You can't not love Sarah. And this year, we get to enjoy her new album, Laws of Illusion, and the resurrection of Lilith Fair after an 11-year hiatus. Her life has changed with the loss of her mother, a divorce and two kids, India, 8, and Taja, 3. But some things are the same: her ability to connect with us, and the importance of everyday moments. We sat down with Sarah for a quick chat.
What's your favourite thing about Sarah McLachlan? Share your favourite song, album or live performance by the famed Canadian songstress in our comments section on the next page.
Q: Where did the music come from on your new album?
A: Life, as usual. For me, it's an emotional mining of storms in my head that need to come out and they end up being songs. Strangely enough, other people seem to like them as well, I'm pretty lucky that way. I'm really very pleased with this record. I think it's my best one yet.
Q: I've heard it called the breakup album, how do you feel about that?
A: That's kind of limiting, it goes way beyond that. The breakup is the beginning. I suppose one could say that was the catalyst for a lot of the growth and change and re-evaluation of everything.
Q: One track on your album, the song "Loving You Is Easy," strikes me as such a happy song.
A: Being able to write that song was liberating on many levels. It was really easy this time around and I think it has something to do with being a little older – I think I couldn't have written that song 10 years ago, and more than anything, it just has to do with being able to say, "I don't really give a shit about that any more." I don't mean that in a dismissive way, but I'm established, I'm a good songwriter and I know that. If people consider it frothy and light, fine. I like it, I let go of my inhibitions a little bit.
Q: Your music makes people want to be your friend. Where do you think that comes from?
A: Probably my need to connect with myself, with my own essence. It's all a process of self-discovery with me, it's cathartic. Maybe that's why so many other people connect with the music because it is from an emotional point of view. And I am writing about pretty pedestrian things, things that so many of us go through. You sort of define your world. I very much defined my world around my family and my marriage and as a working mother, a working musician, as well, but losing that part of the equation that I thought was going to be there for the rest of my life was a huge life-altering thing for me.
Page 1 of 3 – Discover how Sarah coped while going through a divorce and learn what she loves most about being a mom on page 2.
