Interview by: Emily Sisson
Photo credit: Peyton Mariah.
In a world so laydend with straight lines and checkered boxes, emerged that of a cabaret rock band from Georgia, born to challenge its mediocrity with a razzle dazzle. Sarah and the Safe Word have been releasing music since 2015, showcasing their creative talent and versatility, performing major festivals like Warped Tour and accompanying prominent acts like Motionless in White.
The bands latest release “Invert The Jenny” is yet another exciting addition to the group’s clever and intoxicating discovery. As a band who prides themselves on their ability to weave interesting storys into their music, they never seem to let us down. This is the type of song one can appreciate, with an immediate notion of how enjoyable the song writing process was for its artist. As a listener, this release was fun for myself as well, both palate cleansing and emphatic in all the right ways! What I loved most, along with its upbeat, chase sequins like autonomy , was how unique the story is. Lovers of strange and fiction can easily immerse themselves into this song, synonymous with a Moulin Rouge “Catch Me If You Can” thriller. Singer Sarah Rose gives us an inside look on what the songwriting process was like and exactly how “Invert the Jenny” came to be…
MGM: Congratulations on your 5 year anniversary of the release of “You’re All Scotch, No Soda” which now has over 4 million listeners on Spotify. I discovered Sarah and The Safe Word some years ago. That song in particular was playing almost everyday in my headphones for months at a time in my life, I must be responsible for a couple hundred plays. Your new song ‘Invert The Jenny” is just as clever and exciting! Could you tell us a bit about how the song came to be?
Sarah Rose: Invert the Jenny really came out of me wandering down a Wikipedia hole and discovering there’s a lot of lore and culture around rare stamps. I found the history and the story around the inverted Jenny stamps to be incredibly fascinating – including how many stamp collectors really covet them as the holy grail of their hobby. I showed Kienan and the song really started from there.
MGM: This piece is obviously a concept of fiction, yet one can resonate with a deeper message. I always find it’s fun when given a story that allows you time to piece together the full picture. What made you choose to write a song about a mischievous criminal wanted by the FBI for manufacturing fake stamps?
Sarah Rose:I think we’re always going to be a storytelling band first and foremost – and the idea of this rare stamp being the center of a tale we were trying to weave seemed very “on brand” for our band. It was one of the easiest things we’ve ever put together, honestly. When we realized we wanted to write about it, it was just like. “Oh, right, this is perfect for Safe Word.” Once we started building it out, the protagonist (antagonist?) in the story was pretty immediately clear to me and Kienan as we were writing it.
MGM: When you think of song favorites that have also utilized fictional storytelling concepts, what comes to mind, and what interests you in regards to them?
Sarah Rose: “20 Years” by The Civil Wars is always one of my favorites because it weaves a narrative through the song but leaves you with an open question of what it’s actually about – and to me, those are the best kind of stories to tell. I think Grandson’s new record is really evocative of good storytelling elements, as well. The best folklore, to me, really discusses non-obvious politics and humans screwing up.
MGM: What moments stick out to you the most when reflecting on the experience you had while producing this song in particular?
Sarah Rose: How fun it is to work with Mike Abiuso, honestly. He’s brought such a new and unique flare to our band and songwriting process, and getting to know him has been really amazing.
MGM: What kind of interesting projects are currently in your creative works?
Sarah Rose: We’re still working with Mike on some new material and getting ready for our touring schedule for next year.
MGM: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received and how has it helped shape your music?
Sarah Rose: When I was a kid, I was so inspired by scratch DJs that I bought turntables and taught myself how. Recently, one of my musical heroes told me to keep at it. So, right now I’m back to the ones and twos. Does that count as an answer?
MGM: You have been compared to early “Panic at the Disco!” and “My Chemical Romance”. While comparison can be flattery, what in your opinion is your most cherished attribute that sets your band apart from others in today’s music scene.
Sarah Rose: I don’t know if we can be the ones to answer this, but it’s a good question. I hope that whatever we write comes across as genuine and inspires the same love of folklore and storytelling that I grew up with.
MGM: Whatever you set out to create next, what is your goal in its reflection?
Sarah Rose: Tori Amos once said the best politics to write about are the least obvious ones. So I hope we can achieve that.
The song, jam packed with lore and history, transforms us into an interesting time period that fits so seamlessly with the band’s musical style. It’s not uncommon nowadays to feel overly saturated with songs that lack perplexing qualities or story arch. Sarah and the Safeword has once again delivered us an enjoyable tune, riddled with riddles and fun. “Invert the Jenny” pushes its listeners to indulge themselves in a deeply buried fantasy role; one of our innermost tricksters, cunning and always one step ahead. Showcasing genuine musical talent within their genre, we look forward to the tour dates soon to be announced for the 2025 season. Along with the solo works of Sarah Rose which is set to come out May 2025 through Say10 Records.
https://www.sarahandthesafeword.com/
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