There are only a few artists who transcend all boundaries to become more than just a musician. They make themselves vulnerable by experimenting in every genre to make more than just a record. They are the needle that delivers the music to the listener. Today, we had the chance to take a moment with one of those special artists, St. Louis’ own Saint London.
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Your newest single “Home” is one of your more rock driven tracks that you’ve released so far. What is special about the track that made you decide to release it as your first single w/video? What does “Home” mean to you?
I’m very into rock and grew up on a lot of bands that to me had some of the most inspirational music I’d ever heard. So naturally, as an artist now, when I’m going through a tough time I’m writing and creating a lot of music with guitar, but with an alternative kick. When this record was cut I was traveling from city to city, missing my family, and being around a lot of new faces, which makes you long for “Home.” However, I couldn’t go home. I had to keep going. This song right now describes my pinnacle emotion as I’m beginning my music career. It’s telling a piece of my story.
For the single “Home” you’ve headed to Indiegogo to get some help on funding the video. With this budget of $3,800 what do you hope you can accomplish with your first video? What kind of visual elements can we expect?
First let me say to everyone who doesn’t really know about Indiegogo yet, it’s an awesome platform for the independent community to achieve their dreams! I think it’s absolutely fantastic! So much that I thought it may be a very unique way to raise funds to bring a better project to the forefront! We are campaigning to raise $3800.00. This will provide the top of the line film equipment (appropriate gear, lighting, cranes, lenses, etc.), location permits (we plan to shoot at four different locations), and lastly, travel expenses to Louisiana. Adam Grambel is the director for “Home” and he works with 20th Century Fox (Pitch Perfect, etc.). This is an amazing opportunity for me and my fans if we can just pull this off!!! It will be a big look visually and something could become one of your favorites! Who knows?!
Your influences seem to cross the musical universe. You have done a couple covers that really show your versatility as an artist. When covering such a classic like “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin, how do you make a classic cover your own? What do you like about putting your own spin on covers?
Well, for me, first it’s realizing the greatness you’re about to channel. Janis Joplin was an amazing artist who still has a great impact on popular culture today. So you can’t just approach this type of record any kind of way. My producer and I sat with the record for one week and I really wanted to understand her more, artist to artist. When I sang it I remember saying on the long “Whoa, Whoa” after the third chorus, “I’ve NEVER sounded like that before!” As a good cover should, it taught me something about my own voice! I like that! What was key is that I focused on the blessing of being able to sing it, but in a way that would originally glorify its sound. I guess it was a match made in heaven!
We can’t help but notice that you have the style of a total rock and roll goddess. How did you come up with that design on the side of your scalp? What about your wardrobe; where do you shop? What do you feel makes your wardrobe UNIQUE to you?
Thank you! I’ve been growing my dreadlocks for ten years. Back when I started growing them I noticed that not a lot of people had them. Four years in, EVERYONE began growing their hair. I thought that it may be neat to try something different and go against the code of “Thou shalt not cut your dreadlocks,” and cut them! But, just on the sides! I began lifting my hair from there for the mohawk, going to a local barber to shave designs on the sides, but that got expensive fast. I decided that I would begin designing the sides by applying a product I mix together by hand. That way, each design is completely different, almost like a fingerprint. No one design is identical. I just love art! My wardrobe mainly comes from my personal designer’s closet, where I customize most of the clothes you have seen. I don’t really wear labels like that and I love to thrift! I pick up small trinkets, accessories, and fabrics, anything mostly with flow, and it’s never expensive. I think that the most fashionable people in this world are very thrifty. I feel like I can only be myself and I want my clothes to dictate that.
When listening to your music, there is absolutely no way to peg you into one particular genre which is something many artists today cannot achieve. How or why is it that you tend to cross the musical spectrum?
I just want to be me. I like to sing whatever comes. As an artist, my mood can vary, just like any human beings. We may one day feel happy, one day feel sad, or one day be angry. But just like a movie, each of these feelings have a “soundtrack,” which make them all sound different. I like to stay true to this feeling of being an artist. I want to be loyal to my process of making music and this allows me the opportunity to explore the world of sound honestly.
If you could keep a character from any movie as a pet, who or what would you keep and why?
(Laughs) I would have to go with Inspector Gadget! I mean come on, no more ladders, no more lines, and the coolest helicopter hat by far!!! GO GO GADGET!!!
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Follow Saint London on Twitter and give her a like on Facebook!
Saint London’s Indiegogo campaign is going on now so if you can, we encourage you to chip in a few bucks to help an indie artist reach the top!
— Serena Butler | @LaRenceB
