Features : Sandra-Mae Lux Interview

Today, singer/songwriter Sandra-Mae Lux has released her brand new EP 'Moment In The Sun.' These fun, up-beat songs infuse jazz, soul, funk, and pop together for what are three beautifully unique tunes that you'll want to hear on repeat. Music-News had the opportunity to interview Sandra and go behind-the-scenes on her new project.

How old were you when you started playing your first instrument?
I started piano lessons when I was 7. I gave my mom an ultimatum though; I wasn't going to do piano lessons unless I could do jazz, instead of the classical curriculum.

How many instruments do you play now and what are they?
I play saxophone (alto, tenor baritone), piano, guitar, Brazilian percussion. And if you look closely, in the Danny Boyle film “Yesterday” you can see me playing ukulele on stage in the Wembley Stadium scene.

When did you write your first song? Do you remember what it was about?
It was a song about being heartbroken over a boy I had a crush on. I think I must have been 11. It was, ahem, not very good.

Tell us about the three songs off your upcoming EP "Moment In The Sun"
The three songs featured on the EP are “Moment in the Sun”, which is an anthem that celebrates diversity, and gives voice to anybody who has ever felt lost or forgotten. “I’m Still Here” is a dreamy, jazz-inspired mid-tempo tribute to an inspirational teacher of mine who sadly passed away several years ago. “Happily Ever Now” is a joyus affirmation of the wonderful imperfections of relationships, no matter how long they last. Love someone as much as you can, while you can!

How would you describe your sound?
It’s a mixture of pop and soul; think Taylor Swift meets Earth, Wind & Fire, with a bit jazz sprinkled over the top. I like to use as little processing as possible, so that you can hear the real “me.” Pitch control software like Auto-Tune or Melodyne can really take the true heart out of a vocalist. So I try to use that stuff as sparingly as possible. I love using vintage analogue gear! There’s nothing as fat as a real Minimoog, as chunky as a Clavinete or as silky as a Solina strings synth. There’s an amazing extra warmth you get from a real Rhodes or Wurlitzer.

If you could open for any artist in the world, who would it be and why?
Well, if I could open for anyone in history, it would have to be Donny Hathaway. He was such an incredible soul singer and phenomenal keyboardist and arranger with so much heart. Sadly passed way too soon. Jacob Collier is someone I’d love to open for who’s around now. His arrangements are off the scale!

How have you been dealing with music during Covid?
Covid has been an incredibly creative time for me! I actually recorded most of the album during lockdown here in London. It was a blessing to have a project to focus on while we couldn’t (and still can’t) do live performances. During Covid I’ve also written another whole album’s worth of songs with my writing partner, so it’s not all been bad!

What's on the horizon for you and how can our readers find you online?
Now that The EP “Moment in the Sun” is out, I’m getting ready for the release of my full album “Happily Ever Now” which will be dropping in November. Then it's more writing, recording and hopefully performing in 2021. I’ve also written a show version of the album which I hope to produce soon. You can find me on Instagram, Twitter (@sandramaelux), all the DSPs (Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, etc.) and my good ol’ fashioned website at www.sandramaelux.com.