Q: “Big Now” is a catchy synth-filled alt-pop anthem that was born out of a frustration over climate change that had been building for years and sparked by the ‘every man for himselfʼ attitude you were seeing all around you at the start of the pandemic. What do you hope people take away from listening to this track?
SARAH (of Low Girl): I don’t think I wield any kind of influence but wouldn’t it be better if all of us were more mindful about the most vulnerable people? A few people on the planet are hoarding a wealth that is impossible for any one person to spend – it’s a fight against the apathy of people thinking that is OK.
Q: Both “Big Now” and your debut single, “ICU”, showcase your talent as a songwriter. Whatʼs your songwriting process, and what spurs you creatively?
SARAH (of Low Girl): Thank you very much! My process is very much improvisational, in the sense that I will just sit down with an instrument and see what comes out. I then refine my ideas through voice notes, which take up 90% of the space on my phone. I’m often spurred on by strong uncomfortable emotions more than anything else, it’s always what drives me to express something.
Q: What inspired your stage name?
SARAH (of Low Girl): Well the less cool answer is that the last name (Sara) was impossible to find! But when it came to choosing Low Girl, I wanted a name that captured the kind of sardonic pigeon hole that down-beat music often gets put in. I’ve so often seen Radiohead labelled as “depressing” because they don’t make impossibly happy songs, but there’s a lot of intricacy in what they do. Definitely not putting myself anywhere near their league, but you get the idea! I also wanted to maintain the fact the narrative of these songs are feminine, hence “girl”.
Q: How has growing up in Hemel Hempstead affected your music?
SARAH (of Low Girl): There isn’t the biggest music scene in Hemel, although I am in great company with artists like Minnie Birch and Jarki Monno. I will say though that having Heath Barn as the centre for all my music lessons at school definitely encouraged me to engage with writing more, as I always had a place to go at lunchtime away from all the playground drama.
Q: Youʼve been writing songs since you were 12 years old. Did writing come naturally to you? What was the first song you ever wrote?
SARAH (of Low Girl): It did come fairly naturally to me! I think I’d been listening so much to The Beatles at that time that the verse/chorus/middle 8 songwriting formulas had been drummed into my head. The first song I wrote, London Bird, was absolutely terrible though. Me and my brother still play it as a joke sometimes.
Q: What can we expect to hear on your upcoming EP, Big Now?
SARAH (of Low Girl): Every track is unique, and I promise I’m not just saying that. That’s something that’s very important to me as a listener, so I wanted to make sure we kept it interesting. You’ve got your weirdly upbeat Big Now, as well as a super dramatic ballad and a really quiet, sad song. Hopefully there will be something in there for everyone and it gets across what I’m trying to achieve, which is to make something meaningful.
Answered by Sarah Cosgrove of Low Girl
Interviewed by Brynn Hinnant
