Born in the sleepy fishing village of Steveston (British Columbia, Canada) and born to Dutch immigrant parents, Sandra-Mae Lux was singing almost before she was walking and showed a natural ability with musical instruments even in elementary school, playing piano, saxophone and guitar.
With a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies on Saxophone, Sandra-Mae has twice appeared at the Ottawa Jazz Festival where she met and performed with many recognized artists such as Robert Glasper, Herbie Hancock and opened for Dave Brubeck. She was nominated as Best UK Artist in the 2020 Bright Star Awards and was nominated as Jazz Artist of the Year in the Boisdales Music Awards presented by Jools Holland. Sandra-Mae Lux is a winner of both the UK Songwriting Contest and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. She is currently working on her second studio album which will be released in 2024.
Sandra-Mae Lux is a Recording Academy / GRAMMYs ® Voting Member.
Is there anyone special who’s inspired you to forge ahead with your business?
As an independent musician and songwriter, your success is ultimately down to you. BUT! Having said that, I believe that no one – no matter who you are – does it all on their own. And knowing when to ask for help, and what to ask for, is a key skill in this business.
I was a gawky and nerdy kid who loved everything music. So, inevitably I got very bullied. It got so bad in high school, that were it not for encouragement from my extraordinary high school music teacher Jeremy Hepner, I might not be here. When it came to my final year of high school, I had to make a decision – play it safe and become a nurse (like my mom had) or take a chance and go to music school. I had already applied to some nursing schools when Jeremy took me aside and said “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!
Jeremy is absolutely the reason why I am here, and why I pursue music with such passion to this day. Sadly and shockingly he passed away from a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Overwhelmed with grief, a song fell out in a rush, and the words that kept coming into my head and onto the page were “I’m still here.” This is how the track “I’m Still Here” came to be, and it is one of the songs I am most proud of.
What makes your business different from any others doing a similar thing?
I think I’m a bit different as a songwriter and artist. I’m interested in getting people to sit up and actually listen to songs again. To be moved by them. We’re in an age where so many songs are just the audio version of the wallpaper. Good music has the power to evolve consciousness on a universal level. Good music that is created using songwriting craft, honesty and integrity can help someone feel emotions that they’re afraid to feel, or want to celebrate in feeling. Catharsis through art is deeply powerful, and I hope that people who listen to my music will experience a level of it in the same way I did when writing and recording it. It seems like there is a dearth of good songwriting in mainstream music at the moment, so I hope my music can be an example that the true craft of songwriting is still alive and well.
Can you tell me one favorite humorous story from your career?
I was hired to do a gig on a small private island just off the coast of Vancouver for a wedding. I assumed there was going to be a proper large boat to take me, the band and all our gear over from the mainland. But when we got there, the band and the rest of the staff were required to take a special “boat” that was more like a raft with only two railings and a 12 hsp engine rigged to the back of it. So here we were, all dressed up, with thousands of dollars worth of gear, hanging onto it for dear life to make sure it didn’t fall into the depths of the North Pacific! The lesson? Make sure you get the details of ALL your travel and accommodation arrangements before you accept a gig!
If you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?
If my music could help just one person through a difficult time, be the soundtrack to a wonderful moment, or just help them get through the day, that is what I’d love to be remembered for. I could leave this world a very satisfied person!
I have a friend who had a really tough time through Covid, and he began every day with a smile on his face with my track “Moment in the Sun.”
How did you find your definition of success? What is it?
My definition of success is having my music reach as many people as possible, and having enough resources to continue to write, produce, perform and distribute the music I create.
We live in a world at the moment where success is defined by only two things: money and fame. Neither of which has anything to do ultimately with the art of writing good songs.
If you had a magic wand, what would you change in the world?
This is going to sound ridiculous, but I would make the replicator machine from Star Trek a real thing, and make sure everyone in the world had one! I think the biggest problem in the world today is that most people don’t have what they need to follow their calling and reach their true potential.
And what one person needs might be very different from what another person needs. This is about allocating resources to answer people’s needs, rather than simply satisfying their desires, and accumulating resources out of fear.
What an amazing world THAT would be! Everyone has the resources to be the best person they can be, and make the best world as a result.
What is the most useless talent you have?
I can pretty much name any dog breed I see, even mixed breeds! I had a book of dog breeds growing up and would study it meticulously, so now I pretty much know everyone that’s out there!
If someone was going to make your life into a movie, who would play you?
Ellie Kemper from “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” She’d be able to perfectly capture my goofiness and sanguine nature!
If you were a member of the Spice Girls, what would your spice handle be?
Goofy Spice!
If you were captain of a ship, what would you call it?
Shippy McShipface
Sandra is back on the soul scene with a brand new original track “The Last Time.”
Infused with Sandra-Mae Lux’s smokey, soulful vocals, and reminiscent of Quincy Jones in his Patti Austen days, this beautifully crafted break-up ballad highlights top-of-their-game musicians, and even a live string quartet! Mixed and mastered to perfection, this gem of a track has all the makings of becoming another neo-soul classic.
“[I’m Still Here] is such a sweet tune”
– Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 6
“Sandra-Mae Lux is the epitome of class.”
– Roger Williams, Solar Radio
“Magnificent.”
– David White, BBC Radio Cornwall
“Superb. Sandra-Mae Lux is definitely an artist you’re going to hear lots more of.”
– Paul Lewis, JFSR Radio
To check out Sandra-Mae’s music, website, merch and more, visit https://linktr.ee/sandramaelux
