Sabrina Claudio's New Album: A Soulful Step Into Story, Self And Sound

Forbes

a day ago

(Having met singer/songwriter Sabrina Claudio a few years ago, fellow singer/songwriter Sage Bava was the perfect person to sit down with Claudio for an extended chat on Claudio's highly anticipated new album. – Steve Baltin)
With Fall in Love with Her—out June 6 via EMPIRE—Sabrina Claudio steps into her most expansive era yet. Known for her intimate, sultry sound, Claudio now pushes past her established aesthetic, creating a sweeping, conceptual world that mirrors her personal and artistic evolution. 'This is the most conceptual album I've ever had,' she says. 'I made sure that every song in the album made sense to the story that she wrote.' For the first time in her career, Claudio wrote almost entirely from lived experience. 'I actually felt more inclined to write from personal experience—because I'd already used up so many of my storytelling concepts,' she explains. 'I had to pull from what I was really going through, which I'd never fully done before.' The result is a body of work that feels both vulnerable and elevated. That emotional risk is matched by sonic exploration. After spending a year writing with other artists across genres like indie, dance, and alternative, Claudio found herself inspired to experiment. 'I must have done at least 200 sessions in one year,' she says. 'Usually, I'm in other people's worlds when I'm songwriting, but I was like, damn, I can't wait till it's my turn and I can do exactly what I hear in my head.' The shift also shows up in her vocal delivery. 'I'm almost belting in some songs,' she says. 'It's something that I've not done before.'
Even as she expands creatively, Claudio remains meticulous in her process. 'I'm a very routine-based person,' she says. 'When I go into a session, I work from 1 to 7 p.m.—very strict for some reason—and it has to be in a studio. I don't like taking breaks. If I walk out, I feel like the energy leaves with me.' Still, she allows space for instinct. 'Sometimes I honestly feel like I'm just a vessel. Concepts and melodies just flow through me and I kind of black out.'
The turning point for the project came with a single song—'Fall in Love with Her'—originally written for another artist. Claudio was so taken with it, she asked to keep it. 'I completely fell in love with it,' she says. 'I had this one song that I loved, and when I make the album, it's definitely going on there.' That song sparked a larger narrative, written by her best friend, which became the quiet foundation for the album's visuals and themes. Still, Fall in Love with Her is more than a story—it's a self-portrait in motion. 'The future me will—it'll be forever, right?' she says. 'It's always going to be the future me. I'm always trying to evolve, always trying to be better, and I'm always looking forward to the version I'm going to become.' With this album, Claudio lets us hear that evolution as it unfolds—unfiltered, emotional, and fully her own.
Sage Bava: Absolutely stunning; I love this music—and the sonic world you've created is so captivating. You always craft such uniquely personal soundscapes, but this one feels like an entirely new universe within the greater Sabrina Claudio multiverse.
Sabrina Claudio: Oh, thank you.
Bava: I'd love to hear about your creative process—how did it unfold for this project, and in what ways has it evolved since your earlier albums? Looking back as far as Confidently Lost, I imagine your approach to making music has taken on many different forms.
Claudio: Well, this one was interesting because I had taken a long break from working on my own music. During that time, I was writing a lot for other artists. I took the break mainly because I didn't really know what else I wanted to say anymore. As an artist, I felt like I had reached a peak in my creative journey, especially because I was doing most of it alone. I wasn't big on collaborating—with songwriters or other people who could potentially add to my creative process. Obviously, I had my producers and people I've worked with for years who inspire me in so many ways, but I just wasn't finding inspiration within myself. I didn't want to keep putting things out if I wasn't evolving—as a musician, as a woman, as a person. So I took a break. But I still wanted to stay creative, and writing for other people felt like the perfect balance. That process—actually, all the different processes I experienced while working with so many different types of artists—allowed me to experiment in ways I wouldn't have if I were just focused on my own music. These artists taught me so much about different sounds, melodies, concepts, and approaches to making music. So when it came time to write my own album, I was able to bring all of that into it. I think I just naturally absorbed so much that I started gravitating toward new sounds and things that inspired me in ways they hadn't before. Of course, melodically and conceptually, I still tend to lean toward the same themes—but sonically and production-wise, as you mentioned, this album is very different for me. I think it's genre-bending in some ways. It still feels familiar, but this is the most excited I've been about an album in a really long time.
Bava: That's amazing—and it's so interesting to hear about your songwriting process: how you stepped into the role of seeing through other people's eyes, and then, for this album, made the shift to looking through your own. I'd love to hear more about that transition and how creating from that place led you to discover new parts of yourself.
Claudio: Well, it's interesting because I thought that, since I was writing so much for other artists, I wouldn't have anything left to say when it came to my own music. I figured I'd already given all my ideas away. But the interesting part is that I've always been more of a storyteller-type writer—I never naturally wrote from personal experiences. I've always drawn from things I made up, conversations I've had, movies I've watched, or even just a quote I came across. That's just what I naturally did in my songwriting sessions. For this album, I actually felt more inclined to write from personal experience—because I'd already used up so many of my storytelling concepts. I had to pull from what I was really going through, which I'd never fully done before. I mean, there are some exceptions—Confidently Lost was written from personal experience, and a couple of other songs were vaguely based on relationships I'd had—but I've never dedicated an entire album to things I've actually lived through, especially from the past two years. So I really give credit to all those artists I worked with—because after giving so much away, I had to dig deeper into my own life. And in a way, writing for other people ended up inspiring and encouraging me to go there. It was definitely an interesting shift.
Bava: I love that you've been sharing more of your creative process with your team—the mini-series is such a fun way to get a glimpse into that world. Why did it feel important to open that up now and connect it to this project?
Claudio: Well, because I think a big part of what this album represents for me is digging deeper. I wanted to make sure that visually—and really everything tied to the album—felt just as vulnerable as the music itself. I don't think people would fully connect to the music I'm making now if they didn't get a glimpse into my life, my personal relationships, and who I really am. I've always been more of a mysterious, private artist—not a lot of people know much about me. But I have so much love, support, and long-term relationships in my life that are vital to my growth as an artist. My friendships are super important to me. So for Memory Foam, I involved my best friend. And this mini-series was important because I wanted to give credit to the people in my life—to you, and to everything they've given me emotionally. Their loyalty has been pivotal. I also just wanted to show my fans more of who I really am. I love deeply. I'm a loyal person. I care deeply about the people in my life. I'm emotionally intense in those ways. So I think if people are able to see that on a human level, then when they hear the album, they're able to connect the dots—and connect with it in a much more personal way. I don't know... I'm just in this vulnerable era of letting people into my life and showing the relationships that have made me who I am today.
Bava: I feel like one of the things you've given your fans and listeners is this connection to a deeply feminine, empowering space. And with the title Fall in Love with Her, I have to ask—who is 'her'? Is she the muse? Is she you? Or is she more of a symbolic entity? Because to me, that's what it feels like it's unlocking.
Claudio: I think for me personally, 'her' is me in the future. Side note—the reason why I called the mini-series Fall in Love With is because I feel like when people listen to the album, they're going to relate to it in their own way. It could be Fall in Love With—and you fill in the blank, you know? But for me, it's definitely about the future me. And the future me will—it'll be forever, right? It's always going to be the future me. I'm always trying to evolve, always trying to be better, and I'm always looking forward to the version I'm going to become—in a year, or five years, or ten. But this album is strictly about me looking ahead toward that better version of myself—whether that's tomorrow, the next day, or the next year. And it's about everything I've had to—or still have to—leave behind: decisions I've made, people who weren't serving me, anything that wasn't serving me. It's about staying aligned and committed to this path toward becoming my best self. And yeah, I think throughout the album, the way I structured the track list tells that story. In the end, it's the person I strive to be. The last track on the album is 'Memory Foam' —and to me, it's a song about resilience, a song about strength, about pushing through the heartaches and hardships. You know, as you listen, you'll hear that evolution—where I've been, where I hope to go—and hopefully, fall in love with that version of me too.
Bava: That's really interesting. So many artists talk about how some of their best songs just kind of flow through them—that it's almost subconscious. Then, later on, when they look back, they start to realize what the song was really about or what it was trying to tell them. I love that idea of the past self and future self—that dynamic feels really present in your music. Do you ever look back on your songs and think, 'Oh, that's what I was feeling,' or 'That's what I was processing,' and have that kind of relationship with your own work over time?
Claudio: Absolutely, and I think with this album in particular, that sentiment is really strong—because it's the first album where I'm actually writing everything from personal experience. Some of these songs I wrote during a heartache, or I would listen to them while I was going through something, and I've cried to many of them, many times. And now, some of the songs I wrote maybe a year ago, I listen back and think, 'Wow, I can't believe I was going through that at the time.' Now I can hear it from a totally different perspective. It's really interesting—even with songs I've written in the past. The song 'I Didn't Think' is one that's interesting for me, cause sometimes I honestly feel like I'm just a vessel. Concepts and melodies just flow through me and I kind of black out. Then I'll go back and listen and think, 'Damn, how did I do that? That's wild.' And I don't even remember what my headspace was. I'm telling you—sometimes it really does feel like a spiritual thing. So there's that. And then yeah, I don't know—I'm always listening back to things. It's just interesting to see how we evolve as people and as artists. There are things I would have done differently, or things I hear now and realize I might not even be able to tap into that same place again, even if I tried. It's always interesting. But yeah—I look back a lot.
Bava: It's so fascinating to hear about the ritualistic side of writing and making music. Do you have certain things you do to help you get into that creative space, or is it something you can usually access anytime?
Claudio: No, I definitely don't always have access to it. I can really only tap into that space when I'm in a studio environment. I'm not the kind of artist who writes at home or just anywhere—I find it really hard to get into that headspace outside of the studio. I need to be mentally prepared. I can't just book a last-minute session and say, 'Okay, I'm ready to go.' It also really depends on who's in the room. I go off of energy—I'm super sensitive to people's energy, what they're going through, or if the vibe just feels off. That's why I prefer working with the same people when it comes to my own music. With other artists, if I'm in the room as a songwriter, it's easier for me to adapt. But for my own stuff, I like the consistency—I like knowing what to expect. I'm a very routine-based person. When I go into a session, I work from 1 to 7 p.m.—very strict for some reason—and it has to be in a studio. It can be a home studio or any studio, but it has to be a studio space where I can lock in. I don't like taking breaks. If I walk out, I feel like the energy leaves with me, and when I come back, it's weird. It's strange—I know—but it kind of has to feel like work for me. And I like to work with the same team, and I need a few days' notice before a session. Honestly, it's kind of stressful if you think about it. It's not as free as people might assume, especially because my music feels really free. But I'm super regimented. Like, yeah—I don't play.
Bava: Yeah, I mean—combining all the aspects of who you are—your music, your visual identity—I feel like you really embody that fully. You seem so connected to your intuition that if you waver from it even a little, it probably feels hard to stay aligned, like staying on that arrow.
Claudio: Totally, totally.
Bava: Speaking of the visual aspect—I feel like that's such a big part of your creative inspiration. When I think of your music, I also enter this rich visual world. How has that evolved and influenced this album? I'd love to hear more about the inspirations behind the new world you've created, because this feels like a completely different space.
Claudio: It is. This whole album was inspired by something that my best friend and I wrote. So, there is—I'm trying to be discreet about my verbiage because I don't know when this is coming out. But anyways, by the end of it all, there's a much bigger picture. There's like this story of the album. And every visual that has been released is connected to that one story. But that story was written by my best friend before I even decided that I was ready to make an album. And essentially, the story that she wrote for me is what has inspired pretty much every concept, because I've made sure that every song on the album made sense with the story that she wrote. And then, when it came to the visuals, the visuals told enough of the story so that when you watch what is yet to come, you can watch it from the first music video all the way to the end of the bigger thing—and it will all make sense. I don't know how much sense that just made, but essentially, this is the most conceptual album I've ever had. And it was interesting—the process of it all—because I was... it was all very methodical, and it was like a project almost. And I was trying to make sure... it was kind of restricting a little bit when it came to the creating of the music and then the visuals, because I'm just like trying to make sure that it all makes sense by the end of it all—when everything is released—that the whole story, the whole world that we created, makes sense. But it's hard to talk about when I haven't announced what the actual theme is. But just know that it's huge—a huge world that we've created—which I've never done something like that before. So that is what has inspired all of these visuals. It's one big love story. Let's just say that.
Bava: That's so exciting I can't wait to see what you're talking about. But it's so interesting to hear like the catalyst of how these seeds are planted. Was there a song that you feel was a catalyst both sonically and story-wise?
Claudio: Yes, actually. So, 'Falling in Love with Her' is a title track, and it's a song that I wrote. I started creating this album in January of 2024, but "Falling in Love with Her," the song, I actually wrote for another artist in the middle of 2023—before I even decided I was ready to make an album. I had this one song that I wrote for someone else, but I completely fell in love with it, and I asked if I could keep it for myself for when I was ready to make my album. That's going to be one of the songs on the album. I had that song for like six months, and I was talking to my best friend, and we were talking about just creating something together—because she's a scriptwriter, and she does so many things. But one of the things she does is write scripts, and she wanted to do something with me. And I was like, 'Well, I haven't started on my album, but I do have this one song that I love, and when I make the album, it's definitely going on there.'I played it for her, and her wheels started turning. She was like, 'Oh my god, let me live with this for a little bit,' and she came back with a whole story based on that one song. And yeah—essentially, that song inspired the story, but then the story inspired the album. Does that make sense? Because once she wrote the story, I was like, 'Oh—first of all, I need to make an album for this,' but second, I knew what I wanted to say in the album because it was all based on that story she wrote. Does that make sense? I'm like—subliminally—can't think of what's happening, it's so confusing, but yeah.
Bava: I'm sure there are so many stories that can be unraveled within this, because I mean, creating a big project like this, it just keeps unraveling.
Claudio: Exactly.
Bava: Sonically though, I'm really curious, were you listening to new things, were you inspired by specific artists that made you kind of lean to this new version of your music?
Claudio: I think just naturally, I was in rooms with a lot of—well, it was mainly genres for me, because I was tapping into so many different styles. I must have done at least 200 sessions in one year. I was working almost every day, and with that came being in rooms surrounded by different genres—like I was doing a lot of dance, indie, alternative, and obviously R&B. Subconsciously, all of it was just sticking in my brain. I've always listened to these kinds of genres on my own time—I love indie music, singer-songwriter stuff, and really big, cinematic things. And because I was actually writing in those genres for the first time—experiencing what that was like with my voice and ideas—I got more excited to try that on my own. Usually I'm in other people's worlds when I'm songwriting, but I was like, damn, I can't wait till it's my turn and I can do exactly what I hear in my head. So yeah, I've always listened to those genres, but now I finally got to create over them. And for my album, I worked—again—with the same people I always work with. They have a broader palette of music, and they're a big reason the songs sound the way they do. They brought their own references and inspirations, and we'd go back and forth on songs we loved. A lot of the time, I didn't even know the ones they were referencing, which I thought was a good thing—'cause I'd go in and do my own thing, since I'd never heard it before. They'd play it once, I'd be like, 'Okay, cool, let's try something like that,' and melodically I'd go somewhere else. So yeah, it was just a mix of the artists I worked with, the genres I was exploring, and the music I've loved my whole life.
Bava: Are there some genres that you created with that you're kind of thinking someday you want to kind of go into that world and make kind of a very different project from?
Claudio: I think one of my strong suits—which I've never done personally, but I've done with other artists—is dance. There's so—like, that's the category, but there are so many subgenres under that. Just a dance album would be really interesting for me—all types of dance—even Afrobeat or house or like all the subgenres under dance. I don't know why, but it's really easy for me to write to. I've just never done it on my own because I always think about, like, when I go on tour, the music I want to perform is usually the more emotional, ballad, singing-type songs. But I really love when I get the opportunity to work with a DJ or do collabs with people in the dance world. So maybe one day I'll do my own project—or like an EP or something like that—where it's all dedicated to the dance world.
Bava: Through all of the process of all the many things that you do, is there a favorite part of the process for you—from writing to performing?
Claudio: Oh, well, I think it kind of leads into the next thing. I love—I think it's always like a euphoric feeling when you're creating a song and it's all clicking, and everything is making sense, and you leave the session and you're listening to the song a million times over in your car, and you're like, 'Oh my God, we just created that.' And then that leads into the part where you get to perform it for people, and you hear people singing the song back—this song that you remember creating and being in awe of. So I think those are probably my two favorite parts of this whole thing—the creation of it all, and then getting to perform it, and realizing that what you created actually connects to people in a certain way. Hearing them sing it back, watching them sing it, or watching them get emotional—or even just the visual part of it all. Those are probably my two favorite parts of the whole—this whole artist thing, I guess.
Bava: I mean this album is just so expansive—it's going to be so incredible live I think. I cannot—I can't wait. It just sounds like flying.
Claudio: Thanks. That's why it's so long. Yeah, it's like—I feel like I'm flying, and I can't wait. I feel like the production is so massive on a lot of the songs. And my band—like, I've already performed a couple of songs with them for certain things—but I can't wait till we're on tour and just performing it with a bunch of people. And yeah, it's gonna be amazing.
Bava: Is there a song that you're most excited to perform live?
Claudio: It's hard to choose. Well, no—I gotta say I have my favorites already, and I think it's the bigger production ones. Like, 'Memory Foam' is one. And then I have another song called 'Detoxing,' which is kind of similar to 'Memory Foam' in the sense that it gives—like, I always compare it to a Coldplay, Avril Lavigne type nostalgic vibe. But it's really big, and when the band performs it, it's even bigger. The energy and the emotion are crazy. And then I have another song called 'Discourage,' which is kind of the same thing. It's just really big, really full—conceptually, they're emotional. And vocally, I feel like I've broken out of this soft, whispery, sensual vibe that I'm normally on. I'm singing stronger, and I'm almost belting in some songs, which is something I've never really done before. So when we go to perform it live, that'll be exciting. So yeah, I'd say those are probably my top three faves.
Bava:Yeah, that's so wonderful. Is there anything else that you want to add into this for both the readers and the listeners that we hadn't talked about yet?
Claudio: I don't think so. I think you asked a lot of amazing questions. I'm just really excited for the final piece of the puzzle—for me to be able to talk about it once I announce it. But yeah, just that this is an album I'm extremely proud of, and I hope that people resonate with it in their own way, and that all the vulnerability doesn't go to waste, and it connects to people deeper than ever before. So yeah, that's all I would say.
Bava:Beautiful. It's so amazing to hear you as the storyteller—like that's the most ancient thing. And when you add that to the beautiful music, of course it's going to be so potent—and yes, it's going to resonate with many. So, thank you so much.
Claudio:Thank you girl!