Sarah Golley is a solo act from New Haven, CT who’s uninhibited style stems from her use of music to excavate the darkest parts of herself and spread them out on the floor for thoughtful analysis. Her latest work “As We Crawl” uses rich layered vocals, cinematic piano, and classical orchestration, she paints a murky exploration of the inner self, provoking the listener inward as a musical mirror. In addition to the music, Sarah has incorporated dance and visual art for each song on the album to give the listener a more tangible experience.
Golley has been performing live since 2014. She’s performed all over the Northeast region, including venues like Space Ballroom, Shrine World Music Venue, Rockwood Music Hall, Empire, and ONCE. She has received praise from publications such as The Village Voice., The Deli Magazine, and The New Haven Arts Journal.
“Equipped with only a keyboard and looping machine, Golley is able to achieve a moody opulence rare among solo artists.”- Devon Antonetti, Village Voice, 2017
"Sarah Golley channels ferocious energy in the vein of artists like Amanda Palmer, yet her music has a softer touch to it that is rooted in the theatricality of it all." -Rene Cobar, The Deli Magazine 2019
"It’s also big enough to keep her listeners guessing. Some songs contain worlds, breaking from conventional structure for wildly changing tempos, looped and repeated phrases, and revelations that are as aurally rich as they are deeply personal. Others are cacophonous but controlled, fusing Golley’s background in musical theater, jazz, and choral music with a kind of sensibility that doesn’t rule out 1990s pop." - Lucy Gellman, New Haven Arts Journal 2019
Sarah has become a very active member of the music scene of her home state. She has connected original musicians through a master list of artists, playlists, and social media. This has aided in arranging shows with other musicians, sharing new music, and promoting performances. It has helped foster a community to ask questions and share experiences.
Sarah’s influences include music of modern classical, choral, musical theater, jazz, and pop origins. In "As We Crawl," she combines these genres to create a type of emotional dissonance. As a powerhouse performer, with a unique and vulnerable perspective, she feels that the only way to heal yourself is to embrace your truth, and the only way to heal others is to share that truth, whole-heartedly, without shame or inhibition. Are we crawling from the darkness? Are we crawling towards the unobtainable? Can we crawl towards a brighter future? Are we doomed? Can we change? Should we?