● First, I love your outstanding folk output, well done indeed! Tell me when and how your music journey started?
Thank you very much. I’ve been learning and playing music my whole life. Starting with a classical music education as a kid. As a teenager I discovered rock music and started my first rock band. I’ve been singing and writing songs for a couple of rock bands since. But it actually wasn’t until 2016 that I started learning how to play the guitar. That’s when the idea of a solo singer-songwriter project came up.
● So, what’s the story behind the name ‘Cedric Saga’?
Well, Cedric is my actual first name. Nothing special to say about that. My parents loved the movie “Little Lord Fauntleroy” and here I am. ‘Saga’ is a different story. There are many meanings behind ‘Saga’. First of all, when you say ‘Cedric Saga’ out loud, it’s an alliteration. I love that about artist names. Maybe because I’m a fan of comics and superheroes, you know. Like Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, Jessica Jones…the list is long. Second, I lived in Norway for a couple of years. ‘Saga’ is a very Scandinavian word for ‘story’. And I’m always trying to tell stories through my songs. So, it felt like a perfect fit. And last but not least, I wanted a unique artist name. One that you could search for online and not find thousands of other articles about different people before you even find anything about me. Look it up, there’s no other Cedric Saga out there. So, it’s pretty easy to find me.
● It’s a bit confusing on your website’s bio, singer and songwriter from Hamburg, that place is Norway. Isn’t it Hamburg, Germany?
Well, that’s not exactly what it says though, is it. I am German, I am from Hamburg and I am currently living in Hamburg, true. The bio on my website though describes the fact, that I fell in love with the Norwegian culture and nature. It’s a place that I could call my home, it even was for a while, even though I’m not from there nor currently living there.
● I feel that musically ‘Bolhinha de Fumo’ and ‘Fallen’ are different from ‘The Writer.’ Is this intended in your songwriting process?
You’re absolutely right about that. That’s because both songs are not my songwriting. Generally, I’d say that I’m not really fixed on a genre. Although this whole singer-songwriter / folk image and genre is something I can identify myself with. Nevertheless, there can still be rock and pop influences in my music. ‘Fallen’ is a cover song by the band ‘Volbeat’. During one of the pandemic lockdowns in Germany in 2020, one of my friends, who’s also a musician, asked me if I wanted to do a cover with him. His name is John Grey by the way. And since we were in lockdown, I had almost nothing going on and I liked his production of the song, I said yes. It was a fun project and finally something to focus on. Then there is ‘Bolhinha de Fumo’. Unfortunately, a very good friend of mine, Jonas Wiborg – you can also find him on Spotify by the way – passed last year. He is the original writer of the song. When we first started doing music together, this was one of our bands first songs. I felt kind of obligated to record the song in his name. You’ll find his credits everywhere and I’m collecting the songs royalties for his family.
REVIEW – The Writer by Cedric Saga
● A writer’s block is a very strong topic indeed. In your opinion, is this song dedicated to artists or fans?
I think it’s both really. On the one hand, I’m trying to show compassion for my fellow musicians. It’s can be really hard to be creative in times of struggle. But I also wanted to show everyone out there, that in order to write good music or being an artist in general, many of us go through quite a lot before there’s anything to show for. And even when you’re finally done with your “product”, that’s when you start worrying if anyone’s ever gonna like it. In terms of music, “Is anyone ever gonna listen to my music? Who cares about my music or me as an artist?” I think lots of musicians went through something like this during the lockdowns. Because as a musician you’re used to be on a stage and get feedback from your audience every now and then. But when there were no shows and no audience, there was no feedback. And getting a “like” on Instagram is just not the same as a happy audience.
● The idea of choosing a brewery cellar for the music video is creative. How did this idea come up?
Oh, that was an absolute coincidence! I had a film crew ready two days before the video shoot, but no location. A friend of mine came up with the idea of a nice brewery in town. My first idea was actually an old barn on the country side. Then I started looking for that brewery online and found some really nice pictures. Of another brewery though. Which I didn’t know at the time. The brewery looked amazing on the pictures, so I called them. That’s when I found out, that the brewery cellar was actually closed at the moment, but their office next door was still open. With other words, they weren’t using the cellar at the moment but there was always someone there who could open the door for us. Perfect! I asked them if we could shoot the video there, they agreed and that’s it. A lucky coincidence but I couldn’t have wished for a better location. I really love the video. By the way, the brewery is called “Gröninger Braukeller” in Hamburg and the video company, who shot and edited the video is called “Pinski & Pavlov Produktion”. I can absolutely recommend both.
● On YouTube there’s a video called “The Writer played Live at 48h Wilhelmsburg 2020”. May I know why it took a whole year to release it officially and make an official video for it?
Well, you know, things take time sometimes. Sometimes more than expected. But I agree, the production of ‘The Writer’ took a while. On the other hand, there are songs that I wrote years ago and just now I started producing them. But in the case of ‘The Writer’ it was because of the pandemic. I had one studio session before the pandemic hit us and couldn’t go back to the studio after that. That’s why it took us quite a while to finish the song.
● 2021 witnessed three singles so far, are you aiming for an album release soon?
Oh, I am. I’m currently working with a producer from Norway on my next album. I’m planning the release for spring/summer 2022. But before that, there’s actually going to be one more single release on December 3, 2021. The song is called “Warm Inside (Don’t You See The Light?)”
● You’re doing a great job as a solo artist, but are you considering adding other members someday?
Yeah, I have been thinking about it for a while now. But I think it would be some sort of a live band. Most of my productions are produced for a whole band. Not just an acoustic solo-act. So, it would absolutely make sense to find other musicians for live concerts.
● Finally, thank you for the chat, tell your fans more about the next plans and events.
Like I said earlier, there’s going to be a new single release on December 3, 2021. I’d love it if you would check it out on Spotify or wherever you stream music. Also, don’t forget to follow me on social media. I’m on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and so on. New tour dates are always updated on my website and you can even book me for streaming concerts. Just get in contact through social media or my website. Thank you so much for having me.
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