Q&A: Stephen Sanchez Swoons Audiences Across Seas
THE BEST WAY TO HAVE A STORYBOOK ENDING - according to nostalgic crooner Stephen Sanchez is when you and your partner can write the story together. Although the infamous Evangeline and Troubadour Sanchez characters from his album Angel Face didn’t quite have their own storybook ending there is still hope for the rest of us.
His single “Til I Have Found You” has entered every corner of the internet including BookTok where avid readers share reviews and associated material for their favorite reads. This new classic has become the sound of romance novels everywhere. Sanchez himself shared that the sequel to “Til I Found You” is “The Other Side” which is one of the tracks on the now-released Angel Face (Club Deluxe). Few have entranced the world the way Sanchez’s velvety baritone washes over continent after continent. Just returning from his first show in Japan Sanchez shared how the depths of his heart are translated into the continuation of The Troubadour’s story.
Luna had the chance to attend 1824’s virtual press conference with Stephen Sanchez to learn about his approach towards storytelling, his live shows and more. Read below for the full conversation below.
1824: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given as an artist?
SANCHEZ: Around eight years ago, when I was still just starting out as a songwriter, I saw the band Tenth Avenue North and waited after the show to meet the lead singer. I asked him for a piece of advice and he said “Every time somebody gives you a pedestal, step off and put the next person on.” Meaning to always pass off what you’ve been given to the next person so that it continues. To me, it just means not being too big to help someone else out, a lesson in humility. And I’ve carried that with me for a long time.
1824: With the album called Angel Face, it’s evident that our eyes would be drawn toward the “Angel face” seen in “The Other Side’s” first verse. However, this track is on Club Deluxe, which is interesting because, with a leitmotif like that, most artists would move it to the main body of work. Was that deliberately done? Did you want us to get to know the characters, such as “Evangeline” before this choice was executed?
SANCHEZ: Oh, I totally understand what you’re saying. It would have made it so much sense to have “The Other Side” be right in the middle. I think I just wanted to tell the story first with the characters which really lay out the foundations of the story. Also, that song went through many iterations to craft the lyrics perfectly, so that also played into the decision, which has felt like better timing because now we get to play songs that feel fresh on the road.
1824: You’ve mentioned that your music is inspired by classic romance and love stories. Are there any particular films, books, or personal experiences that have influenced your songwriting?
SANCHEZ: There are totally personal experiences that have influenced the songwriting. I definitely find myself relating to different films. I just watched Lost in Translation on the way to Japan and it's you know two main characters going through midlife crises and ending up meeting each other and escaping from their realities and creating one together. It's a lot more beautiful than that and romantic and sweet. I think that love is a wonderful escape from reality a lot of the time. And then love becomes real when you shake off the clouds and stuff. Getting lost in that and then shaking the clouds off has been really inspiring. Movies remind me of that magic and reality of heartache and the circumstances pulling two people away from each other. I’ve also lived before so both personal and media forms are really inspiring.
1824: How did it feel to play your first show in Japan and how did the audience energy differ if at all from the shows in the United States?
SANCHEZ: I mean total energy shift but in the best way. The guys and I realized that the American shows are all about the hype. Everyone wants to be hyped up from the stage. In Japan, they are totally like that too but they want permission to be hyped, which I think is epic. They are all about being respectful during the show and just being present. Everyone is clapping and jumping and participating in what you ask of them. It felt like they were really listening to what we were playing and singing. Whereas back in the early days when you would play an acoustic set starting out people would talk. People don’t talk at our shows now, there are a few “I love you’s” or every once in a while there is a rogue comment. In Detroit, a girl yelled something I won’t even repeat. (laughs)
1824: Let's say that one of your listeners has found their way into a forbidden romance, just like Troubadour Sanchez. What kind of advice would you have for them, to achieve a storybook ending to their story?
SANCHEZ: Oh my God, don’t. Don’t do any of that, nothing like what that character did. Don’t try and disband a relationship. Storybook endings, what even are those, who knows? To each their own right, whatever satisfies the itch. I would say pursue a thing that’s healthy. They want to know you and you want to know them and that’s it. You’re on the same page, that’s great, do that. The best way to achieve a storybook ending seems to be having somebody that's willing to write a story with you and it's one where it doesn’t feel like you’re forcing their hand onto the paper. Star Crossed Lovers might not be the way to go. Find someone who hands you the pen to write your story, don’t feel like the one with two pens. Throw a pen at somebody to pick up off the ground you know. If that metaphor makes any sense.
1824: You’re back on the road this summer/fall - what can fans with upcoming shows expect from this tour iteration? What’s been the best or most memorable part of this tour for you?
SANCHEZ: It’s definitely different this time. Last year we told the story outright, and we walked everybody through it. Last year we were the ghosts of the story, the Troubadour died and the Moon Crest band died because of Hunter. The story was we as ghosts were haunting the venues across the United States. And now we are taking it way further back where it predates the Angel Club Shows but it doesn’t predate the love story of Evangeline and the Troubadour. Early on in that is Connie Co's show Debut which is what set everything in motion. What you can expect is to be transported back into the late 1950s as if you were seeing the Troubadour Sanchez with the Mooncrest Band live. We are playing through the years and it’s been cool.
Toronto was so much fun because I got to be up in the balcony and dance with this sweet, sweet little girl during “Put Your Head on My Shoulder.” And then during another song a girl had a cowboy hat and I was singing to her and put her hat on my head. It’s been a very flirty and sweet tour.
1824:You’ve performed many iconic covers at shows like “Pretty Woman” and “Unchained Melody”. What’s the process of choosing these specific songs and fitting them into the style and direction of your own shows?
SANCHEZ: As much as we want to pull people into the world we’re creating, we also want to put a time stamp on it and explore these artists that exist in that world too. So covering these songs pulls people even deeper, that’s the hope anyway. It’s also just really fun. Brooks is our music director and guitar player, he does such a great job at making every bit of the show feel cohesive. We’ve been able to put our own spin on “Pretty Woman” and add a little more rock and roll feel to it. It’s fun to do a bit of a nod to our heroes but also make it our own.
1824:As one of your recent singles, “Emotional Vacation,” a tropical yearning for something more real. What are some places you find peace in going to for that yearning sensation?
SANCHEZ: I think I’m such a romantic that I’m kind of always operating out of that headspace. I’m not necessarily looking for it either. I think it’s something that it’s either there or it’s not. I never try to force it to be there but love it when it is.
If it were to say a place I love is the ocean. Love the ocean, love a surf, love that vibe.
1824: In your song “Doesn’t Do Me Any Good,” the first verse includes the lines: “They said a man rich with love, Could go crazy, Spendin' all his gold, Bettin' on a maybe. Just like that river, baby. Don't let it be misunderstood.” Could you share what inspired these lyrics and what they mean to you?
SANCHEZ: I wrote that with Daniel and Ian Fitchuk when we were in the studio. For some reason, I was having an anger-infused day, just a truly bad day. It was no one’s fault. I think at the time I was in a weird situation with someone I liked. I just wanted to write out of this place of frustration so it’s a love song but also totally not. It’s almost a diss track being annoying at myself that if this person said come running I would. It was so annoying to be entrenched with liking someone even if they weren’t into me. I guess “It Doesn’t Do Me Any Good” is just me being down bad.
1824:Is there a special memory in your professional career that warms your heart when you think about it?
SANCHEZ: I keep thinking about this one memory - probably because I just watched Almost Famous - but when I got off the stage at Glastonbury and Kate Hudson was waiting sidestage she ran up to me and hugged me. She was like “You are so, so amazing.” Then she just grabbed my face and kissed me on the cheek. I just looked at her and had my arms wrapped around her and was like “You’re - this is awesome! This is the greatest day ever!” I mean Kate Hudson just kissed me who’s Penny Lane and in How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. I just love her so much. So my life’s set. Every time I think about it I get giddy like when you have a crush. That memory warms my heart.
1824: When you write songs through the lens of different characters, how do you immerse yourself in their world? Do you have any rituals or methods to get into the mindset of the personas you create?
SANCHEZ: I mean the characters themselves totally have their own mindset and their own feelings. I think that they are my feelings at the end of the day too. I’m always writing from a perspective that’s a bit exaggerated. There’s some songs that are just right on the nose and express exactly how it is and how I feel. I was trying to make the characters feel that. Then there are some that are a bit more intense and dramatic, less surreal. I’m usually thinking about my feelings and then apply them to the story that’s being written and the character, and that’s about it.
1824: The "About Page" on Spotify reads a cool little tale about "Troubadour Sanchez," which begs the question: when writing songs, particularly those with a storytelling aspect, does the story come first, or do lyrics and a melody? How would you rate storytelling in order of importance when crafting a new tune?
SANCHEZ: Storytelling is so important to me. I find it really exciting to write from real stories that have happened in my life and my real feelings. And then there's an element of hiding behind the characters a little bit so it lessens the blow of vulnerability which makes it really exciting. When we were touring early on the music was very ‘heart on the sleeve’ vibes. Which I’ve kind of always been that way. But when I was just writing about a girl I dated for two months, it felt like a snooze fest because it was similar to what other people were doing. But writing about and creating a character that tells the story for you that people can get attached to and love for a moment, that’s fun. And yes it’s ‘Stephen Sanchez’ on stage but it’s also a character performance. And that feels a bit more unique and special.
When it comes to the next record we’ll be playing new characters and telling their stories with a different sound. It's important to me that the storytelling carries the music. I don’t want to be that guy who spends his whole career regurgitating the same breakup story over and over.
1824: In your debut album, Angel Face, you explore the story of 'The Troubadour Sanchez,' a fictional musician from 1958. What inspired you to create this character, and how does he reflect your musical journey?
SANCHEZ: I mean I love 50’s and 60’s music. I’ve always wanted to be back in the day playing music because I love that sound so much. It was selfishly something I thought would be fun to play dress up and it ended up being way cooler than I thought it would be. I was a little afraid it would end up being cheesy but I’m glad it’s not. The storytelling aspect is inspired by Marty Robbins and his gunslinger stories and Roy Orbison was big on telling stories from his own life. Initially, we were going to really try to sell it with a fictional backstory, fake age, and fake hometown the whole thing. As we were working it out it ended up being simpler.
1824: How do you plan on bringing the 1960s environment into the 2020s live show experience?
SANCHEZ: I mean so far so fantastic. It's been a cool experience and I’ve loved doing it and enjoyed seeing people's reactions. I think what we’re doing with an immersive show is a bit different than what most people are doing. The audiences have been fully invested and getting involved with the world we are creating. We love playing dress up with them. Some of the guys hate their suits but I love them. (laughs)
1824:In an interview with Spin, you said you were "currently in love with the idea of having a podcast or a radio show." If you were to have a podcast, what would the subject be?
SANCHEZ: Such a good question. I would probably end up talking about old music or random pop culture moments. It would be neat to have a space to talk about how old classic songs were made and came to be what they are. I’d like to have guests from older generations, like grandparents, and have them tell their stories. Just a place to share stories really.
1824: Who are some collaborations on the album that you think had the biggest impact on you artistically and personally throughout the process of working together?
SANCHEZ: I would say Ben Schneider for sure. He’s the lead singer and the mastermind behind the artist project Lord Huron. We worked on a lot of the songs for the record and it actually created a massive shift in the sound of the record too. When we did “No One Knows” that was the first song we wrote together. Then we had Laufey come be a part of it and that opened up the world where this story became an actual love story. It initially was very fluffy and spoke of a lot of longing after the person. But the song really speaks about how people who love each other sometimes hate each other too. And not always wanting to be around the other person or not feeling as in love as before. It furthered the narrative of the character of longing for Evangeline and wanting the opportunity to dislike her at the same time. The contrast is what helped him realize how much he loves her and wants to be with her. It shows that he chooses her through trials and tribulations, which is true love when you continually choose one another.
This affected things musically and contextually. It became way more acoustic towards the end and increasingly intimate with songs like “Cotton Blue.” “Death of The Troubadour” only exists because Ben and I wrote it, he didn’t need to necessarily die. Who I am as an artist is a direct impact of Lord Huron and how much I listened to them growing up.
1824: When did the additional tracks that appear on the Club Deluxe version of Angel Face come to life? Were any a part of the original story between Troubadour Sanchez and Evangeline?
SANCHEZ: Some of the tracks predated the record actually which is crazy. Some were written before the bulk of the record and some in the middle of everything. It wasn’t really a post-project, it was more about laying the foundation of the story first before sharing the additional songs that expanded the plotline. We didn’t want to not share all of them or pick and choose what made it on the record so we decided to share them after. It took a little bit to get some of them perfect and release-ready. So timing is really everything.
1824:How do you define success for yourself? Has your definition of success evolved since you started your career?
SANCHEZ: Oh man that’s a great question. I’ve never been one to describe success in a quantifiable way. I remember when I was first in a meeting with my A&R who is now the president of the label I'm under which is pretty cool. We were on the phone and all I wanted to do was to sell out shows and record and play the songs I wrote. I thought it would be so cool to have music recorded just so I could listen to it. I still just want to be around people and write songs that mean something to me and the people around me. I think when it stops feeling as innocent as that I’d like to stop. I always want the intention to be pure. I don’t want to get into a space where I’ve won every Grammy and the hearts of all these people and just some big shot. I don’t want to be untouchable. I want to be someone who still wants to connect with other human beings and write songs for them and me. I want to be humble through it all and not get caught up in the success. I think that’s success for me just making sure I never get too lost in the fact that I have been blessed with being successful. Because that’s a gift and I don’t want to act like it’s anything more than a gift because it becomes an ego thing and that’s super lame.
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