Captain’s Quarters
Sara Bug: Charting Her Course to Paradise
“When you lose yourself is when you find the key to paradise.”
-Jimmy Buffett
When she answers my call, I apologize to Sara Bug for being a few minutes early as timezones have consistently befuddled me. Whether she was located in the south of France or in Arizona, I’d have the same trouble internally agreeing upon the correct time to dial in. With an understanding laugh, Bug immediately chimes in, displaying an ease of understanding and a casual confidence found throughout our conversation about her work.
Bug comes by these traits naturally though having grown up in South Louisiana. An area of the country deeply tied to the water, known for preserving tradition for the sake of community and all those luscious musical landscapes. Throughout her childhood, Bug’s household was filled with all the above. She remembers being in the presence of everything from blues to country, and of course, beloved Jimmy Buffett. All genres and artists that seek truth through fearless authenticity. This foundation inspired her to pursue music through her youth and eventually to leave her hometown for it while exploring Nashville and New York.
Though her travels left her with the understanding that she was without a doubt a Southern girl through and through which is why she has now returned to the South, spending time in both Nashville and South Louisiana. Her experiences have encouraged her to create broadly with her two passions: music and seafood. Alongside a new album, Bug has supported the opening of Spicy Boy’s, a cajun restaurant in East Nashville, with her brother and even sourcing seafood from back home into the city as a licensed meat distributor. Though her pursuits haven’t come without reflection and creative redirection as learned from her early experiences with music.
While her self-titled debut through Egghunt Records was labeled indie, Bug would describe it as “country coated.” She explains, “The process in development on that record was completely experimental and covered songs written from high school up until that point in my life. All the instruments were either myself or one of my close friends who was a homebased producer.” She shares further that this approach allowed her to not attach expectations to the project but to allow herself to find the fun in the act of creation. This in turn let her discover that while she felt pushed to remain in an indie space she understood in her heart that she was without a doubt a country artist. This is why she ultimately decided to make the strategic decision to leave the comfort of the label to pursue that sonic landscape, one that aligned with her roots. When asked about that critical decision, she laments, “The label was very kind and supportive. Creatively, I just felt there was a ceiling to it with the indie space. While it certainly felt like a friendly break up, it’s so much harder to leave when no one is angry.”
Hearing her speak about this critical juncture, I could sense her drive comes from a deeper place than following a trend or making a casual business decision. It’s clear that Bug truly listens to her heart and is considerate towards her artistry in a way that many other artists sometimes are not. When asked where she believed this sense of self comes from she proudly shares, “Being part of the Deep South there is so much natural disaster, people go through losing everything so as a people we focus on our emotions, family and talents. There is such an innate instinct of resilience and to keep pursuing happiness no matter what. This is what I do. This is part of me, so I’m going to keep going.” This fierce, mission branded statement is noticeable across all of Bug’s work as it appears that everything she creates is a true extension of herself. Though this is particularly evident on her upcoming album Into the Blue off her own label Lonely Girl Records.
Bug speaks several times of her admiration for the late, great Jimmy Buffett. From his failed Nashville attempts to genre-less global domination, he ultimately succeeded by choosing to not imitate others and sing about what he knew and loved. Bug describes Into the Blue as a “break up and recovery record” though after a few listens it’s easy to see Buffett’s influences on an album, with its glorious tropical meets traditional country sounds, that is about much more than just heartbreak. It’s about an artist not just sharing but celebrating their ability in choosing to move forward in life and already loving wherever that might lead them next. From the sun in the rearview mirror charm of ‘No Man, No Kids’ to the razor sharp take-down of ‘Send Me an Angel,’ Bug’s honest and humorous point of view is fully representative of who she is at this juncture in life. Further through subtle and often delicate movements, she finds ways to even share her life on the water with resonant production choices.
After we end our time together, I take pause to reflect on our conversation with a walk down by the water. It only seemed fitting. Watching the sport and working boats buzz by, I think about Bug’s charted path forward and how guided it is by home grown entrepreneurship. From the restaurant to music to seafood distribution she has created a structure that’s not based on trends but her own creative instincts. Each artistic and business decision alike is fully aligned with the desires of her authentically, free spirit. Her ultimate destination doesn’t matter because it will always be where her heart fully belongs.
Somewhere up there in paradise, Jimmy Buffett must be so proud.
