Words by Kristen Humphries
“When you feel alone or sad or anxious, you think you’re the only one that feels that. But to see people connecting to my music makes me feel way less alone.”
She won’t be the pop star on stage dripping in glitter with background dancers, singing over an auto tuned track. In a world of likes and comments, she refuses to post things that will get her the wrong kind of attention—Sasha Sloan is the “you get what you get” type of artist. And what you get is a strong-willed, jazz-influenced, pop songwriter who’s had to learn self-advocacy in a studio of executives who refuse to listen.
The journey to respected artist and songwriter wasn’t smooth sailing. “I got a publishing deal off of Reddit and I moved to LA not knowing a single soul,” Sloan admits. “and it was the hardest thing being thrown in the pop circle and into a room with someone who had a laptop and Ableton.” She spoke about being a young songwriter in a room of seasoned industry vets and how it forced her to grow tough skin and speak up when she feels strongly about something. “You don’t have much of a voice [in the studio] unless they’re [season producers] not a total dick, which usually they are. There’s been countless times but it’s made my skin tougher and I haven’t quit yet.” And the world is happy she didn’t because Sloan will continue paving the way for other young songwriters—especially women—who deserve the same amount of respect and recognition for their work as the “higher-ups” do.
Despite the struggles of an up-and-coming songwriter in LA, the studio is where Sasha Sloan has found her biggest inspiration. “I got to go to Jamaica with Dua Lipa which was amazing. I mean I learned a lot from her and Camila Cabello about confidence, which I’ve never been good at having,” she comments. “I’m watching the way they work and operate and they’ve been huge inspirations, seeing how they know what they want in the studio. They made me learn from them and take from that.” Let’s hear it for female empowerment, something that is crucial in this male-dominated industry. But what some new songwriters, artists, producers and music fans alike don’t always understand is the carefully crafted marketing plan behind every single artist. And as women in the industry, the pressure to become a sexualized being for the sake of record sales is no new theme. It’s a strategic plan consolidated by managers and top executives and Sloan won’t stand for that bullshit.
Read the rest of our feature with Sasha Sloan here.
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