Meet Emily Sara

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Sara. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Emily , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I should start by saying I have yet to overcome imposter syndrome and I don’t think I ever will, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a negative. Sometimes imposter syndrome can push us to achieve more as long as we have a healthy relationship with it.

Let me explain. Everybody has felt like an imposter at some point in their lives. My most acute form of imposter syndrome, and the kind I am still actively working on, was induced by training as an opera singer for most of my adult life, moving to New York City and instead of pursuing an opera career, starting to write and record my own original indie pop/r&b music. While I’m not a total stranger to songwriting, it was not what I studied in school and definitely not what I thought I would do with my life. This calling took hold so strongly, I followed.

Since being in New York, I have gotten some incredible performance opportunities, worked with talented musicians and artists, and created a beautiful network of like-minded songwriters who genuinely support me and my music. Still, everytime I step onstage, show my songs to a new person, or post yet another Tiktok video, a voice in my head wonders aloud if this will be the time everyone realizes I’m faking it.

For the most part, I have made friends with that voice. She’s feisty and gets louder when I give her attention, so she’s pushed me to work on my boundaries, an important skill in this industry. Her appearance also signals that I am challenging myself, putting my energy and my work out into the world to see what I receive in return. I would never get any better at my craft if I kept it to myself. She also keeps my ego in check. As a performer, I’m putting myself on a pedestal everytime I step onstage. I do so with immense gratitude and just enough fear to open myself up to the learning opportunity of performing. This way I can continue to sharpen my skills and experience without getting too comfortable.

Imposter syndrome can be an unpleasant experience, but if kept in check, it can foster some of your best and most intentional work. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and remind you to keep going when you fall, and befriend the voice saying that you’ll fail. She has more power for good than you realize.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My name is Emily Sara and I’m a singer, songwriter, actor and creator based in Brooklyn, NY. After studying classical voice and opera in college, I decided to expand my vocal technique, write my own music and explore performance platforms like film and experimental theater. My work explores cultural and feminine identity and pulls from many genres and styles but sits mostly in the indie pop/r&b sound world. I draw inspiration from artists like Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Fiona Apple and Sammy Rae. My last project, a visual EP called “Mismatch,” explored identity and belonging as a Middle Eastern American woman living in the Midwest. Now back on the East Coast, I continue to write on female identity in its multitudes through my personal experiences and through the eyes of female characters I’ve met in film, literature and mythology.

I’m super excited to announce that I released a new single on March 1st called “Let Go of Losing You.” The song speaks to the fear of falling in love and the courage it sometimes takes to let a good thing happen. It’s a ballad with a vintage feel and is based on my own experience mixed with Bonnie and Clyde’s tragic love story. I have a lot of other new music in the works as well and will be playing shows in NYC pretty regularly for the next few months if you want to hear what I’ve been working on. You can follow me on Instagram @emilysaramusic to get all the details!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Persistence – This industry is a TOUGH one and it is so easy to get knocked down and not want to get back up again. Don’t let that happen. A friend said to me recently “the world needs your art,” and I try to remind myself of that when I have hard days. The world needs your art. It needs you to get back up, dust yourself off and keep going.

Kindness – My voice teacher always used to say “if there are two singers who walk into an audition room and one is ultra talented but difficult to work with and the other has less natural talent but is kind, the second will get the job.” Always meet people with kindness, even if you are not immediately met with the same grace. It will pay off. People remember your talent, but they remember how they feel around you more. You will get opportunities by doing good work and being kind.

Self-advocacy – You need to know when to say no and how to stick up for yourself in a room of decision makers. Creating something, whether that’s art, music, or a new business is vulnerable and it’s easy to get taken advantage of. Keep your heart open but if something doesn’t feel right or you’re being pushed in a direction that doesn’t match your values, pause, take a breath, and state your needs and preferences calmly and clearly.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I have gained so many skills and so much knowledge from countless teachers along my journey. I still have many more to learn from. But, I think the most important qualities that I’ve learned in my life have been ones of character and those I attribute to my mom. She raised me to be an intentional, observant, open and driven woman, who can stand in her power and take what comes. Leaving her home as a young teenager in the midst of a revolution and creating a life in a new country is hard enough, but she actively works to better herself and the world around her everyday, both personally and for the larger good. She is the greatest role model a young woman could have and I am the artist I am today because she gave me the tools and the love I needed to pursue my dreams.

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Image Credits
Henrique Penha Javi Alvarez Jo Ortega Alex Quade Tyler Clark

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