Sarah Sadler
http://www.sarahsadler.com
by Marc Forrester

CS: First off I would like to tell you that your song "Beautiful" is a true inspiration. The local radio station (Lifesongs Radio-New Orleans) has a new music contest every Monday. The song won (voted by the listeners) 3 weeks in a row. Were you surprised by the success of "Beautiful"?

Sarah: Well, I didn’t know that “Beautiful” won the new music contest, so that’s great! You never know exactly how an audience is going to respond to your music. Of course, I have high expectations for “Beautiful” and am just thankful that there’s been such a good response to it so far. There’s really nothing more a new artist could ask for.

CS: Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten? The future?

Sarah: Wow... I almost don’t want to make predictions for the future because everything is so uncertain, and I like it that way. Everybody has a dream though. I definitely want to still be pursuing music, but I always plan to involved in music, even if people don’t want to listen anymore!

CS: Did you ever expect to go as far as you have in Christian Music?

Sarah: I have such an optimistic outlook on life, and that attitude remained constant when I decided to pursue a career in music. I knew that music was what I wanted to do and what my heart had to do. I feel that if you’re called to something strongly, you should go for it with everything you have. I’ll never reach a point of content when I say to myself, “alright, sit back, that’s good enough.”

CS: Do you make it a goal to use your music to minister to people? Or do you just write for the sake of writing and performing?

Sarah: I feel like there’s a balance between the two. I can write and perform songs all day, but if my songs don’t say anything to anybody, and if I don’t connect with people as a performer, I’ve failed as an artist and as a writer.

CS: What is the message you are trying to get across with your music?

Sarah: I want people to have a creative, positive outlook on life. That’s the most important thing that I can share through my music. I’m not trying to say that “everything is perfect, and I see no bad in the world,” but rather I want to encourage others to take the situations at hand and handle them the best way they can. I write a lot about love, the possibility of love and the effects of it. Good or bad, life is all about love.

CS: Do you write your own music?

Sarah: I’ve written songs since I was very young. My dad is a songwriter, which offered me an intriguing look into the creative process when I was growing up. I knew from an early age that songwriting would be my creative outlet.

CS: Where do you get ideas for your music?

Sarah: Everywhere-- my relationships with people and my outlook on life inspire me to write. I’ve found that song ideas hit me at the most inopportune times and in the strangest places. It has come to be really funny.

CS: Who, or what, are your biggest musical influences?

Sarah: Female singer/songwriters have always inspired and encouraged me--Sheryl Crow, Amy Grant, Mariah Carey, Johnatha Brooke, Susan Ashton, etc. I love bands, too.

CS: Who are some of the groups you have performed with and what did you think of them?

Sarah: I’ll be out on the road this fall with Bebo Norman, and that’s something I’m really excited about.
It’s my first tour, and Bebo has such a great core audience that I know I will learn a lot.

CS: Who, aside from Jesus, is or has been the biggest influence in your life?

Sarah: I have a really close family. My older sister and I are best friends, and my parents have been such patient teachers! They’ve always encouraged me in music and created a nurturing environment for me to express myself.

CS: Are you involved in any other ministries?

Sarah: My family has supported Compassion International since I was five.

CS: What is your musical background? Did you take lessons to gain the musical skills you have now?

Sarah: I’ve learned everything from my dad--and I didn’t even have to pay him for all those times he critiqued one of my songs at two in the morning! It’s the same kind of principle as a plumber’s daughter learning to fix a clogged sink – inherited ability.

CS: Do you have an accountability partner or prayer partner to keep you encouraged and uplifted?

Sarah: I go to a great church in Nashville, and I also love to read inspirational books. I am currently reading The Sacred Romance in addition to a devotional from The Business of Heaven in the mornings.

CS: Do you find it strange to hear yourself singing on the radio or to see yourself in a video?

Sarah: Yes! It’s completely bizarre - and I don’t know how long it will take me to get used to it, if ever!

CS: What is the latest news? Any new CDs to be released soon?

Sarah: My debut, self-titled record is set to release September 10th. Also, you can come and see me on tour with Bebo Norman beginning September 8th. Check my web site, www.sarahsadler.com for an updated itinerary.