Philadelphia-born, LA-based singer/songwriter, Sally Boy isn’t a newcomer to the music scene by any means, but his latest project certainly signifies a new beginning and a turning point in his career. After making his solo debut earlier this summer with his self-titled single, Sally Boy (born Erez Potok-Holmes) dropped his second track, “Stormy” and just celebrated the release of his third single, “Sippy Cup,” this month. By using this project as a means to discover more about himself, Sally Boy promises to push the boundaries and jump genres with his music, with “Sippy Cup” taking a step away from his first two singles. With more new music and a debut album coming soon, we caught up with him to discuss his background in music, what it was like to launch a solo project during a pandemic and his plans for the future. Read the full interview and watch the new video for “Sippy Cup” below!
Prelude Press: You made your debut with your first single as Sally Boy earlier this summer and now, you’re celebrating the release of your latest track, “Sippy Cup.” If someone is hearing you for the first time, what would you like for them to take away from your music?
Sally Boy: I’d like them to first enjoy it, and walk away with some sort of happiness. I genuinely enjoy making music so I hope that those who hear it get a piece of that and a piece of me. I make music for myself, but half the fun is seeing other peoples reaction to that music. That’s why I love playing music live cause you see it in real time, but releasing new music is a sort of medium between writing and performing. You are showing yourself to the world and getting reactions, but there is of course the internet in between you and those you are expressing yourself to.
You’re no stranger to the music industry, but Sally Boy is a new project for you. Did you have any major goals in mind when you first started writing for this project?
Yeah, to become the biggest artist and the world, make change, and make people happy.
I also wanted to find out more about myself. I guess I’ve lived a lot of my life under the expectations of other people, so writing this and exploring ME fully opened up a sort of awareness I was never in touch with. Also helped to be in quarantine and spend so much time with myself sans the everyday distractions and general hubbub.
What inspired you to launch this solo project?
I mean I always made music so I never really thought of it as “launching” a solo project, more so a directed approach/accumulation/assembly of this art I’d been making my whole life. I was in a band prior which is maybe what this question is asking about, but we just live on different coasts, and making music while on different coasts is certainly an egregious task. Not to mention I felt as if the part of me who made that kind of music (rock-ish?) was not a priority anymore so I just started sally boy.
Are there any lessons you’ve learned in previous projects that you’ve been able to apply to this one?
Oh yeah absolutely, having released 2 projects prior to this definitely helped a LOT. I think the biggest thing I learned was that less is more. In past projects I’d gotten very excited with the access to new equipment and instruments that I was just like “oh a chorus? Let’s put every single instrument in this studio on it” On this project I was more direct with my approach and kept it rather simple. I think I’m still learning in a lot of ways about production and how to fill in space properly, so I’m looking forward to looking BACK on this project and being like holy shit I’ve learned sooooo much since then. Lowkey I already feel like I’ve outgrown the person I was when I wrote most of this stuff.
You’re just releasing your new single, “Sippy Cup,” which follows your debut, “Sally Boy” and “Stormy.” Can you tell us a little bit about the track? What inspired it?
So this song is definitely very different from Sally Boy and Stormy, which are two, more singer songwriter-y songs. I wrote this song at a point of distaste and sort of muted anger. I’d never really let myself say exactly how I felt about this situation/relationship before, so when I started writing this song I was like fuck it just say everything you’ve wanted to. So I got peeettty petty. Like that line “no it wasn’t me that used you for sex/that must’ve been back when you settle for less” bruh I wanted to say that for 5 years probably but I’d been so caught up being in love that I couldn’t bear to be rude to that person. But now idrc I say what I want and sorry, but that’s how I feel.
What was the most rewarding or exciting part of working on “Sippy Cup”?
So I wrote and produced out the rough demo on my own, after a party, at like idk 3 in the morning and I was very happy with where it was, but the most rewarding/exciting part was sitting down with one of my best friends/producers Jhune and cranking it out. I remember we worked on it til like 4 in the morning and then we airdropped it to both our phones, synced it up, and listened in our own separate headphones in the studio. Fucking manic shit. Ahahaha, we prolly looked like idiots but we were so hyped. Listened to it probably like 10 times just then and there. Even back then it wasn’t as flushed out as it is now but we were just so excited with how fresh it sounded.
How has the writing and recording process been as a solo artist as opposed to working with a band? Do you find that you’re a little harder on yourself?
Oh yeah absolutely. Because I come up with so much more of the song now, I feel I can be so much more critical. Before when I only wrote lyrics and guitar and did light production I could sit back and appreciate the work others were doing, but when I become a bigger part of the music and thus listen to it more, and become a larger proprietary of the end project, I find myself criticizing pieces of it 10 fold. Comparing parts of it to other people and just like laying myself out at times. On the other hand, when the song is super fresh in my mind I often find myself sitting on the highest horse and feeling like the king of the world. So it comes and goes, and I just need to get much better at being kind to myself.
What has been your biggest challenge as a solo artist?
Like I said before I’d probably say being kind to myself. It’s very easy to see what those are doing around you and compare yourself to other people. Like for instance seeing people younger than you popping off, or comparing your art to your friends and feeling inferior. That sort of inward self confidence is definitely something I’ve had to work on.
Further being comfortable in your own skin. Regular photo shoots and video shoots have definitely been new activities for me, so figuring out how I want to look while ALSO wanting to figure out how I want to sound has been an incredible task. I’m still finding my visual footing and I’m lucky to have amazing people on my team to help me with that (shoutout Eddie Mandel) but its definitely a learning process. I have like 100x the vision now as I did a year ago or maybe even 6 months obj
With a handful of singles out now, do you have any other big plans for 2020? Can fans expect some more new music soon?
Despite how shitty 2020 has been for most, my music is only getting better so you can have that to look forward to at least. I have one more single coming out before the album drops, so there’s like 5 songs people can get amped for. You can expect those in a month or so. I’m also writing some really crazy shit that I’m really excited for people to hear but that’s more of a 2021 endeavor <3
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Uh yeah, I’d just tell people to have fun every day no matter what that looks like, you deserve it. Also go out and register and vote in November cause otherwise there might not be a habitable planet for Sally Boy to take over 🙁
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