Sarah Rudy

Questions with… Sarah Rudy

your tuesday afternoon alternative 11 Questions with... , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the benefits of doing a radio show is the opportunity to explore music with musicians who make incredible art. To sweeten the pot, the chance to interview musicians who write genuine songs that speak to you as a person is a gift. When Sarah Rudy who records as Hello June, agreed to answer some of our questions, we were overjoyed. Hello June’s ‘Artifacts’ was our top pick for album of the year in 2023 which was a rich year for music. What especially moves us is the authenticity of the music that Hello June creates.

The power of authentic music lies in its ability to transcend barriers, evoke emotions, and create connections that resonate deeply within individuals and communities. Sar Rudy possesses an incredible ability to create music that does exactly that. Authentic music, born from genuine expression and sincerity, possesses a unique capacity to speak to the human experience in profound ways. And this is deeply needed.

One of the most striking aspects of authentic music is its ability to communicate universal emotions without feeling false, fake or unreal. Regardless of language or cultural background, the raw honesty and genuine expression found in authentic music can touch the hearts of listeners wherever they might live. Whether it’s a quiet – yet powerful – ballad like ‘Napkin’ or ‘The Moon’, or a spiritual folk tune ‘Soft Love’, or a passionate rock anthem ‘Faded Blue’, ’23’, or ‘California’, authentic music made by musicians who themselves feel what they are playing has a way of tapping into shared feelings of love, loss, joy, and longing, fostering empathy and understanding among people from diverse walks of life. We all have all felt this way. And the music of Hello June, carries all of those characteristics and even more.

Moreover, Hello June‘s authentic music serves as a powerful tool for cultural preservation and expression. Through reinterpretation of traditional songs ‘Country Roads’, gorgeous guitar tone ‘California’ and ‘No Easy Answer’, and incredible melodies — the whole record! — artists preserve their experience, heritage, pass down personally meaningful stories, and celebrate their unique identities. Authentic music becomes a vessel through which cultural narratives are woven, ensuring that rich histories and traditions that do receive the favored celebrations of an ever decreasing set of themes in the mainstream music industry are not lost to time but instead are celebrated and cherished for generations to come.

In addition to its cultural significance, authentic music has the power to inspire and provoke change. As listeners we are changed when we hear this music. A whisper — ‘Country Roads’, ‘Soft Love,’ ‘The Moon’ — can be as powerful as the loudest cry in the mix of hope and despair — ‘California,’ ‘No Easy Answer’. A protest song does not always require a message to fuel social movements with anthems of resilience and hope in the face of adversity, that can be accomplished within a deeply personal statement as well. Music has historically played a pivotal role in driving social and political change. Through its ability to rally people around common experience and ignite a sense of solidarity from the ebbs and flows of pain, authentic music becomes a catalyst for action at all levels, challenging the status quo and advocating for a better world, even if the focus is in your neighborhood or your home.

Dr. J: What can you share with us about when and how you started writing music?

Sarah Rudy (SR): I started to learn to play guitar in high school, but I wasn’t truly focusing on the act of songwriting yet. It wasn’t until college, where I spent a lot of time exploring with different artistic mediums and experimenting with different forms of creating. This is where I started to really feel an affinity towards writing songs.

Dr. J: What first led to your recording music? How do you approach production?

SR: I started to craft songs on the GarageBand DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) about the same time I started writing. Using a DAW in my workflow made sense, even at that point, because I wanted to work out fairly full arrangements. I wasn’t happy with just writing the bones of the song – I needed to feel the environment that song created. I guess my thought with this has always been that if I can’t get the song to “feel right” in physical space, I wouldn’t want it released. These days, I’ve found that my process is less of a rush to the production phase of things.

For me, the daw has been an integral part of my writing, but when it comes to recording an album, I’ve let others steer the ship. I’ve loved each studio experience I’ve had, but Ive learned so much that I can’t imagine giving up that much creative control on the next one. For the next releases, I plan to record those here in our studio and I plan on pulling in some good musician/engineering friends as needed. With the next releases, I want the recordings to be as vulnerable and closeup as they can be and I feel like it’s my job to figure out how to get there.

Dr. J: The song ‘California’ captures a remarkable constellation of musical influences. The song seems to have an almost 1980s feel. Is that a correct interpretation? If that is correct, did you intend to create a song that connects to that time period? If that is not correct, how would you describe the feeling of the song?

SR: I wanted the song to have a “nostalgic” feel – that was my main goal, tone-wise. I wanted California to capture the feeling of charged love – the kind that feels exciting and scary. In order to write the song, I really needed to take myself back to the “me” that existed in my 20s. I wanted the song to capture a certain hue/tone/light – I love that it takes you back to a particular place.

Dr. J: Where do you often derive inspiration to make music?

SR: I like to be completely focused, immersed, and filled up by the things I’m working on. If there is a thought, a line, a feeling, anything that sparks something in me that makes me tilt my head or feel a bit of magic, I usually feel inclined to chase it. I have found though, that the hardest thing is pulling inspiration from an anxious or avoidant mind, so in order to allow myself the freedom to create, I try to practice self awareness and allow myself the grace to come back to an idea if my mind/body isn’t in a favorable state to produce something meaningful. In terms of what I’m writing about lately – this week I’ve written a song that nods back to a time in my childhood and another one about feeling sort of feeling like an outsider. I guess I’m always just trying to process the thoughts that go through my mind.

Dr. J: How would you describe the music that you create? How has that process evolved or changed over time (especially as you think about your journey in the last few years)?

SR: Hmmm – great question. I usually tell people that we are an “indie rock band” that has been accepted in the Americana crowds. Live, we like to get down really soft and vulnerable and we like to bring the volume up just as heavy in those big parts. I love to marinate in the details of ambient sound, so that aspect usually isn’t too far away. I try to write songs that heal my head because i do feel like we’re all sharing around ideas and latching onto the ones that resonate with us. I guess I just hope that I get a chance to resonate with the right people.

Dr. J: What is next for you musically? How would you describe your thoughts at this point for your next project or release?

SR: I feel like I am just now really starting to understand who I am as a musician, as a singer, and as someone who is committed to living a creative life. I just had a few really exhaustingly rough months – this industry is tough. I do, now though, feel like I can clearly see my path forward, and I haven’t felt that, until now. I feel strong, autonomous, and I’m moving with purpose and allowing myself to nurture my creative spirit in ways that I haven’t felt able until now.

We will be launching a Patreon here in a month or two and I couldn’t be more excited about all that comes with it. We’ve labored so much over these thoughts. My next moves, including the Patreon, are a shift away from asking the industry to see me. The industry isn’t healthy enough for anyone to lean on, so leaning seems like a bad idea, right? To me it does, and I’m unwilling to spin my wheels anymore, I guess. I want a conversation directly with my fans. I want a way to build a community up in the way that I want to – not what someone else thinks I should be doing. It’s maybe an unglamorous and practical way to see it, but I hope to be a voice in this realm and I believe we need more alternatives thrown around. My hope is that my fans (and others) begin to see that the industry only serves the very top artists – the rest are hoping, floundering, and making bad decisions that they feel like they have to make, just to be seen. As an artist, you’re told many things you “need to do” and a lot of these things are distractions from what we should be spending time on. I’ve built a strategy that is not reliant on any industry because I refuse to be dragged around, and that’s where I felt I was.

That all being said, I am working on my first solo record. I am separately working with a small group of people on a brand new Hello June record. What’s more exciting to me than that is how much I’ll be incorporating Patreon into these releases. For instance, one perk of the Patreon that I’m super excited about is letting our fans in on our process. By that, I mean, incorporating them into the process – they will get access to bits and pieces (say, a verse and a chorus in length) and they’ll be able to choose which songs we move forward with as a band. We’ll then get to work and have “fly on the wall” sessions where they are invited to watch the next steps of the process. We’ll come back around to everyone with full songs, and some those full songs will eventually be released. I’m hoping to bring my fans closer to the project, be creating more than I am “content posting” and really grow and learn as musicians and artists in the meantime.

Dr. J: What is your favorite song to perform live? What is your favorite song to perform in general? What makes that song a current favorite in your performances?

    SR: I think I’ll always be fond of playing “Handshakes” live – the flow of that one live is just really really fun. When people lock in with me, it’s as if we’re actively having a conversation and they get me. They hear me. The same goes for Interstate. That song has bridged gaps and has healed my heart in ways that only sharing that song with fans would have allowed. I love looking out to audience and knowing that our experience is shared. I’ve had many beautiful experiences with this song.

    We also have a currently unreleased song called “Another Life.” We decided not to put it on Artifacts, but it’s been a fan-favorite since we’ve played it live. It stems from the same story-line as “California,” so I’d say you can expect a similar air to it. Our Patreon folks will get that one early for sure.

    We want to extend our sincere gratitude to Sar Rudy for answering our questions and continuing to make truly authentic excellent music! Click on the links below the article to visit Hello June’s social media or to listen to the songs that we discussed! If any musicians or artists would like to participate in future ’Questions with…’ columns, please feel free to email us at drjytaa@gmail.com. All photos and images courtesy of Hello June.

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    Hello June – Artifacts

    your tuesday afternoon alternative Hello June , , , ,

    In the realm of indie music, authenticity often takes precedence over grandeur, and artistic expression triumphs over commercial trends. Enter Hello June, a band that embodies these very principles in their latest release, “Artifacts.” An album that invites listeners on an introspective and emotionally charged listening experience through topics deeply intimate and as common as drawing a breath, “Artifacts” is a striking work in modern music. Let’s take a deep dive into this record to uncover the soul and depth that sets Hello June apart from so many.

    West Virginia, the band’s home, is a state renowned for its scenic beauty, rugged terrain, and rich cultural tapestry woven by generations of hardworking folks. It’s a place where deep-rooted traditions blend with the influences of a changing world, and it’s within this remarkable backdrop that the band Hello June emerges as an undeniable musical force with their latest album. In a landscape where Appalachia’s legacy reverberates through the ages, Hello June’s music matters, and it matters profoundly.

    From the moment you drop the needle or press play on your digital device, “Artifacts” envelops you in music that represents an almost cinematic soundscape. The album’s opening track, “Sometimes,” immediately transports you to a realm of personal frustration and introspection. Sarah Rudy’s dreamy yet resolute voice captures the essence of a dusty, winding road through the present, the past perhaps even the future, where forgotten memories reside.

    The album’s title is aptly chosen, as “Artifacts” indeed feels like a collection of found treasures that capture real life, authentic emotion, and the yearning — that cuts so deep it hurts — for human connection. The band manages to imbue each track with a sense of personal history and weight, making it feel like you’re unearthing hidden secrets about yourself with every listen. “Sometimes” sets the tone by asking us to think about the emotion that might only leave us with enough to “fall down” and reflect, as if the band is guiding us through a museum of personal history.

    The music of Hello June matters for a multitude of reasons. They are the torchbearers of Appalachian resilience, masters of atmospheric sound, and poets of profound introspection. Their artistic journey extends beyond mere sonic experimentation; it’s an exploration of life’s rawest emotions, the intricacies of human foibles, and the undeniable allure of places and communities often overlooked in the annals of popular music as real social locations. These places we are from matter. They shape us in ways we recognize and ways that we only understand later.

    Throughout “Artifacts,” Hello June balances both hushed intimacy and roaring intensity. “Honey I Promise” serves as an example of this delicate equilibrium. The melancholic verses, driven by almost moody guitar work, lead to an explosive chorus where Rudy’s vocals soar and the band’s rhythm section, consisting of Whit Alexander and Caleb Crosby (Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown), propels the song to greater heights. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions that demands your attention, echoing the complexities of real-life relationships. The track’s steady drumbeat and echoing guitars build an emotional crescendo that mirrors the turbulence of a departure from a failed relationship.

    “Artifacts” explores the theme of emotional bonds — “tied up together” from a variety of angles. “Interstate” paints a vivid picture of distance and separation. The imagery in Rudy’s lyrics transports you to a highway somewhere, capturing the bittersweet feeling of watching someone you love fly away. The fading away is the most heartbreaking. And realizing that last word, that last conversation, the last laugh between the two of you may not have been the one you would want to have as the last moments together, but it is all you have to hold on to. Sharing the fact that you love someone may elude your grasp whether it’s because of foolish pride or “picking a fight.”

    Hello June’s penchant for poignant storytelling shines in “Napkin.” Rudy’s lyricism reveals a haunting narrative, evoking vivid images of a flickering film reel of memories. Her vocals convey vulnerability and raw emotion, ensuring that the listener is left hanging on to every word. The song’s dreamy, almost country-like atmosphere provides a stark contrast to the album’s more intense moments, illustrating the band’s ability to traverse a broad emotional and musical spectrum.

    One of the standout tracks on “Artifacts” is “Faded Blue” which demonstrates the band’s ability to harness raw, unbridled energy. Rudy’s vocals take on a more rebellious tone here, while the band delivers a raucous performance. The lyrics of defiance and self-reliance cut through the music like a sharpened blade:

    kneeled down beside you – scared of all my sins 
    I’d wait to be forgiven and I’d wait to forget
    Start the day with a new fixation
    An awkward waltz and a chain reaction
    Tell me where do you go, tell me where do you go? 

    Hello June challenges societal expectations, calling for authenticity and independence. Hold on to the past but don’t let it alone define who you are and what you mean.

    In the almost introspective Whiskeytown-like “23”, Sarah Rudy sings about looking back on one’s youth from the safe perch of years down the road. The driving feel of the song only makes the nostalgia that much more bitter and sweet. The driving drums and slinky guitar propel a rhythm that almost hides the intent of the song.

    Tracks like “Soft Love” and “The Moon” showcase the band’s ability to harness the enduring spirit of self-disclosure, vulnerability, and the question of being enough for someone else. These songs feel ethereal and spacious while taking their time and in that patience transform evocative melodies that seem almost sparse as if our attention is required. Through Sarah Rudy’s captivating vocals and the intricate guitar work, they weave narratives of love, loss, and the indomitable strength of the human spirit. In the lineage of folk and Americana greats like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, Hello June’s sound is unmistakably imbued with the DNA of a true heartland. Their intricate instrumentation, coupled with Sarah Rudy’s haunting vocals, allows for the construction of intricate auditory experiences. These are not merely songs, but living, breathing entities that envelop you, provoke emotions, and invite you to explore the depths of your own thoughts and feelings.

    As we traverse deeper into the album, “No Easy Answer” presents itself as a fascinating almost swaying swagger departure. Its arrangement showcases the band’s experimentation with sound, offering listeners an instrumental match to the passionate lyrics before the song builds to a powerful climax. The passionate, powerful quality of “No Easy Answer” allows the listener’s mind to wander, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts introspective and worldly and yet able to grasp that there is in fact, “No Easy Answer” to most questions, at least to the questions that matter.

    But it’s the penultimate track, “California,” that truly encapsulates the essence of “Artifacts.” A sweeping song of epic proportions, it’s a testament to the band’s ability to deliver an amazing groove without sacrificing intimacy. Rudy’s vocals once again shine, delivering a message of reassurance and understanding in a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming.

    Closing the album is “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” an introspective cover of that well-known tune that seems to bring the journey of the album full circle. Hello June, with all the heartfelt sentiment they can muster, bid farewell to the past. As Rudy sings the refrain “Take me home…” the band encourages us to embrace the present and move forward with the knowledge and strength gained from our personal artifacts.

    “Artifacts” by Hello June is a rare record in the world of modern indie music. It’s an album that manages to be both nostalgic and forward-looking, intimate and grand, all at once. The band’s ability to capture complex emotions and translate them into music is nothing short of extraordinary. Sarah Rudy’s vocals, poetic lyricism, and the band’s masterful instrumentation create a unique, captivating sonic experience that stands out in an increasingly homogenized musical landscape. “Artifacts” is an album that deserves to be dissected, analyzed, and celebrated for its depth, creativity, and emotional resonance. It’s an album that reminds us of the power of music to touch our souls and make us reflect on our own “artifacts” in this ever-evolving path called life.

    This music transcends time and place, resonating with listeners in their quest for meaning and understanding. The lyrics serve as a mirror, reflecting the innermost thoughts and emotions that often remain unspoken. Hello June’s “Artifacts” is a sonic masterpiece — and we are prepared to die on that hill to defend that assertion — that deserves a place in the hearts of all music fans. It is a timeless record that captures the essence of the human experience, a treasure chest of emotions waiting to be discovered with each listen. As we leave the album’s soundscape behind, we’re reminded that sometimes the most precious artifacts are the ones that reside within ourselves, waiting to be explored, cherished, and shared with the world.