After releasing her highly-praised EP 'Too Much Information' near the end of last year, Israeli artist Sasha Daniel is now back to kick off her 2021 with her latest intoxicating single 'Already Freed'.
Channelling the rich and ambient sound of Little Dragon, 'Already Freed' makes for a wonderfully bold return from the singer. With her effortless vocals layered over a mix of humble piano playing and textured production throughout, this new delight is a vibrant and melancholy release that showcases her as a true talent on the emerging new music scene.
So with the new single doing the rounds, we sat down with her to find out more about her background and what has inspired her most over the years.
-
What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I fell in love with was the piano. I always loved the piano and played a little when i was a kid but i didn't continue learning and just continued with singing and acting.
What was the first song that inspired you to make your own music?
It's very hard to say which song inspired me to make my own music but I believe the seed was planted when I first heard the album Boys For Pele by Tori Amos. I have never heard anything like that and I connected to it on almost a spiritual level.
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
I listened to different genres and loved discovering my own taste. I really loved MTV pop when I was like 12 - pretty much like most girls and then slowly, around the age of 15 i started discovering Jazz, alternative and rock music. I listened to Ella fitzerald, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, K's Choice, The Cardigans, Skunk Anansie and more.
What do you find is the best environment to find inspiration for your music?
It really changes but I feel like I need to have time on my hands. I don't like having blocks of two or three hours. I like scheduling half days or sometimes full days for creation. And I find that when I'm really disconnected from the day to day routine and take time for myself in nature - the creativity just flows.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
These days I mostly listen to Sylvan Esso, Sevdaliza, Emilie Nicolas, Mac Miller and two israeli artists that i'm obsessed with - Jasmine Moallem and Atar Mayner. But my Spotify is on discovery weekly most of the time. I love discovering new artists.
How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?
I would say 90% of my songs are about people in my life.
What has been the most unusual moment in your career so far?
I got extremely famous on the israeli version of American Idol when I was 18 years old before I even started writing my own music. Not sure if it's part of my career but it's definitely a defining moment because it made me realize i don't want to sing other people's songs or be someone i'm not. I knew my path would be different.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Right now probably Sevdaliza. She is really something special. So artistic and different.
If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?
To be honest, I do many things and I'm not JUST a musician. I think it's important to talk about it and encourage young musicians and artists to embrace all the layers in them. We are never just one thing. It's a limiting approach in my opinion. I used to act and I still do sometimes, I teach phonetics, I translate, make macrame and I'm sure I'll do more things as life goes on.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Take a breath. It's gonna be a long journey.
-
Sasha Daniel's new single 'Already Freed' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in the player below.