Q&A: Abby Sage Talks “Smoke Break,” Upcoming EP, Musical Origins & More
A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH — Abby Sage confronts the end of a relationship with her latest single, “Smoke Break,” reflecting a grounded sense of reality. Honest and blunt, reminiscent of those who have come before her (Amy Winehouse, Tori Amos, and Joni Mitchell), Sage takes the course of apathetic catharsis. Not letting someone tell her how to feel, she provides the space she needs to heal her wounds, allowing herself to move forward from any heartbreak or dissatisfaction that might hold her back. Whether “Smoke Break” refers to a metaphorical stepping out or a gathering of thoughts, there is indeed an underlying sense of confidence that resounds throughout her words.
Read on to hear more about the LA-based singer’s latest single, “Smoke Break,” what drove her to music, the healing qualities of songwriting, and her top five go-to tracks in the interview below.
LUNA: Hello Abby! Pleasure to meet you! How are things? What’s new in your world?
SAGE: Things are great! Been writing a lot and just feeling happy to be releasing again. [I’m] taking all of that in right now — feels good.
LUNA: Before we officially jump into the interview, I just wanted to take some time to congratulate you on the release of “Smoke Break!” How does it feel to finally have that song out?
SAGE: It feels so amazing — I was supposed to release a full EP last year but stopped the rollout because the songs I was making at the time (“Smoke Break” and the rest of the EP) really felt like the right next step for me. So this new chapter makes my heart very happy.
LUNA: Understandable, but happy to hear that you have found so much happiness with this incredible track! I did want to ask you — what is the major difference you have found in releasing music during this year compared to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last year?
SAGE: Can’t speak much to the releasing aspect since it’s really only just started again, however I moved out to LA during the pandemic and still managed to meet people (especially during the vaccination rollout) that have really helped me grow and zero in on the music I’ve been wanting to make. Growing that community makes the release process feel a whole lot different.
LUNA: Of course — it is probably so amazing getting to share the experience with others and having that community to celebrate with! Diving into your music now, I wanted to take a moment to talk about some of your early influences as a musician. I heard that you used to travel with your father to various clubs to see him perform. Being rather uprooted within the music scene from a young age, how have those early experiences helped shape how you approach producing music now?
SAGE: My dad would play local shows so never experienced the full “uprooting.” His influence really did shape me as an artist, though. We would always play together when I was young and I would do little intermission performances when his band would play. He bought me my first tiny purple Taylor guitar; that’s what I started with and still begin by writing acoustically to this day.
LUNA: That is so sweet! Was it your father that helped you explore your interests in songwriting? Or did that come from other inspiration?
SAGE: I really started writing on my own; I was super shy about sharing my writing at first. My mom would always say, “You’d forget your head if it wasn’t attached to your body.” Which is true — my head was always elsewhere; it was always in some deep hole creating my own world.
LUNA: Dissecting the new single, “Smoke Break,” the first thing that I notice from the start is the rather unapologetic approach in your lyricism — it's enticingly honest and raw. There are definitely influences of Amy Winehouse that I can see within it. In a similar manner to hers, the song can be interpreted as being built within personal experiences. Do you find that within your songwriting, you often take a cathartic and personal approach?
SAGE: Super cathartic. I always try to write from personal experience. The summer I was working on the EP, I loved somebody but knew it wasn’t right for me at the time, so I created this project with that always at the forefront of my mind. It was an ode to that experience and me moving forward.
LUNA: I feel like what makes “Smoke Break” so interesting in its composition — despite it being a breakup song of sorts — is the fact that it is more grounded and reassuring: there isn’t this huge heartbreak, but rather a confidence to move forward. It's like there is a reawakening of some sort. I am curious, what does the word “reawakening” mean to you, particularly in comparison to the song and its mood?
SAGE: This whole project to me felt like a reawakening. I’m in a place where I’ve really found my footing and can be vulnerable and confident at the same time. Heartbreak can be the most beautiful, rewarding thing. For me, it was about changing my perception of what it meant for me moving forward — a full reawakening for sure.
LUNA: Listening to some of your previous singles, I was completely drawn to a song called “Holy Water,” released back in March 2020. I found it rather interesting in the way that it approaches similar themes to those of “Smoke Break”: this almost avoidance of love for your own need for self-growth and self-love. While “Smoke Break” touches on the ending of relationships that seems almost unavoidable, “Holy Water” acts as a question of whether one should stay in a relationship or reserve space for themselves. Why do you think that need for self-growth is so critical when it comes to the end of relationships?
SAGE: I think self-growth is critical for the ending of any kind of chapter, whether it be a relationship or not. I try to adjust my headspace after any change in my life, find something new to focus on, restructure my relationship with myself, and move forward.
LUNA: I wanted to ask, do you feel like we ever truly get over people that we end relationships with, and do you think there is something to learn from every relationship we have been in?
SAGE: I think you can move on and get over someone but it never diminishes their importance. There is a takeaway from every relationship, each experience will help you narrow down what you really need in a partner (or what you need from yourself). I've had people who have shown me what I don’t deserve, shown me real love, and also what I personally need to work on.
LUNA: If there is one thing that you want people to know or take in after listening to “Smoke Break,” what would it be?
SAGE: I want this song and whole project to prove growth. As an artist and a person. So many of these lyrics are deeply personal — I put that at the forefront in a lot of these songs. There is one on the EP that is an ode to myself and my growth: the message in that one I’m very excited to share.
LUNA: Changing things up a little bit, I wanted to ask you some random fun questions. The first being, if you were building a playlist of must-listen-to songs for after a breakup, what would be the top five choices?
SAGE: Anything Julia Jacklin! Or even Angelo de Augustine! But, I will say: “Blood in Rain” by Ethan Gruska (feat. Moses Sumney); “I Get Along Without You Very Well” by Chet Baker; “I Didn’t Understand” by Elliot Smith for actual song choices! These will wreck you!
LUNA: Lastly, do you have any plans for virtual shows or any upcoming news you would like to share?
SAGE: I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow! Besides that — not sure! [I’ll] take all that comes focusing on the rollout of this project, so definitely look out for the next single! Much love.
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