Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your musical journey and background?
Hi I’m Sandra-Mae Lux! Music called to me from a very early age. My mom told me that I sang before I spoke haha. Some of my earliest memories are standing on tables and singing at family gatherings!
I started playing piano at age 6, took up saxophone at the age of 11, and guitar at 13.
As a very bullied teenager in highschool, music and the arts literally saved my life.
Music for me, especially in highschool, was sort of an escape from all that bullying. It was my safe place, my haven, a place where I could express my authentic self, knowing that I wouldn’t be judged or made fun of.
Were it not for encouragement from my extraordinary high school music teacher Jeremy Hepner, I might not be here. He opened my eyes to what a career in music could actually be, that it was even possible. And frankly if Jeremy hadn’t caught me at that time, I probably would have gone into some other career altogether, and been a very very unhappy person. In my last year of highschool he said to me “you don’t pursue music, music pursues you.” He went on to say that you can either do it now while you’re young, or find out that you have to do it later on, when it’s a lot harder!
Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound and style?
I was very lucky that a lot of my parent’s friends and family members had fantastic taste in music, and big record collections! So all of that soul, jazz, funk, R&B and classical music that was playing in the house when I was growing up absolutely influenced and inspires me to this day. Artists like Etta James, Otis Redding, US3, Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, Donny Hathaway, Diana Krall, D’Angelo, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra have all greatly influenced me. And as a sax player, I was very inspired by the playing of Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Cannonball Adderly, and Paul Desmond.
Of course hearing all these incredible records from an early age makes that music just seeps into your soul! All artists I think, including me, are influenced and inspired by what they hear, and what music calls to them. All these phenomenal artists called to me, so that’s why my music sounds the way that it does.
Can you share a specific artist or album that has had a significant impact on your music?
That’s such a tough one to answer – I have so many artists and albums that made such a huge impact on me! All of those killing Max Martin songs he wrote and produced in the late 90’s and 2000’s were hugely impactful. And for something completely different, I absolutely adored Diana Krall’s “Love Scenes” and “When I Look In Your Eyes.” I would say both of those albums are pretty much perfect in every way. Krall is such a phenomenal pianist with a wonderful sultry voice. And on piano, she has incredible swinging feel and tasteful, classy phrasing. With Christian McBride on bass, Russell Mallone on guitar, Tommy LiPuma producing and legendary engineer Al Schmitt recording, there was really no way those albums were going to be any less than exceptional.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s “I Am” album is another one that really inspired me, and when I first heard D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” album, I knew my life would never be the same. Another perfect album from start to finish.
What’s your creative process like when you’re composing or writing a new song?
My writing partner and I have been writing for years together, and he’s mostly the lyric side, while I’m more on the music side (think Bernie Taupin / Elton John, Carol King / Gerry Goffin, or Greenfield / Sedaka). However, we both influence each other’s work. Generally I’ll come to Alan with an “emotion dump,” or an idea for a song, and he’ll write notes down (kind of like a therapist haha) and then he’ll make sense of it and create lyrics. Sometimes a great stray line will just fall out randomly, either from him or myself, and that becomes the basis of a new song. We have tons of stray lines written on post-it notes scattered all over our flat – we’ve got a lot more songs to write! But then sometimes I’ll get a little lick or melody line in my head and we’ll go from there – but most of the time it’s lyrics first, then melody.
After we’ve finished finalizing the shape of the lyrics, I’ll then sit at the piano (or guitar) and let the lyrics guide where the melody/harmonies/arrangement/groove wants to go. The song will tell you what it wants to do; all you have to do is get out of its way!
Among all the songs you’ve created, do you have a personal favorite? If so, what makes it special to you?
That’s like asking a parent who their favourite child is haha! But yes there are some songs that feel a little extra special. One of those is “I’m Still Here.”
Can you share the story or inspiration behind that particular song?
I was beyond grief when my mentor and highschool music teacher Jeremy passed away suddenly from a rare form of cancer. He is absolutely the reason why I am here, and why I pursue music with such passion to this day. This song fell out in a rush, in a matter of minutes. I was overwhelmed with feelings of grief, and in that moment, the words that kept coming into my head and onto the page was “I’m Still Here”. This track got so much attention, in fact, a soul music distributor approached me to release a 7” vinyl pressing of the track, with a new exlusive-to-vinyl release on the AA side called “The Last Time.” It really is something special, and you can pick one up on my BandCamp page at https://sandramaelux.bandcamp.com/merch
Let’s talk about your latest song. What’s the title, and what’s the story or message behind it?
My latest song is actually a cover! I have always loved performing cover songs; it’s a way to connect to an audience with something that is already familiar to them. The true joy comes from putting your own authentic spin on that cover, and sharing your spirit through that unique lens.
When I first heard the song “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus on the radio last summer, I had to stop everything and completely listen. The songwriting is so brilliant that it totally inspired me to create a stripped back jazz version of it. This sultry Norah Jones-meets-Sade cover, backed by piano, acoustic bass and minimal percussion, makes for a seductive and intimate exploration of this epic song about empowerment after loss. Have a listen here:
https://linktr.ee/sandramaelux
Share a memorable or unique experience from one of your live performances.
After finishing writing the album “Happily Ever Now” it was time to finally rehearse these babies with a live band. That in itself was a fabulous experience – it was like watching these songs come to life right in front of your eyes (and ears)!
What was even more special was when I performed the songs live at a lovely venue in central London, and the audience was mostly my friends, family and people who meant a lot to me. To have all of those special people in one room, singing along and dancing to these songs I’d written so lovingly with my writing partner was truly a magical experience.
Beyond music, do you have any hobbies or interests that you’re passionate about? How do they influence your music?
I enjoy cooking good food (and drinking great wine!), reading, interior design, keeping fit, anything to do with dogs, caring for my jungle of houseplants, and watching classy well-written romcoms!
I’m also a voice over artist; I’ve voiced video games, cartoons, radio advertisements, ELT, audio dramas including Audible’s “Aliens – Sea of Sorrows” and the #1 New York Times Best Selling “Sandman” by Neil Gaiman, where I performed alongside James McAvoy, Andy Serkis, John Lithgow, Michael Sheen and more. I’ve also voiced projects for Shell, Daimler-Benz, Dynafit and I’m a feature role in Collingwood & Co’s multi award winning film “Candle Cops.”
What all these things have in common is a sense of the aesthetic. And with voice over, that is totally like music in so many ways. If you want to be a great voice over you have to remember five main things to create a great performance like speed/pace, tonal placement, pitch, musicality and gesture. And it’s the same with a great musical performance as well!
Is there a dream collaboration you’d like to pursue in the future?
I am a huge fan of Seth MacFarlane. Not only is he a phenomenal voice actor, he’s also an incredible jazz singer! I’m currently working on a fully original classic jazz album, and I think he would sound amazing singing some of these new songs. And then to have these songs arranged for big band and orchestra by the amazing Joel McNeely and recorded at somewhere like Capitol Studio would just be like a dream come true! Oh, and of course I’d have to sing a duet or two with him haha.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are just starting their journey in the music industry?
Here are my 5 main points of advice for aspiring musicians and songwriters:
- There will be days when you want to throw your instrument out the window in frustration. Feel it, close the window, and come back to your instrument the next day.
- Refrain from comparing yourself to others. A – what people post on social media is not reality, and B – comparison is the thief of happiness.
- The older you get, the better you get at what you do. This is the big myth of the entertainment industry, that you have nothing to contribute the moment you turn 25. Truly understanding the form of songwriting takes both time and experience – there are no shortcuts.
- There will be days when you wonder why you’re doing what you’re doing. Those are the moments when you remind yourself of that first spark, that first moment where you just “knew » that this was something you must do – the intuitive path that took you on this journey in the first place.
- There are going to be people who will not like your music. In fact, there will be many people who will not like your music. The important thing is to be true to (who you are, true to) your art . Keep creating, and nurture a fan base of people who really love and support what you’re doing.
Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or new music you have in the works? What can your fans and listeners look forward to from you in the near future?
My writing partner and I have written a whole bunch of new “jazz standard” type songs that are really special. I’ve already recorded half the album with the band and I can’t tell you how excited I am to share it with the world! I’m also playing a lot of sax on the album which has been so much fun. We’ve also written and recorded a folk / singer-songwriter track that is really close to our heart, so that will also be released soon.
If you’d like to keep up with what I’m doing, feel free to sign up to my mailing list to keep up with my latest releases and news here:
https://www.sandramaelux.com/contact-me
Don’t worry, I only send out about 3-4 emails a year so I won’t be junking up your inboxes!