Stephen Sanchez
Article by Fabiola Mejia
Hosted by: 1824 - UMG’s creative solutions team
Photo by: Caity Krone
Not many young artists have been able to capture our hearts, or ears, with romantic ballads quite like Stephen Sanchez. As an old soul, Stephen quickly gained a following after sharing his music on TikTok, and his fame skyrocketed even more with the release of his hit ‘Until I Found You’ in 2021. After the release of two EPs, his debut album, Angel Face, was released in September 2023 with much anticipation from fans. In April of this year, he also released a Club Deluxe version including several bonus tracks. The 21-year-old’s love of 1950s and 60s music started from a young age, and has influenced his musical style and lyrics. During a press conference with 1824, Stephen Sanchez opened up about the creative process that went into the album, major influences, tour memories, and also offered some romantic advice.
Angel Face is a concept album telling the story of star crossed lovers Troubadour Sanchez and Evangeline, which ends in tragedy. Stephen Sanchez did not hold back in admitting that a lot of the songs were inspired by both personal experiences, and classic love stories. “Love is a wonderful escape from reality. Then love becomes real once you shake off all the clouds,” he says. “Movies remind me of that magic but also that reality of heartache– yeah, I’ve lived that before,” he notes of a recent film he watched and enjoyed while on his way to Japan. While on the subject of Japan, he was amazed at the culture shift that comes from performing in Japan rather than in the U.S. Of his fans in Japan, he noted that they were very respectful and he felt like they were really listening to the songs without the interruptions of heckling.
Because the album tells the story of a forbidden romance, Stephen again shared some practical advice for fans who might be in a similar situation. “Pursue a thing that’s healthy– they wanna know you, you wanna know them, and that’s it,” states Sanchez. “That’s probably the best way to attain a storybook ending, is to have somebody that’s willing to write a story with you, and it doesn’t feel like you’re forcing their hand on the paper,” he adds. But he playfully cautions his fans to not do what the Troubadour Sanchez does in the album: it’s probably best to give up if they are star crossed lovers.
The storytelling aspect of the album was very important to Stephen Sanchez and he describes in detail what it was like to create the individual characters. While the characters have their own mindset and feelings, he explains that at the end of the day their feelings are his feelings amplified by intensity and dramatics. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences and real life stories also plays a big part in developing the characters, and hiding behind a fictional character “lessens the blow of vulnerability.” He also notes that even though people can get really attached to a character, him as an artist and the character of Troubadour Sanchez are two separate beings. The fictional one creates a universal connection for listeners.
As far as influences for Angel Face go, Stephen shares collaborating with Ben Schneider of the band Lord Huron made a huge impact and shift in the sound of the album. The song ‘No One Knows’ is the first song they wrote together for the album, and it opened up the possibility of making a love story. Growing up, Stephen genuinely loved the band Lord Huron and even says, “The only reason Stephen Sanchez exists is because of that band.” A feature of the current tour that has delighted many fans is Stephen Sanchez covering many iconic songs during the set, such as ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ by Roy Orbison and ‘Unchained Melody’ by The Righteous Brothers. Sanchez says it feels good to play these songs while adding their own twist to them, and also thinks it helps to “pull people into the world that we’re creating.” It’s also a way for them to pay homage to some of their musical heroes.
Stephen Sanchez credits the eras of the 1950s and 60s for being the main influence for his vintage musical style, but also for the inspiration to create the story of Troubadour Sanchez. He explains that he loves playing dress up even though his bandmates don’t like it as much. He enjoys seeing his fans' reactions at shows, many of which also dress up in 50s attire. Despite his hopeless romantic persona who wears his heart on his sleeve, Stephen Sanchez is a down to earth person who tries to remain humble despite his success. He recalls one of the earliest bits of advice he received from an artist he really admires: “Every time somebody gives you a pedestal to stand on…take yourself off it, and put the person who put you on it back on that pedestal.” This reminder to never let himself feel that he is “too big” truly shines in his personality and engagement with fans.
Stephen Sanchez continues to create timeless music, and captivate fans with his impressive vintage vocals. He will soon be on tour throughout the U.S. this fall, and it is evident that we have much to look forward to. In terms of success, he recalls that in the early days of his career, all he wanted to do was sell out shows, play his songs, and record them. He still feels the same to this day. He doesn’t want to become a big shot, or lose the human connection he has with others. “Success for me is just making sure I never get too lost in the fact that I have been blessed in being successful. Because that’s a gift.”
