The Creative World of Stephen Sanchez - °1824 Press Conference
The swooning sound of the 1950’s characterized by artists such as Elvis Presley was almost forgotten in the modern music world. A charming and young rising force in music - Stephen Sanchez - is reviving it. At only 21 years old, Sanchez has successfully intertwined nostalgic sonic influences into his work, while adding his own unique touches and bringing different generations together through his music. You might know him from his 2021 hit single “Until I Found You” - a heartfelt love song that entranced the world and marked the beginning of keeping this classical sound alive among newer generations.
At a recent press conference hosted by °1824, we dove into Stephen’s world as he revealed more about the inspirations behind his music, how storytelling is important to him and his work, his definition of success, and more.
Stephen’s debut album Angel Face is based on the story of a fictional musician from 1958 - The Troubador Sanchez. “I’ve always wanted to be back in the day playing music,” said Stephen. “I love that sound so much.” He was particularly inspired by the storytelling in music from the 1950’s and 1960’s when creating this character and his story.
“The characters have their own mindset and their own feelings, but I think that they are just my feelings at the end of the day too,” said Stephen. “Less than it being less surreal, I think it's just all dramatized a bit more.” When writing songs through the lens of this character, Stephen is able to express himself and apply complex emotions to the character’s fictional story rather than his own personal experiences.
“I find it really exciting to write from real stories that have happened in my life and real feelings, then to kind of hide behind a character a little bit,” said Stephen. “It feels like it lessens the blow of vulnerability for me.” He has always been someone with his heart on his sleeve. In his early career tours he would talk about the personal experiences behind his songs, but eventually felt that this was boring and overdone by musicians.
“To write a character that tells the story for you, but they're a character that people can get attached to and love for a moment… that feels a bit more unique and special,” said Stephen. At shows, people are seeing Stephen Sanchez, but on stage they’re seeing the character played.
Having a character also adds another element of excitement and anticipation for fans. “When it comes to making the next record, we'll have another character to play, their stories, and a different sound that goes along with that story,” said Stephen. “That’s the thing that carries the music.”
The Troubadour has a complex storyline. He meets a girl and falls in love, but there’s also an antagonist - Hunter- who kills the Troubadour at the end. This leads to a non-traditional ending where the main character doesn’t get the girl despite all his efforts, such as a battle with gang members. “It’s a bunch of metaphors to say what I don’t directly want to say,” said Stephen. “Better than saying ‘actually, we had communication problems and, we broke up’, what I'm saying is way cooler than that.”
This makes the listening experience more fun and adds to the lore for fans. However, they are still universal experiences of heartache and longing for someone that people can connect with.
The fun doesn’t end at the listening experience. Stephen creates a distinctive and immersive experience at his live shows by incorporating storytelling and elements of the 1950’s-60’s era. Him and his band - The Moon Crests - continue the story of the Troubadour Sanchez at the Connie Co Show - his current tour coming across North America this fall. “You can expect [the real thing] at our shows, as if you were back in the 50s actually seeing the Troubadour Sanchez and the Moon Crests live on the Connie Co Show back in between 1958 through 1964, and we're kind of playing through the years,” said Stephen.
Although still revolving around the same story, Stephen keeps things exciting for fans by changing up the storytelling for this tour compared to his previous tour. “We [made] it so that we were telling the story as ghosts haunting these venues across the United States,” said Stephen. “We were all ghosts last year, the Troubadour had died because Hunter killed me, and the rest of the band died later on.”
He has won the hearts of many, and his unique approach to music and storytelling have helped him establish a dedicated fanbase and successful career. His breakout single “Until I Found You” went Triple Platinum, earning over 2 billion streams and landing on the top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100. He also sold out his first ever headline tour, with his performances earning acclaim from reputable media outlets such as Billboard and Rolling Stone.
Through his success, Stephen has stayed grounded and remained true to his initial vision. “When I was first in meetings with my A&R, I remember all I wanted to do was sell out shows, play the songs that I wrote and have those songs recorded,” said Stephen. “I still want to just be around people and write songs that mean something to them but also that mean something to me.”
“I think that success for me is making sure I never get too lost in the fact that I have been blessed in being successful, because that's a gift, and I don't want to act like it's anything more than a gift,” said Stephen. “I would like at the end of my life for people say ‘yeah he did a lot of stuff, but he never acted like he was so caught up in his success all the time’.”
Stephen Sanchez's journey is a testament to his passion for storytelling and his desire to create music that transcends time. By blending nostalgic references with his personal creativity, he has created a unique space in modern music. His dedication to authenticity, both in his sound and in how he presents himself, has resonated with fans across generations. As he continues to evolve and grow, one thing remains clear: Stephen Sanchez is not only reviving the charm of the past but also shaping the future of music in his own distinctive way.
You can see Stephen Sanchez on tour this fall at one of the remaining tour dates:
9/10 - THE PEARL CONCERT THEATER AT PALMS CASINO RESORT, LAS VEGAS, NV
9/12 - YAAMAVA' THEATER, HIGHLAND, CA
9/13 - YOUTUBE THEATER, LOS ANGELES, CA
9/14 - SANTA BARBARA BOWL, SANTA BARBARA, CA
9/15 - CAL COAST CREDIT UNION AMPHITHEATER, SAN DIEGO, CA
9/17 - ARIZONA FINANCIAL THEATRE, PHOENIX, AZ
9/19 - MISSION BALLROOM, DENVER, CO
9/21 - THE GREAT SALTAIR, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
9/24 - EVERWISE AMPHITHEATER AT WHITE RIVER STATE PARK, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
9/25 - THE SALT SHED, CHICAGO, IL
9/27 - THE MIDLAND THEATRE, KANSAS CITY, MO
10/13 - COCA-COLA ROXY, ATLANTA, GA
10/15 - RED HAT AMPHITHEATER, RALEIGH, NC
10/17 - THE ANTHEM, WASHINGTON, DC
10/18 - MOHEGAN SUN ARENA, UNCASVILLE, CT
10/19 - THE MET PHILADELPHIA PRESENTED BY HIGHMARK, PHILADELPHIA, PA
10/22 - MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND, ME
10/23 - MGM MUSIC HALL AT FENWAY, BOSTON, MA
10/25 - SKYLA CREDIT UNION AMPHITHEATRE, CHARLOTTE, NC
10/26 - THE ST. AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEATRE, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL
10/27 - SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO, HOLLYWOOD, FL
10/29 - DR. PHILLIPS CENTER – WALT DISNEY THEATER ORLANDO, FL
Find Stephen Sanchez on Instagram, TikTok, X, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
