![]() ![]() But towards November, I stopped writing songs entirely or even listening to new music really, which wasn’t intentional but just happened. That was probably my favorite stretch of the lockdown, if one had to choose. I ended up getting artists from I think 10 countries on it, made some new international music friends, and contributed a song I wrote at that time, called “When Yr Gone”. ![]() In the beginning, around March, I was super productive and even managed to curate this pandemic compilation with the intention of donating the money to COVID-relief efforts. How did last year's lockdown affect your songwriting if at all? The new stuff definitely still has a ‘90s type influence and dreamy guitars, but I’d say recently I’ve been influenced by artists like Mitski, SASAMI, Japanese Breakfast, and Sharon Van Etten. Now, though, I don’t really have an interest in that particular shoegaze sound anymore and want to focus more on lyricism and letting vocals shine. That kind of reverb-drenched, dreamy sound with shrouded vocals suited the subject matter I was writing about at the time, like heartbreak, so that just happened naturally. At the time I was really into bands like Beach House, Alvvays, and Slowdive, so the music bears a slight sonic resemblance. For my first EP and most of the stuff I was writing at that time (2018-2019), there’s a heavy shoegaze and almost slowcore-ish influence. If we’re talking direct sonic influences for my releases as Teen Idle, that’s all over the place just like my music taste. I find myself drawn to the dancy nature of many of their songs in my recent songwriting. Sometimes I’ll write something and feel later on that band was a subconscious influence, even if just for the groove and feel of a song. I know people who listen to my music might not hear Fleetwood Mac as an obvious influence, given my music sounds quite different from theirs, but I think each member of that band influenced my approach to writing music in a big way: Stevie’s lyricism, Lindsey’s production, and Christine’s melodies and affinity for jazz chords. All three songwriters in that band are impeccable, the production is intricate and smart, and the songs are super emotional in the best way. My biggest influence was and will always be Fleetwood Mac. Who were your influences when you first started and how have they changed? ![]() I also owe a lot to the show American Idol, which I used to watch all the time with my family and cousins, for introducing to me a lot of classic ‘70s and ‘80s artists which piqued my interest in songwriting. Plus, most of my teachers were in touring bands of their own, so being in such a creative musical environment like that definitely sparked my interest in songwriting. At the time, I was taking lessons at Lakehouse Music Academy in Asbury and being introduced to and surrounded by so much music. I’m pretty sure I wrote my first song when I was 15. Thanks again, Sara! When did you first start writing your own music? Since her recordings include some more studio work, I recently asked Sara about her project, her recording and songwriting process. When I saw Teen Idle, I was enthralled by the atmospheric guitar playing and mood she set with just her vocals and a guitar. Since the release of her first EP in June of 2020, she has released a handful of singles, and even performed her first show this past August. Teen Idle is the moniker under which Sara Abdelbarry writes, records and performs her own music. By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Thursday, September 30, 2021
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