**Sarah Kinsley Performance in Indianapolis : Credit Josh Boles**

Indianapolis's Turntable venue hosted Sarah Kinsley on her headline tour, a performance anticipated by a growing fanbase. The evening's narrative took an unexpected turn when, en route to the show, this reporter discovered a close personal connection to Kinsley's music as my wife expressed she was a huge fan and I should had bought her a ticket, highlighting the breadth of her appeal and my shortcoming. After her performance, Kinsley engaged in an interview, offering insights into her artistic process and the evolution of her sound.

Interview with Sarah Kinsley:

1. Having navigated the formative landscapes of classical music and the vibrant sphere of pop, how do you perceive these distinct origins converging and informing the sonic architecture of your debut album, "Escaper," particularly in its thematic and conceptual explorations?

Kinsley: "Escaper is a project of mine that really wants to capture grandeur and this feeling of symphonic release. I feel like so much of the album is leading up towards this climatic moment. It’s the total meshing of my love for classical music and that irresistible urge to pop. I think the genres are actually really suited to each other: there’s elements of intense expression, ephemeral-ness and intensity in both pop and classical."

2. The transition from interpreting the works of others through covers to fully realizing your own compositions, including the intricacies of production, speaks to a powerful drive for artistic autonomy. Could you elaborate on a pivotal moment or realization that solidified your commitment to self-production, especially considering the industry's documented gender disparity in this realm?

Kinsley: "The first project I ever worked on was singing vocals on a lo-fi track when I was in high school. I think I was 15 or 16. All I did was write the lyrics and record my vocals. When the song came out I felt this real envy: I had wanted so much more involvement, I wanted to be a part of the inner workings of the music. That was when I knew I was going to become a producer."

3. Your upbringing spanned continents, from California to Connecticut and then Singapore. In what subtle or overt ways do these diverse cultural imprints resonate within your songwriting and your perspective on the way that audiences perceive your music?

Kinsley: "I’m very grateful for my upbringing and living outside of the US for many years. It de-centered the “west” in general, or of myself as a certain kind of person. I was probably one of five Chinese kids (one being my brother) that I knew in my hometown in Connecticut. When I lived in Asia there were finally other parts of my identity I could see and figure out. It was like I wasn’t the “Chinese-American girl struggling to find herself”. I was just a girl trying to find myself. That was very freeing in a lot of ways. I don’t know exactly how that’s shaped my music but I do wonder if it’s made me see myself as more than just my differences, or what sets me apart from others - but as a full, whole human regardless of where I’m from."

4. There's often a distinct character to studio productions versus live renditions. How do you bridge these two worlds in your live shows, aiming to capture the essence and production nuances of your recordings while embracing the unique energy of a live setting?

Kinsley: "The live show is really the place where experimentation comes out. It tests your instincts. When you’re in the studio it can be much more clinical: you’re in a room intended to be noiseless and dull. There is little life, very little bubbling in the air. I’ve always loved when we take the songs and extend outros or write completely new parts for the live show. There’s no reason to give people the exact version of what’s on the record."

5. Considering your academic pursuits, how do you find the interplay between formal study and intuitive artistry shaping your songwriting and production processes? Are there specific theoretical concepts that frequently inform your creative choices?

Kinsley: "It’s hard to really pin down sometimes - I find I don’t want to let too much of the guidelines of music theory dictate how I think or write music. On the other hand it’s probably subconsciously interwoven with who I am. The chords, the rules, the direction of music. The classical training will always be a part of me - but the real excitement is testing that bias, pushing to explore something lesser known, something beyond!"

6. What specific narratives or emotional landscapes within the album serve as avenues of escape, and what might you hope listeners find refuge or resonance within?

Kinsley: "I’m talking really specifically about grief, about growing with friends and growing apart from others, and trying to find a realm of love and solace in a somewhat bleak world. It’s an album about beauty and pushing yourself to see it - regardless of whether or not you really feel it. I hope people who listen to Escaper treat it as a haven or a vessel for understanding their own grief, their own inevitable loss as we move through time."

7. As an artist who has experienced both collaborative projects and the solitary nature of self-production, what are the unique rewards and challenges inherent in each approach, and how do these experiences inform your vision for future musical endeavors?

Kinsley: "Collaboration is a really beautiful gift and self-production is incredibly cathartic. I have found working with other producers to be the place where a lot of magic happens. You’re in a pool of ideas between the two of you. It’s a beautiful process. Self-production is really how I began though. It’s deeply personal, wonderfully vulnerable. There is space and time for true aloneness. It’s just me and the music in front of me. That will always be another kind of special."

8. What are you most excited, or looking forward to while being here in Indianapolis?

Kinsley: "Well the last time I was here we didn’t play a show but we did stay in Indiana for a night. Our van broke down while we were on our way to Chicago and it was probably the most hilarious low moment of the entire tour. So I’m just very excited to be here - van intact - and to do my first headline!"

Live Performance:

Kinsley's performance at Turntable demonstrated a tangible connection with her audience. The crowd responded with visible enthusiasm, singing along to the majority of her set. Notably, her rendition of Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" drew particular attention, eliciting strong audience participation. The performance maintained a balance between the recorded nuance of her album and the raw energy of a live show. The audience reactions were a testament to the emotional resonance of her music. The show provided a clear display of the artist's ability to engage her audience in a live setting.

Sarah Kinsley's Escape To Indianapolis

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