One of the more enjoyable things within artistic communities can be the collaborations that take place. With the release of “Burn it Down” last Friday, a collaboration between Saratoga Springs-based artist Cassandra Kubinski, and Troy resident/Fultonville native Sawyer Fredericks, this is definitely the case.
Though Kubinski had previously released the track, the collaboration and duet makes for a whole new twist to the tune. Rife with smoldering and gritty vocals between the two artists, with the plaintively simple, yet effective acoustic instrumentation — well-supporting yet never stealing attention from the vocals — the quality of this collaboration speaks for itself. Kubinski and Fredericks plan on promoting this release with several shows inside and outside of the area.
The local show featuring both artists will be held at Albany’s The Linda on Nov. 3. For more information on the show, please visit https://www.thelinda.org/events/
I had a chance to sit down with Fredericks and Kubinski prior to the song’s release. What follows is our conversation.
Lucas Garrett: Thanks for taking time, folks, to talk today. How’re you doing?
Sawyer Fredericks: I’m good.
Cassandra Kubinski: Great! Thanks for having us back in the interview chair.
LG: How did you and Cassandra meet? How did this collaboration start?
SF: She’d heard my music and was thinking [of doing] projects with other artists and found out I was local. She reached out to me with an emai l… [about] options on working together, whether it was recording, writing, or some type of collaboration. I listened to her music and said, “OK, this person is phenomenal.”
I met up with her to see what we wanted to do, whether it was co-writing or recording, and we decided to do a duet on her song, “Burn it Down.”
Art for “Burn It Down” by Cassandra Kubinski and Sawyer Fredericks.
LG: What made you guys pick that particular song?
SF: She sent me a couple [songs] to listen to to see what vibes would work for me, and that one I felt matched my sound the most; a little more brooding, and that’s a lot of my music that I’ve written, so it felt like a good one I could duet on and put the right emotion into it.
CK: Sawyer’s voice and vibe give a brand new, slow burn type of energy to “Burn it Down.” I was surprised by how cool the song is as a duet, because the words actually can now be heard in the context of a relationship with someone else, or with yourself, the way my original track is.
LG: So, the song came out on Aug. 23. Do either of you have any plans to perform it live together?
SF: Yes, we do. We’re going to be doing a couple shows. One of them is at The Iron Horse in Northampton, Massachusetts on Oct. 9. [Our shows] will be co-bills where we’ll be playing [“Burn it Down”] together, and then also doing our [individual] full-set.
CK: We hope to perform it live on some TV shows too, to help it reach a wider audience.
LG: Are you doing any shows in the area?
CK: Yes, [we’re playing] The Linda [on] Sunday, Nov. 3, and tickets are on sale. We are excited to play for our local 518 crowd. It’s a unique show concept with both of us doing our own material and collabs, so I hope people bring a friend or two and join us.
LG: Sawyer, since you won “The Voice” — congratulations, by the way …
SF: Thank you.
LG: How has your life changed musically since then? I’m sure Cassandra isn’t the first to reach out. How do you filter through all the noise?
SF: I wouldn’t say it’s too much like filtering through all the noise. I feel a lot of local musicians — I am trying to work more with people in the 518 area; that’s what I want to be doing in general with building networks around here … I feel a lot of people thought I moved away, which is interesting, or that I was out of reach because of the show. I don’t feel I’ve actually had too many people come up to me and say, “Hey, do you wanna work together?”
In terms of things I’ve been up to after “The Voice” — that was 2015 [that] I was on — I’ve released three independent albums and one album after “The Voice: that was on Republic Records. I’ve been doing lots of touring, recording, and writing with others.
LG: How old are you, Sawyer, if I may ask?
SF: I’m 25, now.
LG: So, you’ve been writing, recording, and touring, for nearly 10 years. You were doing that in your teenage years, and now into adulthood. Have you ever felt that all of this that you haven’t had a chance to grow up on your own time?
SF: To some extent I definitely feel going on The Voice took away a little bit of my childhood. Hahaha. But I very purposefully try to make time for my own hobbies and get to enjoy myself outside my music. I of course enjoy my music a lot, even though it’s a bit stressful at times, but I make time for pleasure.
LG: What are some of the things you do hobby-wise that takes away stress?
SF: For me, I’m really into Magic: The Gathering, and I do some gaming as well.
LG: Cassandra, you’re certainly not new to the list of accomplishments either, and have carved out a pretty nice resume. What are some of your hobbies you enjoy that take the stress down a bit?
CK: I try to keep stress at a low level in general, and I chose habits pretty early on in my adult life that support that. For instance, I don’t check my phone/emails first thing [in the morning]. I have about 30 minutes of yoga and meditatio. That is my time to notice, get grateful, and decide on my energy for the day before I let outside people or “obligations” make demands of me and my time. That said, of course there are stressful times or more intense times. I decompress by getting outside – my go-to – biking, hiking, kayaking or walking. And actually, just singing helps me de-stress. When I sing with no agenda or goal.
LG: What are each of you working on, aside from the single?
SF: I’m working on a full album that we are planning a release for early next year. Basically, all the material is done, we’re just getting all our ducks in order, and getting ready for release.
LG: Do you have a name for it, Sawyer?
SF: It’s “No Need to Wonder.”
LG: Where did that come from?
SF: It’s the title track, and I feel like that song represents the album best, so I wanted to use that one.
LG: How about you, Cassandra?
CK: I’ll be releasing a single called “Comes Down to You,” booking more shows, and providing some artist upleveling education this Fall. I have worked with a variety of coaches and businesses to provide info/training to fellow artists on mindsets for success and growth, and also more logistic/practical elements of running a music career, like making sure you handle your copyright and MLC registrations as a writer, publisher and artist.
LG: Lastly, is there anything either of you would like to elaborate on?
CK: I just want to add that this collaboration has been one of the easiest and most fun I’ve ever done because, I feel, we’re both bringing an equal level of commitment, vision, creativity, pushing for authenticity, and also experience and resources to the process. I could go on and on about this, but I am really grateful to work with an artist who is not only crazy talented, but willing to show up and do the work, and consider creative new pathways to engaging audiences … That’s not always the case. Working with Sawyer and his team is awesome.
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