazy and terrible singers, so what you hear is what you get with me.

I think the message in my music is to be yourself and be real even if it’s scary. When I play live, I want people to leave a little more confident and know that at my shows it’s a safe space to let go of the sorrows and forget about everything for a while. It’s really an amazing feeling to see people at the beginning of the shows and at the end of it. Usually, in the beginning, they are a little stiff and in the end, they are all dancing and screaming trouble-free.

As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
This is a hard one because we all got to eat and have bills to pay but if I strip away from the noise, success for me is to unapologetically create something that is me and doesn’t sound like everything else out there. And that is also, I feel, essential in order to be a real artist. You can’t make stuff and think about what is going to sell because you will chase something that already exists and you will lose yourself!

Joni Mitchell said “I believe a total unwillingness to cooperate is what is necessary to be an artist — not for perverse reasons but to protect your vision. The considerations of a corporation, especially now, have nothing to do with art or music.” and it’s so true. That’s why I walked away. Now, more than ever, it’s important to be yourself even when it’s terrifying and people think you are crazy.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can find me on Spotify under Saie Saie. I only got two singles released so far.
‘Air runs dry’ and ‘The Fight.’ My next single ‘Nightmare’ will be out in November. I’m planning on releasing my album next year.

You can listen here:
Air Runs Dry
https://open.spotify.com/track/4HegZHe5iM3GgH5QG7q05y?si=h-GPbHHzSXao0tJwOz5PTw

The Fight
https://open.spotify.com/track/1MKZE8js4FIVdWsSC3t6pw?si=MI6Ih-khQpO5ImqhvRbfmA

Youtube:
Air Runs Dry
https://youtu.be/zalbMqlTwyg

The Fight
https://youtu.be/6nQZ83F4CRY

Also, got a show coming up on Dec 17th at Townhouse (52 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291)
Come to the show and dance yourself sweaty!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://saiesaie.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @saiesaieee
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/saiesaiemusic
• Twitter: @saiesaie
• Spotify: Nightmare: https://open.spotify.com/track/4Ik4ISbnyXpSFNXgVW6kgC?si=ZKMZx_7ASGKw7B9QhgFvxg

Image Credit:
Picture on horse: Kenny Lutz, Picture with shades: Uni Sea

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