Sydney Sprague is an on-the-rise alternative/indie artist hailing from Phoenix, Arizona. Her first album, maybe i will see you at the end of the world, dazzled audiences when she opened for The Front Bottoms on their In Sickness or In Flames U.S. tour in 2021. Now on her second headline tour, Sprague performed at The Coast on March 14th with support from Silver and Gold, a Northern Colorado local band, and Pony, hailing from Toronto, Canada. Erin Fuller, KCSU’s podcast director, got the chance to sit down with Sprague before the show for a quick interview.

Erin Fuller
I guess that was my, that was my first question was, I haven’t seen you since 2021.

Sydney Sprague
Crazy.

Fuller
With The Front Bottoms. So, how do you think your music has changed since then? Or maybe your identity?

Sprague
I mean, I feel like I know more what I’m doing a little bit now, like still figuring a lot out. But that, yeah, again, on like, my first tour ever, I was so new to it. I had just put out my first record, and so that was kind of, like, the full picture of my sound. And this is when I put out my second record. And I’m working on, I have new music coming out right now that I think is, like, maybe more back in the world of the first record, a little bit.

Fuller
I’m so excited.

Sprague
I’m really, really excited. I love the second record, but I do feel like it was sort of, like, a branch out for me. I really wanted to try something.

Fuller
Yeah, I can see that.

Sprague
I was like, yeah, I gotta do something real quick. I love it, but it just, I don’t think it’s like, fully me. So.

Fuller
Do you think the third record will be fully you, then?

Sprague 
Yeah, we’re so back.

Fuller
We’re so back.

Sprague
So back.

Fuller
Okay, I guess the next question would be kind of like, what kind of lyrics and content do you gravitate towards? I know a lot of it has to do with, like, mental health and relationships, which I really resonate with. So just kind of, what’s your writing process, I guess?

Sprague
Just, I feel like something has to happen, like-

Fuller
Yup.

Sprague
You know what I mean?

Fuller
Yeah.

Sprague
Like, it’s hard for me to make something out of nothing, I have to be, like, dwelling on something, or pining or going through it in some way, unfortunately.

Fuller
Yeah, that’s how it goes.

Sprague
And sometimes it’s not, sometimes it’s not like that. Like, I will go through, like, a few months where I feel, I get kind of in a flow state…

Fuller
Nice.

Sprague
…and I’m kind of okay, and then an event will occur, and I’ll get six or seven songs out of it. So I just kind of wait until that happens, and then I write about it.

Fuller
What do you do on your time off, then?

Sprague
Freak out and worry that I’ll never write again.

Fuller
Oh, my god.

Sprague
I don’t know. Lately, I mean, when I’m home, I will play, like, some cover gigs and stuff to make some money and fill time, do like odd jobs and stuff like that.

Fuller
Okay, period.

Sprague
Yeah.

Fuller
I love it.

Sprague
Just trying to survive.

Fuller
Exactly! Well, so this, but this is your first headline tour.

Sprague
This is my second one.

Fuller
This is your second one.

Sprague
Yeah.

Fuller
Okay, cool.

Sprague
So we did the first one for somebody in hell loves you at the end of 2023.

Fuller
Yeah.

Sprague
And so that was, like a full U.S. thing. And then this one is just like a small West Coast little banger, yeah.

Fuller
Yeah. Well, how has it been headlining?

Sprague
It’s been really fun…

Fuller
Like, to be the headliner?

Sprague
It’s, I feel like it makes me a lot more nervous…

Fuller
Yeah, I get that.

Sprague
…just because it’s like, it is more pressure to, obviously, like, sell tickets, but also to put on a show that feels worth people spending their money. Like, when I’m opening for somebody…

Fuller
I agree.

Sprague
…I’m not, like, the main reason that people are there, I’m there to support and, like, get the vibe going. But on a headline show, I’m like, I gotta make it good. I gotta make it worth it. So. Yeah.

Fuller
Yeah, awesome. I love that. I feel like, yeah, I feel like it’s so different when it comes to, like, openers, because there’s so much less pressure, but you still have to, like, set up the crowd and all that.

Sprague
Yeah, and it’s like, you’re, you’re there to try to get the fans too.

Fuller
Yeah, yeah.

Sprague
Like, you want to get in front of people and try to-

Fuller
Well, you got me.

Sprague
Yay! We did it!

Fuller
We did it! So cute. Also, one thing I’ve noticed is that you’ve been with your band for a while.

Sprague
Yeah.

Fuller
So you got, I know that you have at least two guys. Is there another girl in your band too?

Sprague
So it’s just three boys right now.

Fuller
Okay, gotcha. So what’s the dynamic like? What’s your guys’ relationship like?

Sprague
It’s, it’s great.

Fuller
Yay!

Sprague
I love them so much. So, Chuck [Morriss], my bass player, is my partner.

Fuller
Cute.

Sprague
And we’ve been together for almost eight years.

Fuller
Wow.

Sprague
And he’s really, really talented and does all the hard stuff. He, like, TMs for us, and…

Fuller
Nice.

Sprague
…he’s kind of like the fearless leader guy.

Fuller
I like it.

Sprague
And then Sebastian [Deramat] has been with me since that first The Front Bottoms tour. He played on my first record, and so he’s just like, I don’t know, he’s amazing. He also helps me with, like, he’s done a lot of music videos for me.

Fuller
Oh, nice, okay.

Sprague
And he’s the content guru/guitar player. And then Matt [Storto] is playing drums, and he’s newer.

Fuller
Okay.

Sprague
He’s been with us for the last two years, and he’s just, he wears funny hats, as kind of his role.

Fuller
Yay!

Sprague
He’s really awesome, and he makes, makes us all laugh a lot, so.

Fuller
Can I ask how you guys all kind of found each other?

Sprague
I met Chuck through playing in a different band I was in.

Fuller
Nice.

Sprague
And [Sprague’s old band] were friends with his old band…

Fuller
Okay, gotcha.

Sprague
So we met that way. Sebastian, I met through the producer of my first record, and then Matt and Chuck have known each other since elementary school.

Fuller
That’s so cute.

Sprague
So. It’s precious. It’s so cute.

Fuller
Oh, I’m so happy that you have, like, a good, cohesive band, I feel like that’s really hard to find.

Sprague
Me too. It’s so hard, so, especially because of, like, the nature of this project, like, it being my songs and under my name. Like, I understand that is a large commitment for someone to be in a band that’s not like, technically speaking, a band that is, like, equal contributions, I guess?

Fuller
Yeah, because it’s not, like, Sydney Sprague and the “Blank”.

Sprague
Right. But I feel like the way that we’ve kind of, like, melded together over the last five years is, like, we do function very much like a band. The songs are still my songs.

Fuller
Yeah.

Sprague
But, you know, we feel like a unit, and it’s nice.

Fuller
Ah, I love that. I’m so happy for you guys. Hell yeah.

Sprague
Thanks.

Fuller
This is a classic question we, it’s a classic question we ask at KCSU, which is, if you were on a stranded island, which artist or band would you want to take with you? Either to keep you entertained, or to have conversations with, or to play together?

Sprague
Oh, my God.

Fuller
I know.

Sprague
Oh, Jesus. Honestly, I think, I think Wheelwright.

Fuller
I don’t think I’ve heard of them.

Sprague
They’re best friends. So, they were Chuck’s old band. They were members of Chuck’s old band, and they went on my first headline tour with me.

Fuller
Nice.

Sprague
We’re just very, very deeply bonded. If not them, I feel like Pool Kids would be a good choice.

Fuller
Yeah.

Sprague
They’re awesome and very funny, and I feel, like, would have, like, supreme survival skills.

Fuller
Yeah.

Sprague
Yeah.

Fuller
That makes sense.

Sprague
Yeah. They’re, like, hardy. They’re hardy people.

Fuller
Hardy people.

Sprague
Yeah.

Fuller
Beautiful, great, great idea. Okay, cool. And then I guess, kind of adding on to that, or just to slide around that, is like, inspirations, like, who are your inspirations? Either lyric wise or music wise? Just, kind of, are you trying to emulate someone? You’re trying to make your own thing?

Sprague
I think there’s like different pillars of it. Originally, when I first started playing guitar and singing and, like, starting to write songs, it was Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson.

Fuller
Hell yeah.

Sprague
So that’s like, I think, at the very core of my being. And then as I got older, I got, like, really obsessed with Death Cab for Cutie. And just, like, that kind of era of indie band and that kind of sound.

Fuller
That makes sense.

Sprague
And so, as far as like record making, I do feel like that’s the dragon I’m chasing a little bit, is, like, the Death Cab for Cutie vibe. I made my first record at the studio that they owned, and made a lot of records at…

Fuller
Nice, yeah!

Sprague
…and then my second album I made with Andy Park, who produces them now. And now my third record is being mixed by someone who’s also in that sphere.

Fuller
Perfect.

Sprague
So I’m like, just trying to grab at that as much as I can. And then lately, I’m, like, really obsessed with Annie DiRusso.

Fuller
Babe. I’ve only listened to a few of her songs, but she’s really unique.

Sprague
Bro. The new record is bonkers.

Fuller
Okay, I gotta listen.

Sprague
It is so good. You, I think you would like it.

Fuller
I probably would, I probably would like her.

Sprague
You would love her.

Fuller
That’s sick. Yeah, so there’s all that. So then, I guess just kind of wrap up a little bit, when is your next album coming out?

Sprague
I don’t know. I have a single coming out March 26th.

Fuller
Sick.

Sprague
And then just kind of go from there.

Fuller
That’s beautiful. And then what’s the show after this show?

Sprague
Denver.

Fuller
Okay, cool. At…?

Sprague
At Lost Lake [Lounge] tomorrow [3/15/25]. Yeah.

Fuller
Okay. Anything else you want to say?

Sprague
Thanks for having me. I’m stoked.

Fuller
I’m so happy to have you. Thanks.

Sydney Sprague’s newest single, “Fair Field”, is out now everywhere!