Ears Wide Open: SJae, ‘First’ EP

S.Lo on March 29th, 2019

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With 22 years behind the scenes as a producer, songwriter and singer, SJae (aka Sammy Jay) stepped out and released her own debut EP last week, “First,” the beginning of a series of EPs featuring collaborations with other artists. It’s a slick collection of melodic pop and R&B collaborating with the likes of Sam Sparro, Hilaire, Dria and Raphael Saadiq. Calling L.A. home these days, the London Brit School for Performing Arts and Technology graduate (with fellow alums Adele, Amy Winehouse, Ellie Goulding, Leona Lewis and Jessie J) and South Wales native’s career took off after Def Jam gave her her first professional production gig working on Terri Walker’s Untitled album. The rest is history. Collaborations notwithstanding, SJae’s own songs (see “Grace” below) on her EP are standouts. Pushing into the terrains of jazz, Brit candy-pop and atmospheric synth scoring, her own voice and harmonies are the most addictive of the collection.

“The purpose of my project is to show women can produce records, create more content and visibility for us, so we can encourage other women to enter into the field,” says SJae. “There are very few female record producers out there; in fact, I just gave an interview for a USC study funded by Spotify about why there are so few female producers in the industry. I believe we haven’t been encouraged to be technical within the creative industry. The assumption is that women exist only as performers, singers and songwriters. The introduction of a woman who produces music, ‘makes beats,’ etc. is met with surprise and a sometimes not so subtle air of disbelief, followed by much questioning on tech – ‘What software do you use?’ “Do you really know how to mix a really fat kick drum?’ etc.”

She continues, “I believe that if you don’t see yourself represented out there in the public media, you internalize the idea that you don’t belong there, or that there is no opportunity for you in that arena. I want to change that.”

Part the waters and make a path for SJae with anticipation for who’ll be in her entourage. She’s already made her mark. Now it’s time to indulge in her untethered artistry.

||| Watch: The video for “Grace”