Stephen Sanchez plays a solo acoustic session, chats with Jill Riley
by Jill Riley
March 27, 2023
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Stephen Sanchez has quickly taken the world by storm, first building a loyal fanbase on TikTok that eventually got him signed to Republic Records in August 2021. Having released two EPs, Sanchez has been on tour, which included a sold-out show at the Fine Line in Minneapolis in late February. Sanchez’s debut full-length is expected later this year.
During his tour, Sanchez visited The Current to play solo acoustic versions of two previously unreleased songs, and to talk with host Jill Riley of The Current’s Morning Show. You can watch Sanchez’s studio performances above and use the audio player to listen to the interview, of which there is also a transcript below.
Interview Transcript
Edited for time and clarity.
Jill Riley: You are listening to The Current; I'm Jill Riley, and I've got a guest in the studio who recently played a show at the Fine Line — a sold-out show at the Fine Line in Minneapolis — and we got to know him through the song "Until I Found You." And anyone who has been near TikTok likely found him that way as well. And I'm talking about Stephen Sanchez. Stephen, how are you?
Stephen Sanchez: I'm doing all right. How are you?
Jill Riley: I'm doing, I'm great!
Stephen Sanchez: Fantastic!
Jill Riley: I get to sit here and talk with you—
Stephen Sanchez: Amazing!
Jill Riley: Which, I'm so glad that you're here in the Twin Cities and have had a lot of sold-out shows.
Stephen Sanchez: Yeah.
Jill Riley: How does it feel to — you know, it's one thing to connect with fans and, you know, generate a following, and, you know, you're constantly picking up fans along the way on social media. But that's one thing. But how does it feel to connect with the audience, you know, live on the stage and to have the, you know, to have the crowd singing your songs back to you? What does that feel like for you?
Stephen Sanchez: It feels really exhilarating. It feels very vulnerable. And it feels good. It feels like relief, in a way. It's kind of an oxymoron, that feels like, "Oh, it's scary, but at the same time relieving." And like, it's cool that fans are showing up to hear these songs and like want to be a part of what we're getting to do. And like these are humans that are championing these songs that I wrote. And it's a really amazing feeling, and to get to play new songs for them, and play just acoustically. It's really exciting.
Jill Riley: Well, Stephen, where did this all start for you? When did you start writing songs? You know, when did you start sharing them with the world?
Stephen Sanchez: I started writing songs my freshman year of high school. I, like, grew up in the church, and so like I was leading worship on this worship team, like learning guitar through that. And then, you know, apart from that, I was like, in high school, experiencing life and just like love, it helped me to make sense of my feelings and like understanding myself. And so songwriting became like a huge comfort and crutch for me when I felt misunderstood.
Jill Riley: Where did the influence come from with "Until I Found You." It's a very classic... it's almost like a throwback to a different time that translates, you know, generation to generation. I wonder, where did that influence come from?
Stephen Sanchez: My grandparents lived in San Jose, California. And when I would visit them, they would make me breakfast in the morning, and then they would send me out into this this barn, which was full of vinyl, like full of it! And so when I was growing up, like that was my introduction to that music; like, it was like the hard copy. Like I like heard those songs in the first time, putting the needle on the record and like, falling in love with those artists for the first time that way. From Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, the Platters, like, the Ink Spots, you know, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, you know? Roy Orbison is a huge one for me, it just kind of feels intrinsic to me, in a way.
Jill Riley: The song "Until I Found You," I mean, and then, you know, talking about being a teenager and having this outlet. Were there any contemporary songs that kind of that even matched that feeling of like, what it's like to be young, or the song is about, you know, longing and love and being in it, not just writing about being heartbroken from it, but like really being in it and feeling it at the time. Because even like today, in the year 2023, sometimes I wonder, like, where are the songs about love and romance? And, you know, and longing and having a crush and all of that, you know?
Stephen Sanchez: Yeah, I mean, I'm a firm believer that sometimes it's less of a lyric and more of a feeling, you know, that does it. Like there's a song that I'm particularly fond of, it's called "The Ghost on the Shore" by Lord Huron. And it's just, I don't know that it's outrightly romantic, but it is extraordinarily beautiful and like, makes me feel romantic. And it's exciting to be inspired by artists from 60 years ago, as well as artists that, you know — like Hamilton Leithauser is a big one, too — who's taken influences from the '50s and stuff with his record, I Had A Dream That You Were Mine. It's very much that, and it sings about love and heartache, and it's perfect.
Jill Riley: I'm talking with Stephen Sanchez here on The Current. You mentioned the word "vulnerable" when we were just talking a couple minutes ago, and is that kind of the key, even in the world of TikTok, and you never know what song is going to take off, and you never know, like, who is going to find what and then connect with it, you know? But how has your life changed, I mean, just after posting your music?
Stephen Sanchez: I mean, dramatically. I mean, we're here! And we're sitting across from each other. Like that — I feel like that is a testament to that.
Jill Riley: But there is something about having that kind of platform that's like, it's just so personal, I think, for people.
Stephen Sanchez: I mean, it's definitely vulnerable for sure. I mean, I think that there's a lack of concern for, like, truth, I think. I mean, there's definitely a mentality out there with TikTok that like, the purpose of TikTok is to write songs and to have them go viral instead of writing what's true and what's real, and something you've lived. The best songs are the ones that you lived; like, I've lived every song I've ever written. And I think it's hard for me, like, watching artists on TikTok, like, use it solely for the purpose of just like—
Jill Riley: Like with a formula.
Stephen Sanchez: Yeah! It's just like, it's such a... it's a shame because even people in the industry, they're just like, "Yeah, like, let's, let's jump on this and sign this really quickly." And it's like, there's no weight there. Like there's no like meat there. There's nothing like that's like... there's no substance there. And it's really sad because like, you know, there's a lot of amazing artists have been like around for years — years! — and like, I even feel that way about myself. Like I would rather, like, other artists, like, take my place because they're so great and like, their art is so like, hidden and misunderstood and like, it's so insane that like, our culture has just, like, been wired to intake information so quickly at such a rate that it's just like, you don't even know what's good anymore.
Jill Riley: Stephen Sanchez here on The Current. So we've been playing couple songs from you, you know, "Until I Found You." We've been playing this song, "Evangeline"; I noticed that a lot of names of people are coming up. You know, you've got Kayla and Georgia and Evangeline.
Stephen Sanchez: Yeah.
Jill Riley: Are you kind of drawn to, you know, with your experiences, like, "I want to write a song about a moment with a person"?
Stephen Sanchez: Well, sort of. So I mean, I wrote "Kayla" when I was 14. And I had a crush on a girl, and I was in my freshman year of high school; like, that is it, you know, and...
Jill Riley: Did that work, by the way?
Stephen Sanchez: No!
Jill Riley: OK!
Stephen Sanchez: Yeah! No, it didn't, which is cool, you know, with "Until I Found You," like, Georgia is a real person, and we had a real relationship. And we sang that song together, you know, like, her voice is on the recording. So it's really hard, because like, I mean, we didn't think that it would do what it did. And like, I certainly didn't think that, and it's definitely changed our lives, even though we're not together, like, you know. It's a crazy feeling to be connected with someone that you dated when you're not even together anymore, and you see each other all the time. I have to sing about her all the time, like, talk about her all the time.
And she has to hear me in coffee shops, and around her campus and like, all of that jazz all the time! And when it's put in a show like Ginny & Georgia, and she's watching it, and she doesn't know that it's gonna come out. And then it just comes out of nowhere in the last season. She's like, "What the heck? Can't escape this!" Or if she goes on Instagram, you know? And it's just ... it's hard.
So I think, you know, I tread lightly with the, you know, writing songs about a moment because that, that felt like a huge part of my life. Like not even just a moment. You know, with "Evangeline," like, that is very much like, honestly, honest to God, the name came after the song was written, and then it just kind of created this amazing lore for the new record. And yeah, so happy accidents.
Jill Riley: "Evangeline." And now from a forthcoming record. So full length record some time in the future?
Stephen Sanchez: Yeah, so the debut album comes out this summer. Debut!
Jill Riley: Excellent.
Stephen Sanchez: It's the one.
Jill Riley: So up until now you've got two EPs. That feeling of debut full-length record. I mean, that's, that's gotta feel wild.
Stephen Sanchez: It is wild. It's even more wild in like it's a total, like, sound change. This new record is very much going to be full diving into the '50s and '60s thing, which feels like my roots, and that's really exciting too. But also like for a debut that's like a little scary too. So we'll see.
Jill Riley: Hey, I wish you the best of luck on the road.
Stephen Sanchez: Thank you.
Jill Riley: Again, first like proper headlining tour, and sold-out show was at the Fine Line. New record coming out, and I noticed that there's a Record Store Day release coming out.
Stephen Sanchez: How cool is that?
Jill Riley: Yeah! Your EP is coming out on Record Store Day.
Stephen Sanchez: So awesome.
Jill Riley: That's great! Congratulations with everything. Wish you the best. And thank you for coming in to talk to us.
Stephen Sanchez: Thank you so much for having me.
Jill Riley: Of course. All right. Stephen Sanchez here on The Current. You take care, all right?
Stephen Sanchez: All right. Thank you. Bye.
Video Segments
00:00:00 “Stay”
00:03:47 “Blame It On The Troubadour”
Credits
Guest – Stephen Sanchez
Host – Jill Riley
Producer – Rachel Frances
Video Director – Eric Xu Romani
Camera Operator – Erik Stromstad
Audio – Evan Clark
Graphics – Natalia Toledo
Digital Producer – Luke Taylor
External Links
Stephen Sanchez - official site
Stephen Sanchez, Easy On My Eyes EP - Record Store Day release site