Get ready to meet the newest voice in indie-pop. SANDRO is a new artist based out of Nashville, Tennessee. Influenced by Norah Jones, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Phoebe Bridgers, and Mac Miller, his music tells a story that transcends genre and brings the listener into the emotion of the song. His debut EP "Stolen Art" is out on all streaming platforms now.
Unheard Gems: Welcome, Sandro, to Unheard Gems. We are so excited to have the opportunity to talk with you. How are you doing today? SANDRO: Hey! I'm doing great, thank you so much for having me for this interview. It's actually my first one so far :)
Unheard Gems: Just so our readers can learn a bit more about you, what has been your musical origin story? SANDRO: Since I was young I've always loved writing stories and poems. I would sing along to any song that was playing in the car. When I was about 14 I joined a youth group at a church in Destin, Florida around the same time that I started learning piano. I began playing piano for the youth band, and eventually forced myself to sing on stage as well. It was rough for sure, but was a great way for me to learn how to perform and really learn how to sing. That time of my life was definitely impactful to what I'm doing today. I fell in love with the emotion behind music and live performance. Unheard Gems: I’d love the chance to get to know you a bit more so, rapid-fire, when you think of your music what are the first 5 words that come to mind? SANDRO: I could say a lot of things, but to me my music is made of stories, honesty, mistakes, love, and heartbreak. I try and capture certain feelings in each song. For some songs, writing them and releasing them is my way of moving on and getting past whatever I was feeling. Unheard Gems: Your debut EP “stolen art” is incredible. It came out at the end of April, what is it like to have your first body of work out in the world? SANDRO: That means a lot to me, thank you. It's a scary feeling, but one I was ready for. I say a lot of things in this project about who I am, and sharing those parts of me with anyone who listens is very special. I hope those who listen resonate with the project and find comfort in it, which is all I want to accomplish. When I can listen to an artist's music and feel less alone and almost as if I know them personally is very unique. For me to be able to give that feeling to someone is what's most important to me.
Unheard Gems: Tell us about this EP. Why “stolen art”, what is the story behind this, what was your process, tell us anything and everything.
SANDRO:
I struggled with finding a sound I wanted to make for a long time, but once I found it I ran with it. A lot of this project was a big step out of my comfort zone, but a step in the right direction. In February I released a song called "see you soon" under my old artist name "ninetytwo". This was the first song I produced myself and really was able to hone in the type of music I wanted to make. In the process of releasing that song I was on a high for sure, inspired by everything around me. The EP came together in about a month and half really. I lived in Florida my whole life, and when I moved to Nashville in December I began the happiest and most inspiring stage of my life so far. I had so much I wanted to say and was so eager to put it to music. My thought process behind the writing and production was to show all sides of myself. The name of the EP isn't as much a concept, but an idea. "Stolen Art" is really a story of self discovery and pent up feelings I hadn't gotten to express.
Unheard Gems: I know when I ask this it is like having a parent pick a favorite child, but do you have a favorite song or song you are most proud of on this EP or one that really sums you up as an artist, which would it be and why? I think “youth” is my favorite.
SANDRO:
Thank you! "Youth" was actually produced mainly by my roommate and one of my best friends Ryan Rasmussen. That guy's one of the most talented musicians and producers that I know. He has an incredible way of being able to work with anyone and help them create the sound they want. To answer your question, In the process of making these songs, it was one after the other. Every time I started a new song it then became my favorite until I was finished, and then the cycle started over. I wanted the project to feel like an experience when you listen from beginning to end. For me, "cigarettes" is my favorite. I loved the idea of opening the project with a song with hardly any structure.
Me saying "way too kind, way too high, it's all in my mind" in the chorus is a very unclear and cloudy expression. It was fun for me to be able to describe a different scenario in each verse that clears up what I'm expressing in that chorus. I think my favorite strain of music in the EP is the outro in that song as well. It's a very busy song instrumentally, and I sing a lot about the night time in it. When the outro comes in it feels like I was able to be at peace with how I was feeling and almost like the sun is rising again.
Unheard Gems: What’s next for you? Obviously right now the world is in a bit of uncharted territory but, what will you be working on these next few months?
SANDRO:
Honestly, it's been hard for me to stay motivated with all of this going on in the world. It's a scary and uncertain time, and personally has caused me a lot of worry. I have a hard time creating without a clear mind, and the state of the world definitely causes a constant anxiety for me. It's taken me a bit to adjust to this new way of living. Feedback that I've been given on the EP and being able to do interviews like these have been really inspiring and have helped put me back into the right mindset for sure. That being said, I have a new single almost done that I can't wait to share with everyone. It might just be my favorite.
Unheard Gems: We always like to know who our Unheard Gems artists are listening to, if you could recommend to us another artist you think deserves more recognition in the music industry who would you recommend? SANDRO: Someone who comes to mind first is my life-long friend Jacob Erick. He's basically a brother to me. We've both been learning how to make music together for a long time. He lets me handle a lot of the visual aspects to his music, wether it's cover art or videos, and I'm very grateful to be a part of his vision. Watching him grow in production, song writing and singing has been a really cool thing to see. If I were to recommend a project from him it would be his EP "Beach House." It's a beautiful story with an ability to mean something different to each person who listens. Unheard Gems: Lastly, for all of our readers, where can they find you and your music, and is there anything else you want to leave us with that we didn’t talk about in our questions? SANDRO: You can find my music on all platforms, including my new EP "Stolen Art" under my artist name "SANDRO". My Instagram is @heysandro, as well as my Tik Tok where I post videos breaking down how I make some of my songs and occasionally do covers. If you're listening to my music follow me and let me know so we can be friends! Sharing my music on stories, adding it to playlists and telling friends is an important part of getting others to hear about what I'm doing and it means the world to me. Thank you so much for interviewing me, I loved answering these great questions and being able to talk about my new project with you.
Interview by Hannah Schneider