We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Elstran. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.
Sarah , appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I can’t recall a ‘ah ha!’ moment that started my musical pursuit. It was more of a gradual interest that got bigger as I became more familiar with my voice and instruments. That being said, I’ve had hundreds of ah ha’s since becoming a full time musician.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My names Sarah Elstran, I’m a musician/freelancer. I have a solo project called The Nunnery that takes up the majority of my musical pursuits. I began writing songs on the piano when I was 11. I was surrounded by music growing up. My dad played guitar whenever he could and my mom sang along to every song she knew. I’m the 7th of 8 kids and lots of my siblings were musical in some way or other. It felt like music was a constant hand asking me to join in. As I got older I had many different variations of bands. I was regularly playing shows by 16 around the town I lived in. My main project, The Nunnery started by necessity. In my early twenties, I had my guitar stolen out of my car while at a show in Minneapolis, MN. At the time I only had the one guitar and found myself with no gear but a microphone and a jam man looper. So I began to loop my vocals. Something that started as a therapeutic vocal exercise in my room is now, (9 plus years later) my main Job. Through the years I’ve combined lots of different variations of art with my performances such as dance and live visual projections. I love thinking about what I’d like to see be done on a stage. How to connect with an audience and create something in their day that could lead them to a space that makes them feel safe and connected. This has been the core of why I’ve continued to create music.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I love being in a room of strangers and having this commonality of connectivity. Music to me has been such an easy thing to connect with, Whether its the lyrics of the song, the aesthetic of the room its being performed in or just the act of sharing work. I absolutely love the entire process. I’ve said this a lot lately, that I’d be happy just being able to create and perform, create and perform. Sometimes I honestly don’t feel that way but then I have a little pep talk with the part of me doesn’t think I have what it takes and it always turns out that, that part of me doesn’t really believe in taking risks. If we don’t try, how can we succeed?
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Show up! Come to shows, share that art. Tell your friends, tell your neighbor. If there’s a chance someones art has given you inspirations, it’s very possible that someone else might feel the same about it. What a special thing that we can absorb so much art for free in our laps almost any time of day. But if there’s something out there that has really brought you some joy or energy, let’s show up for it. Financially, I’d love to see more accessible funded arts program that could help artists out, especially in the creating process of the work. For instance, when I write songs. No one pays me. I’m an independent artist. So, all my support comes from people. It would be awesome to have a system where while I’m writing/working and am not playing shows and selling merch that there’s some kind of grant funding or financial safety in it. I’m really not sure what the utopia of this looks like but I know we can do better.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thenunnerymusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenunnery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenunnerymusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE4yvsxdGUiojywoDLvz19w
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Y1mEUeicSLw6bWNjUdQCJ
Image Credits
Kyle Lehman Trista Marie