Meet Sarah Keyser

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Keyser.

So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in Arlington, VA just 15 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. I first fell in love with music when I found my mother’s nylon string guitar and began playing it. I wrote my first song soon after. I then started playing drums, then bass, and finally settled on guitar and voice. I joined a choir and performed in a number of operas and musicals throughout high school. In the winter of 2014, my friend, Marina Pharis (who played drums) and I formed the band, “Moon-Scene”. Moon-Scene was a two-piece alternative rock band. We created several bodies of work including our full-length studio album, “Cosmic Confusion”. We also did a brief tour around Northern Virginia. In January 2016, I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. This is where I met my best friend, Amanda Marsh (a talented music producer & pianist). We began to collaborate together as producer and artist. At Berklee, I found my new sound, which is indie pop/rock. Marsh and I then graduated in May 2019 and moved to LA together soon after. I have since formed a band under my name. We have played around LA at venues such as The Viper Room, Silverlake Lounge, High Tide, and State Social House. I will be dropping my first single, “Lost at Sea” on November 22nd. I also will be releasing an album in early 2020. Our next big show is on November 23rd at The Study. I’m very excited to continue my journey here in LA with the home I’ve built!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When I was in elementary school, I was picked on for being a tomboy, which made me feel very alone. This taught me to compartmentalize. In high school, I discovered that I was queer and came out to my friends who were very supportive. I found that the outside world was not so kind. These experiences helped me build a thick skin. I also put my emotions into my music, which helped me grow as a writer.

We’d love to hear more about your music.
Sarah Keyser Music is about more than me as an artist. I also am a freelance guitarist in several cover bands and work for an R&B artist. I do creative consulting, which includes services such as branding, marketing, booking, songwriting, and producing. I also teach one day a week at the School of Rock as a guitar instructor. I think that my versatility sets me apart from other artists. I have a mind for business as well as songwriting. I also love to merge genres together, which is a valuable skill to have especially in this day and age.

What were you like growing up?
I was a very active kid that was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. I loved to play with toy race cars and scooter outside. I was also a picky eater. I wanted to be a detective when I was nine years old and would write short stories about mysteries. Around 10 years old I started messing around in garage band by making short songs about my life. This turned me onto finding an outlet by composing music.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.sarahkeysermusic.com/
• Phone: 5712697657
• Email: skeyser87@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahkeysermusic/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/sarahkeysermusic/
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKrpGTySnmjxN9rlf8V7sIQ

Image Credit:
Samantha Paige Bass, Robbie Rittman

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