Spotlight: Sabrina Song’s Cathartic Album of the Summer ‘You Could Stay In One Spot, and I’d Love You The Same’
IF GIRLHOOD, NOSTALGIA, AND EXISTENTIALISM MADE AN ALBUM — it would be Long Island singer-songwriter and producer Sabrina Song’s debut album, You Could Stay In One Spot, and I’d Love You The Same, bringing nostalgia and catharsis to Sad Girl Summer this year. Having put out her first EP, Undone, in 2019, her first album has been long-awaited, especially following her four recent singles, “Busy Work,” “Yellowstone,” “Okay, Okay,” and “It Was Not a Beautiful Night.” Despite ranging in genre — from rock to country pop and indie-folk — these album snippets give you an idea of the coming-of-age journey that Song takes you on in You Could Stay In One Spot, and I’d Love You The Same.
On Song’s creation of the album, the artist explained that she pulled inspiration from her current phase in life and the confusion and loss that comes with it.
“I was thinking a lot about coming into adulthood and the passing of time, and how I spend my time,” Song said when describing the themes of her upcoming album. “And [how we’re] connected to those things, how that experience is shaped by womanhood.”
Having recently been compared to artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Blondshell, Song’s work gives a female gaze to your early twenties and post-grad existentialism. “I could have only written those songs because of my unique perspective and experiences as a woman,” Song said, recalling the challenges she’s faced as a young female producer and artist in a male-dominated industry.
Although Song considers herself a novice at capturing painful experiences in her songwriting, she perfectly captures her struggles with comparison, transitioning from girlhood to adulthood and “the societal undercurrent of losing value or running out of time.”
You Could Stay In One Spot, and I’d Love You The Same is Song’s first time co-producing, after self-producing her previous projects. Driven by her desire to prove herself, Song was accustomed to working alone before enlisting producer Torna to join forces with her on the album. Her extensive experience allowed for a seamless collaboration between the two, bringing to life the detailed demos Song laid out. When choosing the song order on the album, Song had a vision in mind, wanting it to be a seamless listening experience for her audience.
Song credits this project coming to life to New York Foundation of the Arts’s Women’s Fund, rewarded to her just in time to get started. To her, the album wouldn’t have been possible without this grant.
“I was honestly so shocked,” she said of the experience. “I obviously still have feelings of imposter syndrome, so when someone who owes you nothing validates that they believe in what you’re doing, it’s just so motivating.”
When discussing the Sad Girl Summer vibe of her album, released today, Song laughed. “I love to wallow in a song,” she said. “But I think the general vibe of the album … I would say they’re freer and a bit lighter. Like, you’re on a bike, listening, and it’s a beautiful summer day and you’re reminiscing. Or you’re processing something, on a train looking out the window… It’s definitely cathartic to me.”
Up next, Song has an album release show and birthday party at Brooklyn’s Union Pool with other headliners. She intends to play her album live as much as she can in the next year, and is excited at the possibility of touring. If you’re looking for a summer of catharsis and nostalgia, stream You Could Stay In One Spot, and I’d Love You The Same now on all platforms.
