A Follow up Conversation with Sandra Mae Lux
You mentioned that music saved your life during high school. How did you navigate through those challenging times, and in what specific ways did music provide that sanctuary for you?
I was extremely bullied throughout my time at high school. Girls can be so mean! I was a bit of an introvert, but I was very good at sports, music, and I loved science (biology mostly) and I was always reading. You could definitely say I was a bit of a nerd! I guess bullies like to pick on people who don’t really “fit in” with their version of what “cool” is. At one point a girl said that nobody liked me so I should just k*ll myself.
But when I was playing sax or piano, or guitar, or singing, it was like being in another world (and still is to this day), and it drowned out all those horrible things those bullies were saying. It was an escape. I could totally explore my authentic self through music and express my emotions, with zero judgement. The band room, and the music we played there was a true sanctuary.
Your high school music teacher, Jeremy Hepner, played a pivotal role in shaping your career path. Could you share a specific moment or piece of advice from him that had a lasting impact on your decision to pursue music professionally?
I had a real crossroads moment in high school. My mom was really pressuring me to become a nurse like she had, because it was “safe, secure, and you get a good pension.” I had even applied to a few nursing schools, but it just didn’t feel right.
Jeremy was so wonderfully encouraging and nurturing of my musical journey; he opened me up to so many lovely musical experiences. He was a true mentor, and never stopped believing in my talent. I told him that I had applied to these nursing schools, and one day he took me aside and said “Sandra-Mae, you don’t pursue music. Music pursues you. It’s a calling. You either answer that call now when you’re young, or it keeps bugging you for the rest of your life until you do.”
So, I applied to music college, got in, and the rest is history! Were it not for Jeremy, I wouldn’t be here at all.
Your latest single is a jazz interpretation of Miley Cyrus’s « Flowers. » What drew you to this particular song, and how did you approach the process of transforming it into your own unique style?
When I first heard the song “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus on the radio, I had to stop everything and completely listen. It was just so good! The songwriting and production is totally brilliant.
One of the signs of a great song is when it can be done in many ways/genres, and sound just as fresh and authentic, and this is what inspired me to create a stripped back jazz version of it. I started off with just piano and taking the tempo right down, and creating a more intimate approach with the vocals. Then I added some acoustic bass, tambourine and bass drum to give it some more dynamics.
It turned out really well I think, and became this sultry Norah Jones-meets-Sade vibe that explores the idea of empowerment after loss.
I think this version ticks all the boxes. Have a listen here if you haven’t already!
https://linktr.ee/sandramaelux
In your cover of « Flowers, » you delve into themes of empowerment and growth after loss. How did you ensure that your rendition captured these emotions while staying true to your own artistic expression?
I think if you come from a totally authentic place, you will always stay true to your own artistic expression.
The wonderful thing about being an artist is that you can explore all kinds of different approaches to performance, writing, arranging, production, etc, and if you follow your gut and your emotions, you will always sound like you. The song Flowers really touched me on an emotional level, so I was able to put those emotions into this new rendition.
Take the band Extreme for example; they’re a heavy metal band that ended up writing and releasing one of the seminal acoustic guitar ballads of the 90’s! Nuno Bettencourt was just sitting on a porch one morning and this song fell out, and he decided to record it. It still sounds like him, and he was still true to his artistic expression, and it’s still their most famous song to date.
You mentioned exploring more intimate performances recently. How has this shift influenced your approach to music, and what do you hope to convey to your audience through these softer, more introspective performances?
This softer, more introspective approach to performance is just another way of connecting to an audience on a different level. I got very interested in exploring the different “points of view” of performing a song. For example, some songs are very much performances that are taking place inside your head, whereas in another song you may be singing to one person, or to many people. This has nothing to do with how loud or quiet or close/far away you are from the microphone. It literally is “point of view” – who am I singing to? A best friend? A lover? A large crowd of people? This is also independent of how many people are in your audience, because you could sing an “inside your head” song to 60,000 people and still connect with them.
Could you describe a typical day or session in your home studio when working on your music? How do you balance creativity with the technical aspects of production?
I mostly have producers who work on my songs, rather than trying to produce my own music. Personally I find it a bit challenging to remove myself from the song, and listen to it with a producer’s hat on. It’s just too close! However, my writing partner and I did end up producing our original track “You Me And Tomorrow” which ended up going to #3 on the UK Soul Chart! However I do think a bit of luck came into the picture with how that track turned out. I also produced the Miley cover, but because there are so few elements, and the arrangement was so clear, it felt like it didn’t need much in the way of production.
However, we do record all our demos here at home and mix in the box. I like to have really fleshed out demos before sending them off to other musician’s to lay their parts down. We have a nice set-up with great gear which really helps. We’ll normally record the bed track first and get that sounding really nice, and then I’ll sing in the vocals, and add harmonies and vocal doubling/tripling/quadrupling, etc.
Then we’ll roughly mix it, add some nice plug-ins, and come back to it again the next day with fresh ears. Never try to mix or produce a song in one day, you’ll blow your ears out! All the best producers and mixers say that you should give your ears a break every 20 minutes. I’m definitely guilty of not doing that haha.
Listeners can expect a mix of emotions like catharsis and joy when they hear your cover of « Flowers. » How do you personally connect with these emotions during your performances, and how do you translate that connection to your audience?
When you’re performing a song, I think it’s really important to see pictures in your head, to visualize what that person is going through. You can still use your own experiences of loss, breakup, empowerment, ect, but avoid attaching to those emotions. I like to slightly remove myself from the performance, and say things like “she is doing this” or “she is looking at this” and referring to the performer as a character, rather than attaching to the emotion. In this way, it is easier to release your ego from the performance and allow your true self to be guided by the song. When this happens, the audience will feel it too, and that will create a lovely connection.
Considering your journey from initially hearing « Flowers » to releasing your cover, what were some of the challenges you encountered during the creative process, and how did you overcome them?
Actually this cover basically fell out with almost no challenges at all! The only challenge was being careful to avoid overproducing it and adding too many elements/instruments, etc.. That can be really tempting sometimes haha. But I think I struck a good balance in the end!
As an artist who values authenticity, how do you ensure that your covers and original works reflect your personal voice while still resonating with your audience?
Again, if you approach covers from an authentic place, you will always stay true to your own artistic expression, and that will always resonate with an audience.
If you love what you’re doing, that will show, and the audience will love you for it.
Tell us about your new song »Where Your Heart Rests »
My writing partner and I both had the experience of losing our family homes, so our concept of what ‘home’ is had to change. It’s a reflection on the essence of home and the journey to find where your heart truly rests, even when the familiar landscapes of childhood no longer exist.
Departing from the traditional notions of home as a physical place, the song delves into the emotional landscape where memories, connections, and aspirations intersect. Skillfully produced by JUNO Award-Winning producer Chris SD, this instant classic draws inspiration from musical legends such as Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, and James Taylor.
With poignant lyrics and background vocals that’ll give you goosebumps, this acoustic ballad delves into the profound concept of Home and its evolving meaning in our lives. Listening to this song, I invite you to walk a road where Home means more than just a backyard and a white picket fence. Homeward bound. Take a listen here:
https://linktr.ee/sandramaelux
Looking ahead, what can fans anticipate from your future projects? Are there any new themes or musical directions you’re eager to explore?
Yes! I’m currently finishing up writing a fully original straight-ahead jazz album which I am so excited about. My writing partner and I just had a bunch of really great jazz songs fall out, so we decided we should get them recorded and release them.
I have half the album recorded at the moment, and it is sounding absolutely amazing. The band is killing, and I’m really lucky to be able to use some incredible gear to record it all on. It’s such a treat to record the whole band and everything live off the floor too. So watch out for some great jazz coming your way in 2025!
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