DOSSEY is the magnificent soul bearing alter new wave pop-ego of Austin based artist Sarah Dossey. Her musical project fuses an eclectic mix of American folk and 80s synthpop into a wonderful wave of catching honest lyrics and beats that move you to the core. With DOSSEY’s sound, being a traditional songwriter is at the forefront, her music is built on a solid foundation of an eye-opening exposes that make you think as well as dance.
She says of the whimsical electro-noir tune “Plastic Diamonds” premiering today,
“Making music and sharing it with the world in a matter of 3 minutes can make me feel very exposed. Sometimes, I personally just need someone or something to remind me of my worth and tether me to reality. The idea of “Plastic Diamonds falling out my mouth” is sort of my take on how things that were once good can start to feel after a while – fake, counterfeit. Production-wise, there are a few things that continue throughout the song consistently – the chord structure is on a loop, and the baseline kind of meanders up and down in the same pattern – to sort of allude to that idea of a reality tether.”
What is it like making music in the landscape of today?
It’s the wild west! We’re all sort of making it up as we go. It’s amazing that literally anyone can put out any music at any time, but it can also be super daunting. You never know what’s going to hit, or totally bomb. Now, more than ever, I think, it’s super important to look at your “artist self” as a brand. (IE: I’ve had pretty much the same number of people discover my music through Instagram or Facebook as through a streaming service like Spotify.) Gone are the days when we could promote our music just on it’s own – now, music is just one piece of a very diverse pie. In my idea, those who will survive are those that are the most scrappy.
What are your challenges as an indie artist?
Up to this point, my biggest challenge has been a lack of accountability. I very much function most effectively in a group environment. Doing it on my own (without financial or marketing support), can be a challenge for the simple fact that I have no one to run stuff by. Obviously, being signed comes with financial support, which is certainly helpful – but a lot of times, I find myself saying, “Is this cool? Or is it dumb?”.
When do you connect with your fans the most?
At shows! I love performing, and it’s a huge priority for me to make each show super special. Especially in a place like Austin, where there are 20 great shows happening every weekend, I feel a responsibility to justify the $10 admission to people. It challenges me to be creative.
What is the Austin scene like?
How much time do we have? Austin is certainly an enigma. It has a cultural identity underwriting (ahem, Willie Nelson) the art being made here, but that’s certainly not all it is. People are generally not in a hurry, and also very particular about what is “good” or “artful”. The Americana feeling runs deep – it’s definitely a guitar town.
What major act would be a dream to open for?
Madonna. Think what you might about her, she is not afraid to take a risk on stage or in her music. I very much admire that about her.
What do you do when you are not making music?
People do other things?
Name three things that make you happier than anything?
Going on adventures (traveling) with the hubs. Having a delicious meal with delicious wine. Making music.
CONNECT WITH DOSSEY:
FACEBOOK // TWITTER // INSTAGRAM
