Episode 283
Building an Online Presence: A Drummer's Path to Recognition
The principal focus of this podcast episode revolves around the multifaceted journey of a distinguished drummer, whose early encounters with music profoundly shaped her artistic trajectory. We delve into her experiences, commencing with her introduction to hand percussion and the significant influences of Indian and Latin musical traditions. Throughout our discourse, we explore her commitment to continuous practice and the cultivation of her craft, which she regards as integral to her identity and professional success. Additionally, we examine the role of social media in her career, as she has adeptly utilized these platforms to establish a robust presence within the music industry. This episode serves not only as a testament to her talent but also as an inspiration for aspiring musicians who seek to carve their own paths in a competitive landscape.
Takeaways:
- The speaker's journey into music began at a tender age of two, surrounded by percussion instruments within their household.
- They emphasize the importance of rigorous practice and dedication in honing their skills as an accomplished musician.
- The speaker reflects on their cultural background, highlighting the significance of immigrant experiences in shaping their musical aspirations.
- A pivotal moment in their education occurred at university, where exposure to jazz transformed their approach to music and performance.
- The speaker's online presence has evolved into a crucial aspect of their career, serving as a portfolio to showcase their talents and attract opportunities.
- They express gratitude for the freedom to pursue music in Canada, contrasting it with the limitations faced by aspiring musicians in other countries.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Ludacris
- Berkeley
- Humber
- U of T
- York
- Oscar Peterson
Transcript
So I was asking you off mic, what other instruments do you play besides the drums?
Speaker B:Yeah, so I play a lot of hand percussion.
Speaker B:I started off, actually with hand percussion.
Speaker B:Started off a lot of Indian percussion, Latin percussion, and played violin for, like, six years in school and then did, like, Indian vocals for 10 years and did some Western vocals for some years, too.
Speaker B:But I would say, like, drum kid is my.
Speaker C:My first love claim to fame.
Speaker A:Yeah, I know.
Speaker A:We just kind of started a little bit.
Speaker C:You said rogs, right?
Speaker A:Formally introduced to you.
Speaker A:And we're live.
Speaker C:So who are you before we do that?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:When I said goat earlier.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Getting over a fear of talking.
Speaker A:Okay, I'll take it.
Speaker A:I'll take it.
Speaker A:I'll take it.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:Clear my name.
Speaker A:You are the goat.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Now do the intro, goat.
Speaker C:Still getting over it.
Speaker C:But ladies and gentlemen, today we have with us.
Speaker C:Didn't I do this last time, too?
Speaker C:This weird voice you might have.
Speaker C:Let me just.
Speaker A:But it's okay.
Speaker A:It's your intro voice.
Speaker C:I'm just happy.
Speaker C:I'm happy.
Speaker C:Where's our.
Speaker D:With this Sarah?
Speaker B:We're sorry, Sarah, I love it, okay?
Speaker B:I'm digging it.
Speaker C:It's all just one street.
Speaker C:Sarah.
Speaker C:Sarah, th.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Drummer extraordinaire.
Speaker D:We all did the hand gestures, but we didn't actually make it.
Speaker C:Yeah, man, you're right.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:No one can see us.
Speaker B:I forgot.
Speaker C:This is so exciting.
Speaker C:I almost want to say the end so we could listen to you play drum.
Speaker C:Just cut to the chase, guys.
Speaker C:We'll fill it in with some ads.
Speaker A:But you are very, very well known.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Everyone I told about you, they were like.
Speaker A:Like, their eyes.
Speaker C:Including this.
Speaker A:And we've had 40 guests.
Speaker A:Yeah, 40 guests.
Speaker A:And they are like, oh, cool, cool.
Speaker C:But Sarah has.
Speaker A:It's really.
Speaker C:Matter of fact, matter of fact, I told a couple, I told.
Speaker C:Do you know Mike McNeil?
Speaker C:I don't think you've met him yet.
Speaker C:He's a keyboard player.
Speaker C:Great.
Speaker C:Super good keyboard player on the city.
Speaker C:And he's apparently a super fan.
Speaker C:He wanted to come in, and he asked me to get an autograph.
Speaker B:Oh, come on.
Speaker C:He's never asked any.
Speaker C:I was asked to get anyone, too.
Speaker A:But I said no.
Speaker C:He was like, I've met people like Ludacris because he's worked with a lot of artists, and he's open for, like, bigger artists with these.
Speaker C:You know how it goes.
Speaker C:And he's like, I've never asked, but if you could get me something with your autograph.
Speaker C:And I said, you're gonna give him a Shout out.
Speaker C:So, Michael, here it goes.
Speaker B:It's Michael O' Neal.
Speaker C:Mike McNeil.
Speaker C:88 keys.
Speaker C:88 keys.
Speaker B:Oh, then I think that sounds too familiar.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:And I think you should follow him on Instagram.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:I'm gonna follow you right now.
Speaker B:88 keys after this podcast.
Speaker B:And it blows my mind that, like, when people tell me like, you're.
Speaker B:You're well known, I'm like, really?
Speaker C:Is he famous?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:But it's fun.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:I mean, how did this happen?
Speaker C:I guess that's a good place to start.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So you know what?
Speaker B:My whole journey started at about 2 years old.
Speaker B:My dad's a musician and we would have like drums and percussion laying around the house.
Speaker B:And my dad was like a self taught drum.
Speaker B:Not drummer, keyboard player.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:And so his whole approach was like, listen to it and just kind feel it and play it.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So that was my growth.
Speaker B:And then when I was 18 years old was when, okay, you know what?
Speaker B:I'm gonna take this seriously and go to university for music.
Speaker B:But up until then, I was really heavily in the Bollywood Indian scene.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:Getting like a lot of recognition in India and stuff like that.
Speaker B:And then when I turned 18, I felt like I was born again.
Speaker B:Because when I went to university, like heavy duty jazz was exposed to me.
Speaker B:I mean, I was playing jazz in high school, but like, not as intense, like studying all those like fancy, fancy books and modes and scales and stuff.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Textbooks.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker B:So went to school for jazz and I felt like I was reborn.
Speaker B:Born.
Speaker B:I saw a gospel choir for the first time.
Speaker B:Karen Burke.
Speaker C:Karen York.
Speaker D:Every time.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Pick up yourself, Ms.
Speaker C:Karen.
Speaker B:So Karen Burke was like my first introduction to gospel music.
Speaker B:And when I saw that, I was mind blown.
Speaker B:And I remember I went to my dorm room and cried for like two hours because I'm like, what is the drummer doing with their kick pedal?
Speaker B:Like, I've never seen a kick pedal played so fast.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So I spent four years, like just practicing by myself, doing like a lot of listening.
Speaker B:And then I felt like as soon as I finished university, I felt like I was.
Speaker B:I felt like that was my third life.
Speaker B:Now I'm combining my roots and then my, you know, funk, R B, the gospel, jazz, and like fusing it together.
Speaker B:And so now I'm at a point where I'm just like, I love everything, you know?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:I'm surprised you don't know how well known you are like this.
Speaker D:Remember I sent you, I sent Tariki a video of you And I was like, look at this drummer.
Speaker D:Sending it to people.
Speaker D:And then after that, I was like, she's from Toronto.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Oh, this is like.
Speaker D:And I think we messaged you, but you're probably like, who's this?
Speaker B:Oh, really?
Speaker D:Like, you're from here.
Speaker D:That's great.
Speaker B:That's so funny.
Speaker D:We know where you live, but yeah.
Speaker D:And then Anthony's like, have you ever heard of Sarah Tower?
Speaker D:And I'm like, what?
Speaker D:Yes.
Speaker D:Coming here?
Speaker C:No.
Speaker C:Psych.
Speaker D:It's cr.
Speaker D:How do you learn?
Speaker D:Like, from a technical perspective.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:It's hard to.
Speaker D:To rank musicians and really, it's not a sport.
Speaker D:Yeah, but on a technical.
Speaker D:From a technical standpoint, you're one of the higher ups that are out there right now.
Speaker D:Like, where.
Speaker D:What's.
Speaker D:I'm sure Humber was part of the training.
Speaker B:York, York.
Speaker D:York.
Speaker C:York and Bjork.
Speaker D:Remember York and Bjork.
Speaker D:Okay.
Speaker D:And then, like, how do you get to that level?
Speaker D:What.
Speaker D:What happened?
Speaker B:So when I applied for school, I got rejected from Humber.
Speaker B:I got rejected from U of T.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:I got rejected from Berkeley.
Speaker B:I got rejected from every school that I applied for.
Speaker A:Do you know why?
Speaker B:So because I didn't suck.
Speaker C:That's why.
Speaker C:How dare you?
Speaker B:So the reason why was because I didn't understand technical terms, right?
Speaker B:Like, I could play the paradiddles and I can do that.
Speaker B:But when they said play a six, eight, Colombian or rumba Colombia, I remember that, like at Humber.
Speaker B:And, like, I don't want to say any, but, like, the Prof.
Speaker B:Stood behind me like this, like, just staring at me with a frown.
Speaker B:And I'm like, like, I can play, but just like, kind of help me out and be on my side.
Speaker D:School here.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:So I'm like, you know what?
Speaker B:York was the only school that saw my potential because I walked into my audition, they're like, play.
Speaker B:I had my tablas, I had my drums.
Speaker B:I just, like, did my thing.
Speaker B:And they gave me, like, a $40,000 scholarship.
Speaker B:The Oscar Peterson Scholarship.
Speaker B:And then I'm like, give me four years, people.
Speaker B:And I studied, like, every single book.
Speaker B:And I'm like, that then came out and I'm like, come on, like, ask me any questions.
Speaker B:So, like, that was my, like, let's go.
Speaker B:You know, that's huge.
Speaker C:Your work ethic.
Speaker C:I was actually gonna ask you about that or mention it at least, because we played together a couple times at the church.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I remember you would always.
Speaker C:I don't know if somebody would ask you what you're doing later, but it would always be, I'm going to practice.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Like you just played for hours and you're going to practice.
Speaker C:So I mean, that just seems to be the theme of your, your, your, your life and your career.
Speaker C:Talk to us about that though.
Speaker B:Yeah, so for me, practicing is so important because.
Speaker B:So first I see music as a blessing.
Speaker B:First of all, like, to be in this country, Canada is like a huge blessing.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:You know, my parents are immigrants from Africa.
Speaker A:I think all of us.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Like, we're like, I mean, look at the map.
Speaker B:Like, I'm like, we're all first generation Canadian or that's a very common thing in Toronto.
Speaker B:So it's social, multic, cultural.
Speaker B:And when I look at other people, like women in India, because my, I am Indian, my heritage is Indian.
Speaker B:And I see like, maybe because of where they live, people are restricted.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:Because they don't have the resources, they don't have food and like their priorities.
Speaker B:Like, hey, how can I have my next meal?
Speaker B:And that was my parents situation growing up.
Speaker B:So you know, my parents coming here, they're like, you can do what you want.
Speaker B:Well, they're like, first get a degree, then you can do what you want.
Speaker B:So now they're like, do what you want.
Speaker B:So I found that like, I'm so lucky to just play drums and I just want to take that and work hard and run with it.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So that's kind of my like, just from like a point of gratitude for sure.
Speaker C:Like you found.
Speaker A:And I'm sure other women are definitely encouraged and inspired by you playing the drums.
Speaker A:Especially women in India that might not have those opportunities in place.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So that's, that's, that's incredible for sure.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker C:You have incredible online presence too.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:How did that come to be?
Speaker C:Was this intentional or is it something that just started to happen?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So I'll tell you a story.
Speaker C:Yeah, we love stories around here.
Speaker B:Oh man, I love talking.
Speaker B:So you'll be fed up really soon.
Speaker A:I totally doubt that.
Speaker B:So, okay, so when I was growing up, my dad was like, don't play drums.
Speaker C:Really?
Speaker B:What?
Speaker B:Oh God.
Speaker B:Like, loud.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:It's too loud.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:But also there were like.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So my dad used to be a music director for like when artists would come from India and he was like the band leader and he would hire the drummers and he, he was like, drummer are at the back of the stage.
Speaker B:Nobody cares about drummers.
Speaker B:What do you want to do to yourself?
Speaker B:He's like, you're going to be carrying all this gear and you're a girl, and you're going to be, like, walking around late at night and things like that.
Speaker B:So he said, don't ruin your life and, like, become a singer and a piano player.
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker B:And so that's the reason my parents put me in singing classes and piano classes for, like, 10 to 15 years, because they were trying to push me away from the drums.
Speaker B:But we had, like, three drum sets around the house, and we had, like, a lot of percussion around the house.
Speaker B:So anyway, I told my dad, like, stop bugging me because I want to keep doing it Anyway, so I started playing in his band from, like, whatever, five, and then started playing kid in his band at, like, 12.
Speaker A:And then he's, like, in a band at 5.
Speaker B:But it was like, percussion.
Speaker B:It was not, like, hard stuff.
Speaker B:It was like three drums.
Speaker D:Oh, yeah.
Speaker D:You have videos online of that?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:You saw the videos?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:I'm swooning a bit.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker B:So then after I turned 16, and my dad's like, okay, so you're not going to give up the drums?
Speaker B:I'm like, no, I'm not going to give up the drums.
Speaker B:He's like, okay, make me a promise.
Speaker B:I'm like, all right, cool.
Speaker B:And he's like, make a name for yourself as a drummer.
Speaker B:Because, like, he's like, I care for you so much.
Speaker B:I don't want you to suffer, and I don't want you to rely on an artist to make money.
Speaker B:And he's like, so make an online presence for yourself so you will never have to rely on anybody.
Speaker B:And I'm like, all right, cool.
Speaker B: o I started posting videos in: Speaker B:That's when, like, YouTube started popping, I think.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A: Seems to be: Speaker B:That's when I started, like, on YouTube.
Speaker B:And I was like, what grade?
Speaker B:Grade 10 or grade 10?
Speaker B:Grade 9.
Speaker B:Grade 10.
Speaker B: Was it: Speaker C:Good move.
Speaker B:Yeah, a long time ago.
Speaker B:And then after.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Started getting recognition on in the Bollywood industry and stuff.
Speaker B:And then after, when I went first, I guess first.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:That was like, my first entry point.
Speaker B:And then after, I'm like, I want to go to New York and I want to go to la.
Speaker B:I don't want to, like, go to music school.
Speaker B:And my parents are like, you're crazy.
Speaker B:Absolutely not.
Speaker B:So, like, they're like, finish your program.
Speaker B:So I said, fine, I'm gonna be in my dorm room, but I'm gonna make videos.
Speaker B:So people in The States know who Sarah is, right.
Speaker B:So when I walk in the room, no one's like, ugh, who is this?
Speaker B:You know, and she can't play.
Speaker B:And like, I remember when I was like 23, I went to NAMM for the first time, and when I walked into namm, nobody, like, paid any attention to me.
Speaker B:They're like, who is she?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And when I said I play drums, they're like, okay, you know?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Cute.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So then I'm like, okay, I'll be back.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:So every time, my plan was every time I to the NAM show, I want at least like, couple of more people to know who I am.
Speaker B:And not from a point of like, oh, I just want to be on a pedestal.
Speaker B:No, it was at a point of so I can play with my heroes, so I can be appreciated for the love of music and drums and my work ethic.
Speaker B:And I just want to make music a living so like, like recognize who I am and what I can do.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So it was just for me, like, social media has been a walking, talking portfolio for me.
Speaker B:And a discography.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So when anybody sees me, they want to know what I'm like, Just open up my Instagram, just open up my Facebook.
Speaker B:And I don't have to be where you are to get hired.
Speaker B:You right?
Speaker B:So that's been my approach to social media.
Speaker A:I think more artists should use that as their, like, you said, discography or even their real.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Every framework, I tell everybody, you got to get on social media, there's nothing to lose and there's everything to gain.
Speaker D:True.
