Name: Sara Noelle
Occupation: Singer, songwriter
Nationality: American   
Recent release: Sara Noelle's Four Songs II is out now.
Recommendations: At a museum recently, I saw work by painter Agnes Pelton, who was also part of the Transcendental Painting Group, and found her work so cool and beautiful (as are the other artists in that group) — I was drawn to her color palettes.
I recently spent some time in New Orleans —  the most vibrant place I’ve been in a while and have been reading The Yellow House by Sarah Broom which is a beautiful book about family, home and sense of place while weaving in the history of New Orleans. Traveling somewhere new (be it down the street, or across the country or the globe) and immersing yourself in it and trying to learn as much as you can is so important — it’s how you grow and get out of your own bubble which can be very easy at times to sink into to.
I recently came across the poet Jane Hirschfield and her book Ledger. I love reading poetry, getting to know new poets to shift perspective, get inspiration, especially lyrically.  
Listening to Tara Brach’s meditations when walking via her podcast has been a good grounding practice. I’d recommend her books as well, including Radical Compassion.

If you enjoyed this Sara Noelle interview and would like to find out more about her music, visit her on Instagram, Facebook, and twitter.
 


Which artists, approaches, albums or performances captured your imagination in the beginning when it comes to the art of cover versions?

Cat Power, a longtime inspiration of mine, is one of the best at doing covers I think. She has a really wonderful creative way of interpreting other artist’s songs, especially those of well-known artists. They’re both reimagined and feel true to her artistic self but honor the original songwriter in such a cool way.

Her album from 2000, The Covers Record, is one of my favorites.



How much creativity is there in the act of cover versions? How much of your own personality enters the process?

There’s a lot of creativity that goes into it — it’s like a creative puzzle! I try to record covers in a similar way that I’d record originals, including aesthetic cues that I’d add on a song if it was going to appear on my own song or album / try my best to not release a karaoke version of a cover.

I’ve been lucky to work with producer Dan Duszynski on my last two albums and two cover EPs which are called Four Songs & Four Songs II (and 3 Xmas covers!).



He has brought so much creativity to the table and really helped me find my voice.

What are the things you hear in a voice when listening to another vocalist? What moves you in the voices of other singers?

Something about the tone and character that sparks a feeling or a chill and makes me want to listen again and again — and hits the mark of emotionally connecting — be it one phrase or the entire song. Imperfections and vulnerability.

It's hard to say exactly what about a song / voice moves you but when it does, it’s magic!

What are the things you hear in a voice when listening to another songwriter? What moves you in the writing of other artists?

Saying something accessible and relatable in a unique and poetic way. A line that makes you think a little differently.

When you're writing song lyrics, do you sense or see a connection between your voice and the text? Does it need to feel and sound “good” or “right” to sing certain words? What's your perspective in this regard of singing someone else's songs versus your own?

As an aside, I created a literary journal, Lyrics as Poetry, that highlights the idea of lyrics on their own, as art on the printed page. We’re working on our fifth volume which is coming out in early 2024, each edition features about 40 artists / writers.

I do think that once you start writing you try out different words that need to both feel and sound good when singing. And I think that, for covers, that’s where the song selection matters — taking away the melody, do those words resonate enough with you as an artist to take them your own way?

What typically makes you want to cover another artist's song(s)?

Resonating with both the lyrics and admiring the artists themselves and also feeling like I could reimagine the song while still honoring the integrity of the original.

Sometimes, technique, virtuosity, vocal range, emotional relatability etc can be hurdles to overcome when taking on a cover version. How do you deal with these – are there pieces by other artists that you love but simply couldn't perform yet?

Yes, definitely. I think for me, if I try to attempt a cover and all I’d like to do is just listen to the original, and that I’m not bringing anything new to the idea of it, it’s time to try another tune. Or if you have too much of an attachment to the original, you wouldn’t want to hear it another way.

I think going into it with the idea of wanting to create a new take of it that is unique to your artistic self is important to remember.

I am infinitely fascinated by radically different or even “wrong” cover versions – I actually loved Roger Waters “Redux” of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Are there extreme cover versions that you enjoy as well? Do you personally draw a line – and if so, what happens when we cross it?

I think Cat Power’s cover of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones would qualify in this case — it’s radically overhauled but so good — you’d really only recognize it by the words alone but its also a great example of making something so uniquely artistically hers.

I listened to that song a lot when covering “Runnin Down a Dream” by Tom Petty— tried my best to bring something new to such a classic song.



Crossing the line I think will feel a bit cringe or too on the nose — which you want to avoid! I also like to keep in mind, would the original artist like this? Ideally, yes!

There are many descriptions of the creative state. How would you describe it for you personally? Is there an element of spirituality to what you do? And how different is this state when writing your own material versus interpreting someone else's?

I think making covers is a different creative exercise because there’s a clear cut assignment to it, which provides a nice structure, it’s arranging and rearranging familiar pieces.

Writing your own material requires getting somewhere deeper into your subconscious and letting that flow, which can be less of an assignment and more of a process of patience and acceptance. An ongoing spiritual practice of self-compassion.

It’s nice to work different parts of the musical brain, why it’s been nice to do both.

Some works seem to attract more artists to add their cover versions to it than others; some seem to even encourage wildly different cover versions. From your experience, what is it about these works that gives them this magnetic pull?

It’s the songs that seem most relatable (and also doable sans cheesiness or karaoke!) that are good picks for covers, with bonus points if they haven’t been covered in your specific way or genre a million times.

I think most importantly for me, the lyrics have to resonate in some way. It’s nice to give words new life with a different interpretation and voice — shows how subjective music and lyrics really are.

Part of the intrigue of cover versions is that the process is usually endless. Are there, vice versa, cover versions that feel definitive to you?

I think the beauty of a good cover is that it also helps see the original in a new light. A true form of flattery!

I think you’ll know pretty quickly if the cover is a good fit for you — it’ll feel right, you’ll really enjoy singing it. It may inspire you to write too.