Minimalist songwriting with Sarah Tolle

Sarah Tolle is a singer-songwriter and actress based in Vancouver, BC. Her musical style is marked by a genre-bending, freewheeling, eclectic spirit.

Her songs emanate a sense of wildness grounded in a timeless, almost ancient sound. They’re inspired by themes of freedom and peace, in compositions that blend house beats, sweeping orchestras, Celtic melodies, and old-time banjo folk.

Sarah shared the process behind her song Wash Away. Download the lyrics to follow along.

We talked about:

• Our 2024 songwriting challenge to write a holiday song, and other songwriting challenges out there
• Starting a song with a simple idea and a single chord (on the banjo, no less)
• Getting out of your own way trying to do too much
• Working with a producer who understands your voice and vision
• Fusing folk with a cinematic approach
• The difference between simple and simplistic
• How to pick your 15 seconds for TikTok