Meet Sara Melson | singer, songwriter, actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Melson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, what matters most to you?
I endeavor to live in a state of awe — appreciation of the moment, presence in the here and now, gratitude, and wonder for the magic of life. We are surrounded by miracles, no matter how “small” they may seem. It’s so easy for me to get wrapped up in the past or the future and to take the present for granted.

Being in and around nature is a portal for me to access awe; and so is music. Awe often fills me at random times throughout the day – seeing brilliantly exploding flowers, butterflies and hummingbirds. making a salad, playing the piano, singing, admiring my garden. “My Garden” is a song I recorded for my new record, which will be out in 2025. It’s about stopping time by lazing in the garden, and it’s really about awe.

Awe for me is mindfulness, consciousness, and observation. How awesome is the magic of clean water flowing out of the tap! Or the colors of the rainbow of all the glorious fruits and vegetables laid out at the farmer’s market, that came from the ground and from the trees, from the sun and the rain! The moon and the stars have always been a huge source of awe for me. I am keenly in tune with every phase of the moon, from the tiniest storybook crescent to the largest, brightest yellow supermoon. One of the songs on my upcoming new album is called “Underneath a Big Full Moon”, about the power that the moon has over me, emotionally and spiritually.

Awe is also a frequency, an energy. It’s an expression of love. Some call it aura, vibration, or vibes; you know it when you see it in someone, because you feel a serenity, a radiance and a brightness shining from their very being. It’s not always easy, and in fact, it’s sometimes scary, to connect and give without any expectation of receiving in return, or to summon this feeling when it’s not readily available, or necessarily reciprocated. I feel better when I smile at strangers and meet their eyes as they pass. They don’t always meet mine, or smile in return; but more do, than don’t. I have a song about that from one of my previous albums called “Smile”. If I made someone’s heart open up, even for that one moment, I have made the world a little better. The collective practice of spreading and receiving love – appreciation, recognition, acknowledgement – has powerfully healing ripple effects.

Awe is contagious. My aim is to share and project it through my songs. I write and sing so that I can soothe and imbue the listener with a sense of well-being, and offer an escape from the din of outer life into the quiet boundless feeling-space of inner life. We all have this safe sphere inside of us, of peace and awareness; it’s just that it’s competing with zillions of external inputs demanding our attention. Sometimes we need a little help getting there. I hope my music can be a door into that inner realm. This is the most paramount focus of my art and of my life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I grew up from early childhood as what they call a “triple threat”, singing, dancing, and acting, and so I always assumed I’d end up in New York, doing Broadway. I studied acting at Williamstown Theater Festival, where Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of my mentors. I also had a wonderful mentor in college, Robert Brustein, who urged me to pursue a career in film. I came to LA and worked a lot in film and tv for about 10 years, doing teen parts, mostly guest stars, pilots, and recurring roles on classic tv shows. I then turned my focus to my music, and was signed to Nettwerk Records for my first album. My songs were licensed a lot for film and tv, on Grey’s Anatomy and other shows, and I toured and played with Ben Folds, Moby, Juliana Hatfield, and many others.

My prior releases would probably be considered Americana. I’m finishing up a new record now that I’d describe as psychedelic folk. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to finding my true voice. Malcolm Gladwell likes to talk about the idea of ten thousand hours spent doing something, before you can actually master it. I’ve never felt more on top of my game than now, with my singing, playing, performing, writing, and recording. I’m really enjoying playing out a lot these days with these new songs, and I can’t wait to put them out. The record will be out at some point next year. I’m excited to tour again.

Meanwhile — I’ve been feeling strongly compelled to get back into acting again too. Obviously, I wouldn’t be doing teen parts at this point, haha! There are so many great roles now, for every kind of actor, in pretty much every demographic. I really miss doing comedy, especially. There’s something so rewarding about making people laugh and bringing them joy, giving them a chance to escape into levity. My songs are reflective, soulful, melancholy, and bittersweet, so I need to do more comedy to balance myself out! I really want to go out and audition for parts again.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
LA is one of the most thriving, creative metropolises in the world, and yet it has bountiful and immediate access to nature. In Los Angeles, all you have to do is climb a hill or go to the beach to experience a reset for your body, mind, and soul. It’s the reason why I feel that, for a creative artist, LA is one of the most livable cities in America. I am surrounded by — and have the opportunity to collaborate with — the most accomplished and talented musicians, songwriters, producers, sound engineers, comedians, actors, content creators, editors, photographers, writers, and directors in the world; and yet at the same time, I can walk up to the top of the hill in the canyon, above the bustle and chaos of the traffic and the city, sit under a giant oak, listen to birds sing, and commune with coyotes, rabbits, and deer. It smells incredible up there — of fresh wild anise, sage, and lavender.

I need this daily dose of silence in the midst of the noise to clear my head. It’s a literal bird’s-eye view of my own life, which helps put everything in perspective. Spending time each day on the periphery gives me some distance from the rat race. It reinvigorates and centers me and is a great way to clear my head. I often get inspiration downloads about life, or let lyrics wash over me. I wrote the song ‘Walk It Alone” as I hiked the trail up there. The sun was setting just as the moon was rising at the same time, and an owl was hooting, as the sky turned to dusk. “Turquoise Sky”, from my first record, is about that unearthly beautiful moment when the very first star is suddenly visible in the twilight sky.

The gorgeous natural locations in Los Angeles, from the Santa Monica Mountains to Angeles National Forest and everything in between, are too many to list here. We are blessed with so many options to take a well-deserved breather from urban life. My favorite beach is El Matador. I have a song called “El Matador Beach”, about the constant, never-ending cyclical quality of the waves, and how they sound exactly like long, slow, deep breathing. We are a part of nature — we ARE nature; and the more quality time we spend in it, the more connected we are to ourselves and to our true essence.

Topanga Canyon is dear to my heart too, since it’s where I first lived when I arrived in LA. I was drawn to the dark, quiet nighttimes, and to the trails and trees. There is a wonderful restaurant nestled there, Inn of the Seventh Ray, that’s like an enchanted fairyland. There is a creek running through it, and old-growth trees climbing all around the tables. The food is delicious — fresh and healthful. There is another great spot in Topanga called Café 27, on a massive wooden deck that feels like the platform of a treehouse, with epic views of the canyon.

Right here in the city, the Griffith Park Observatory is one of the spots where I always take out-of-town guests, to get oriented to the layout of LA. On a clear day, you can see the snow-capped peaks of the San Gabriels to the east, and the ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains to the west. You can see Palos Verdes and Catalina on the horizon, and the vast megalopolis stretching out below in all directions. I find it restful to be so high up above the massive network of everyone hurrying below, to and fro. It’s a good reminder of how small we all are, in the best of ways, and how we’re all in it together.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Reverend Michael Beckwith, of the Agape International Spiritual Center!

Website: https://www.saramelson.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saramelson

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/saramelson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saramelson

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/saramelson

Other: https://saramelson.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
All photos by Charity Baker