Sabrina Kennedy – just recently released the single ‘Witch Of The West’ I had a chat with her about the single and more

Ian: Your new single “Witch of the West” has such a powerful title and energy. What inspired this song, and what does it represent for you personally? 
 
Sabrina:The song was inspired by being called the Witch of the West when I was living on Portobello Road in London. Another somewhat famous artist was intimidated by my energy and power and referred to me as such, so I kept it for a song title. It’s also highlighting the common misconceptions people have of me. I am severely
misunderstood. In a world where you have to choose between being the good girl or the bad girl I would rather be unapologetically myself and that bothers people. It is an anthem and a declaration for the rebels, change makers and misfits. 

Ian: You co-wrote the track with Youth, the legendary bassist and producer from Killing Joke. What was that collaboration like, and how did his musical background influence the direction of the song?

Sabrina: I remember meeting Youth through a mutual friend that Courtney Love recommended. I went to meet him and sat in a room looking around at all the mysticism. The man is pure magic, call it magic or skill but he is in another realm when it comes to musical taste and passion. He is a wizard in his own right, and he
understood what I wanted to bring to life. It is beautiful when a collaboration can be so organic. 

Ian: Collaboration can transform an artist’s vision. Who have been your most influential collaborators so far, and what do you look for in creative partners? 
 
Sabrina: Art is meant to be collaborated on. When I collaborate with others it takes the pain and trauma away from me and puts it into a different perspective. I love telling stories and playing a part through my music. I would say Youth played a big role in bringing this song to life by allowing that free flowing energy throughout the process. I am on my way to collaborating with some dream people. Until then my most influential
collaborators are my experiences, they shape my music and my art.

Ian: In your creative process, what comes first for you, the lyrics, the melody, or the overall emotional feeling you want to capture? 

Sabrina: In my usual writing process, I will be walking down the road and get a lyric, or I will hear a melody that varies. Say what you want. I channel everything that comes to me. People can say that’s “woo woo” I call it my gift. My writing process is never the same with each song but all of it comes from my own experiences of joy, pain, and trauma. 

Ian: Your musical influences range from rock and soul to pop. Which artists or eras have had the biggest impact on your sound, and how do you weave those influences into what you create today? 

Sabrina: I have always been an old soul, ask my mother. I was raised on country classics Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and Hank Williams. My grandmother would play all the old crooners Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. I loved the edge of rock n roll AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. The femme fatales I take inspiration from are Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, Debbie Harry, the list goes on.  I take influence from all the music I listen to. Growing up in the 2000s it was such an experimental unfiltered time within pop culture. I really do believe there is a resurgence of rock n roll especially in female fronted bands. I don’t want to be a role model, I want to
follow my own path and if people are inspired by that then that’s aligned for me. I have lived all over the world from Nashville to London and where I am at that moment influences my style. I have wanted to capture more of my country-soul roots recently so stay tuned. 

Ian: There’s a short film called Sabrina Kennedy Witch, Reborn about your life, how did making that film influence the way you see yourself as both an artist and a person?

Sabrina: I have always been different and misunderstood. I believe I turned to spirituality and Glastonbury where it was filmed to feel a sense of belonging. That film captured not only my magic but the magic of that place. I was raised Catholic and I still go to church and believe in God. It taught me I no longer need to attach to a label to belong or fit in a box. It is cohesive with my music. Why do I need to label what genre I am? I can bend time and energy so I can do the same in music. Sabrina Kennedy the artist and person are two separate entities but when on stage they are one. I need to preserve that sense of identity or I could lose myself. I have grown so
much as an artist and woman since that film, and it is a pivotal moment of showing how far I have come.

Ian: How do you balance the more delicate, spiritual side of your identity (witchcraft, nature, ancestry) with the rawness and strength in your music, especially when writing songs that confront societal norms? 

Sabrina: I will always be bold and stand in my power. My ancestors from Sicily and Italy have a huge influence on my power, rawness, and edge. My surname is Irish, and I feel a deep calling to Celtic traditions. Every time I go to Sicily, Italy or Ireland I can feel the power of my ancestors. I know that shows my music and the body of work I have up until now with this single is showcasing that journey of womanhood. For a very long time I lived with a sacred rage. I have released that through my music and now the journey is going to highlight a more personal aspect of who I am. I have a really beautiful and bizarre storyline that needs to be told. I will forever be working on trying to find a balance through it all. The gifts I have can be very rewarding but also scary. It is beautiful and terrifying to feel the world so deeply. 

Ian: You’re releasing “Witch of the West” on a 7” vinyl. What made you choose this format in a digital-first industry?

Sabrina: It is the millennial urge to get a flip phone and live off grid with animals in nature. In a world full of instant gratification and artists being born for 15 seconds on TikTok I wanted this to be special and connected. I do still believe in the connection and power of music through different mediums other than the internet. There is nothing more magical than going to a live concert and witnessing the artist you love or are just discovering give all of themselves to you and the stage.

Ian:  As someone who’s moved from Boston to London and now lives in North Shields, how has place and geography influenced your art and sense of self? 

Sabrina: I never want to stay in the same place for very long. I love to travel and see the world. I always compare myself to a caged horse or bird. You can’t tame me, break me, or take my wings. Geography has a huge part to do with my healing and writing process. I always know when it is time for me to leave a place. Home will always be Boston and where I reside now will be a part of my story. Where I am in the world next is up to the universe. 

Ian: Finally With “Witch of the West” now out in the world, what creative territory are
you excited to explore next musically, spiritually, or both?

Sabrina: I want to start to tell my story very personally and very raw. Nashville has called me for a long time but my heart will always belong to Portobello road. I am ready to open up parts of myself that I have hidden away. I know the work I am channelling now may surprise some people, piss them off or make them feel deeply. I am excited to take time to write again and spend some time home in Boston again to reclaim that version of myself. I speak a lot about womanhood, so I am ready to speak about my childhood and teenage years that got me to where I am now. Spiritually speaking the spirits will always talk to me but we’re more at peace with each other. My spirituality is no longer something I need to attach a label to. My voice is my gift and lets see where it leads me.

“Witch of the West” available to purchase on 7” vinyl here.  

Words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic