Sawyer Utah on WHEREVER U ARE✭, tears & wishes, and Finding Connection in Music
Written by: Keyali Mikaela
Sawyer Utah is in his feelings—and honestly, so are we. His debut EP WHEREVER U ARE✭ hits like a voice memo you didn’t know you needed: raw, reflective, and somehow comforting all at once. Blending dreamy production, confessional lyrics, and a DIY spirit that started in his parents’ basement, Sawyer’s creating music that feels personal but still totally universal. We caught up with him to talk about making songs all over the country, the meaning behind his visuals, and why stars and horses are basically his whole personality.
Next Wave: How did the concept for WHEREVER U ARE✭ come together, and what does the title personally mean to you beyond geography?
Sawyer: My life experience as a whole over the last couple years contributed a lot to how I created and wrote this EP. I started most of these ideas either in hotels or studios far away from home, so there was constant inspiration being in lively cities like New York City! The title has a few different meanings to me. It refers to the many locations I made the songs in and how I was all over the country - but also most importantly refers to the fact that my goal is for anyone, anywhere, to be able to relate to the music and feeling. Wherever you are in life, wherever you are in the world, I want you to connect.
Next Wave: You’ve described your goal as creating ‘meaningful connections through music’—can you share a moment when you really felt that connection with a fan?
Sawyer: I was playing a show in Chicago opening for Zach Hood, and I played all originals except for one cover. I picked the song “Landslide” even though it was a very young crowd. After I got off stage, a fan came up to me and said that her Dad had passed away recently and this was their song that they would always listen to it together. It is those special moments that are why I do what I do!
Next Wave: What’s a song from the EP that changed the most from the original demo to the final version? What shifted along the way?
Sawyer: That’s such a cool question - I would say probably “TEXAS”. When I first was making it, the chorus line “I’ll be here but you’re not” was in a different key so it sounded more like my voice. But then I wanted the rap verses to be lower in my voice/tone, so I transposed the whole song lower. It ended up warping my chorus vocals into what you now hear as more of a vocal chop sound! I felt like it was meant to be and was a vibe, so I left it!
Photo Credit: Orchee
Next Wave: How do you decide when a song is meant for you as an artist versus one you’re better off giving to someone else?
Sawyer: I think for the most part it stems from how the song was originally created. A lot of times I will be in a zone by myself cooking up beats and recording vocals, and it truly is a personal experience that doesn’t feel like anyone else would want to use the song. And with other artists, I try to really make it sound and feel like their own thing. It makes it where not only does it feel like a song for me, but also makes the artist feel like it's extra authentic to them!
Next Wave: The visual components of your work are super cohesive—what inspires your visuals, and do you think in imagery while writing music?
Sawyer: Thank you so much! I really do think in imagery when I’m writing and making music. Each song to me has a vivid feeling and color scheme that I try to take straight to the visuals. I’m not sure where exactly it comes from, but it is clear in my mind as I’m creating and finishing each song!
Next Wave: You’ve drawn comparisons to artists like Post Malone and Jack Antonoff—how do you stay true to your own sound while being influenced by others?
Sawyer: I definitely have a lot of influences when I think about the feelings I paint in my songs. But when it comes to creating in the studio, I am more and more not listening to references or trying to replicate anything. It is more of a pure combination of everything I love, and the feelings I’m chasing and trying to connect to!
Next Wave: What was the most vulnerable moment for you on this EP, whether in the lyrics, production, or release process?
Sawyer: “Old Me” was definitely the most honest and descriptive song that I included on this EP. It felt super real when I was writing it, and I didn’t change much after I had the full lyric since it felt so aligned with how I really feel.
Next Wave: Your style blends organic instruments with dreamy, modern production—how do you approach finding that balance in your tracks?
Sawyer: For me it helps to have some go-to sounds that help shape the songs I create. I think one of my favorite parts of producing my own music is combining those live aspects with modern elements. It’s with those combinations that I try to create feelings that are distinct and never been felt before.
Next Wave: Is there a specific story behind your love for stars and horses as recurring symbols in your branding and merch?
Sawyer: Yess! There are multiple meanings - but I have always had a love for the feelings of night time and the scale of the universe. It feels larger than life when you stare up at the stars. Those feelings are what I try to portray with my music. And then my middle name is Utah, which is a western state. So, the western flare of horses paired with stars feels super consistent with who I am as a musician and also as a person!
Next Wave: As someone who's grown up around music and now produces for others, what advice would you give to young artists just starting to explore their sound?
Sawyer: I would say first that I definitely don’t have it all figured out and I’m always leaning! But the most valuable thing for me as I was learning to create, was giving myself as much time as possible to close the door and explore creating on my own. I spent so much time on my own with my computer, instruments, and headphones figuring out sounds…as well as how to take a picture that I see in my mind and paint it with my music.
Next Wave: You’ve mentioned building a home studio in your parents’ basement as a kid—how does that DIY spirit still show up in your process today?
Sawyer: I think it definitely has helped me with keeping things simple. I still have my go-to $200 Focusrite travel interface that I recorded a majority of my vocals with for my EP. It makes it fun and exhilarating keeping things DIY and on the run. Still, one of my favorite ways to work on my songs is going to a coffee shop and sitting with headphones and vibing out...with no other gear. This is the same way I started making songs in middle school!
Next Wave: “haven’t been talking to you” blew up on TikTok before it was even finished—how has social media impacted the way you approach songwriting and releasing music?
Sawyer: It definitely plays a role when I’m selecting the order of song releases - especially a song like “haven’t been talking to you” that might not have come out otherwise. I do think about it every once in a while when I’m writing songs, but I try to just be in the moment and let the music come out of me instead of forcing something!
Next Wave: What’s the story behind “tears & wishes”? Was there a specific moment or feeling that sparked it?
Sawyer: This song began from a beat pack that a producer sent to me on Instagram direct message. I’ve never done this before, and I’m always involved in the songs from the first sound. But there was something different about this one and I immediately started singing the chorus once I started playing it! I then wrote the lyrics from personal experience and began recording.
Next Wave: There’s always this emotional weight in your lyrics—was there a particular lyric in this song that hit hardest for you while writing it?
Sawyer: The lyrics “feel me feel me coming back” and “she save me from my mind going going crazy” were two that stood out to me. It’s a special thing when humans can impact humans and make them feel more like themselves -- or see the world in a new way.
Next Wave: How do you hope listeners feel after hearing “tears & wishes”? Is there a certain message or emotion you want them to walk away with?
Sawyer: “Comforted” is a word I thought about a lot while I was making this one, as well as when I listen back to it. With the way I wrote it and produced out, all the vocals and feelings are in a new format for me. There are a lot of hidden elements that help convert that feeling, like the vocal processing decisions.
tears & wishes cover
