INTERVIEW: The Quiet Moments of City Nights with Sarah Kinsley
- Mikey Smith
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The alternative popstar talks cinema, collaborations, and Cocteau Twins for her upcoming project
With a sound that builds with each iterative release, Sarah Kinsley has made a name for herself as a singer, songwriter, and musician in the sphere of indie and electropop. Ahead of her new EP, Fleeting, and a performance in Atlanta on her next tour, Art Seen ATL was honored to attend °1824’s press conference with Kinsley to hear more about her creative origins, live shows, and behind the scenes of her next release.
Growing up a classically-trained musician, Sarah Kinsley’s songs have been described as “cinematic pop," creating a listening experience that is maximalist yet intentional. She credits films scores as “the first bridge between [her] classical world and becoming an alternative pop artist.”
“It sounds so cheesy, but making music that scores your life is such a big dream and goal for me,” Kinsley said in regard to integrating these elements into her work. She cites soundtracks to Phantom Thread and the films of Luca Guadagnino as current inspirations for her creative endeavors. The sounds of new wave also seep into the artist’s style, with records like New Order’s Substance and The Blue Nile’s Hats being mentioned as other influences. Combining elements of Blood Orange’s writing and Cocteau Twins’ sonic palette, Sarah Kinsley’s latest work innovates on her own discography with each release. Fleeting is no exception with the singles already becoming amongst the favorites of her fans.
Speaking more on the upcoming EP, Kinsley said the project is about impermanence. “It’s about understanding that you can still feel euphoria or catharsis […] even knowing that something isn’t going to last […] my hope is that people feel a sort of tinge of that while they listen,” she says. During the press conference, she called the opening song, “Lonely Touch,” her favorite from the project.
Sarah Kinsley is also particularly excited to release her collaboration with Paris Paloma titled “After All.” Although recorded in two separate spaces, she reveals the vulnerability of “inviting someone into [her] world of song for the first time.” In the process of creating the track, Kinsley describes the beauty of working with another artist, even from a distance. “It was very beautiful to hear someone else singing my lyrics on this song. Obviously, I’ve watched so many covers of my music over the years, and that’s really beautiful to experience, but this was like a whole other thing,” she says.
Fleeting’s creative inspiration comes from personal experience of late nights, the silhouettes of being in city lights, and the quiet moments afterward when the bustling noise is still ringing in your ears. Through the singles alone, Kinsley’s latest work is designed for listeners to engross themselves in during reflective walks through neon-lit worlds.
Performing at The Loft @ Center Stage in April, Sarah Kinsley is gearing up for a return to Atlanta after her stellar set at Shaky Knees in 2025. Her shows are mutualistic experiences, with the audience putting just as much power into making the night memorable as she does. “I feel like people who come to the shows bring […] the sweetest, most divine energy that I have ever experienced…ever,” Kinsley says. “I’ve been constantly […] surprised by how kind everyone is at my shows […] there are moments where I feel like people really dig in and we go kind of insane and it’s really energetic. Then, there are moments that feel so intimate and peacefully.” Fans from our city can expect to feel moments like these on her stop here at one of the most intimate ATL venues.
Sarah Kinsley's new EP Fleeting releases February 13.
Get tickets to her Atlanta show at The Loft @ Center Stage HERE.
