Sarah Bollinger: Both/And

Happy Thanksgiving!! My friend Sarah Bollinger took over the blog today to share why she loves music and how it has helped her dig deep inside of her own story in the hopes that one of her songs can make an impact on another person's heart.  Please read her words and experience her art as you drink some wine with your beautiful family and friends on this beautiful day of gratitude and thanks!

Scroll all the way through this piece to watch the video from her album  "Both/And."

Photo Credit: Miriam-Danielle Photography

About Sarah

With a compelling, immense, fill-up-the-room kind of voice, Sarah Bollinger is nothing if not passionate.  It is clear from the very first note that she feels everything she sings from the tips of her cat-eyed glasses all the way down to her little toes.  Sarah blends St. Louis grit with blue-eyed soul, causing listeners to fall in love with music in brand new ways.  

Sarah grew up in St. Louis, somewhere between blues bars and gospel choirs, and sings with an aura of divine debauchery.  When Sarah is not gallivanting around the world doing humanitarian work in Mozambique, you can catch her in local bars and clubs throughout the Midwest singing her soul out.

On Music

Where would we be without music?  Every memorable event, every important relationship, every sacred moment, every profane screw up is marked with that one poignant song that unexpectedly stops you dead in your tracks, in the middle of Target, 7 years later…and you know exactly what I mean… I hope to write that one song for somebody, somewhere, someday.  Music is the way that I express all of that inner dialogue that is so often beyond just words – those feelings, experiences, sentiments, thoughts, desires, hopes, dreams, regrets and ideas that aren’t expressed in any other way.  Music is the complicated, ever-changing pace of life that is thick and thin and hard and soft and fast and slow.  

Music is an outlet.  It’s the only place I’ve found where I can be truly, 100%, honestly me all of the time.  It’s the raw expression of my inner-most person made from a combination of stringing words together, banging out frustration and ecstasy on the piano,holding the sustain pedal for…just…long…enough…, and throwing my voice to the wind like falling icicles in winter, not exactly sure where it will land or the damaged beauty it might cause.  It’s uncontrollable, it’s unpredictable, it’s always an adventure, and yet, it’s highly disciplined.  It’s both practiced and improvisational.  Rehearsed and completely sporadic.   Music is the embodiment of disciplined freedom.  And where would I be without it?

You can her purchase her album Both/And here.
You can get to know Sarah even better here.

Click the link below to watch Sarah's music video.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH SARAH'S VIDEO "MISSING YOURS."