Sarah Martinson Teases Debut Album with New Single “It Ain’t Over”

Emerging contemporary UK artist, Sarah Martinson, has released “It Ain’t Over” – a tease to her upcoming debut album, Back To You, releasing on May 29th. “It Ain’t Over” is a cheerful and slightly cheeky break-up song that features Martinson’s signature jazz-pop soundscape and soulful vocals, lending to her ever-evolving contemporary sound. Written with the sounds of Sister Sledge, Vulfpeck, and Taylor Swift in mind, “It Ain’t Over” has a very standard disco-funk instrumentation, with the bass lines, congas, and horn riffs being the focal point musically.

However, Martinson also draws from the influences of the hip-hop spectrum, featuring collaborator Andrew Seely with a smooth rap flow that launches this single into a unique genre all its own. Lyrically, the single gives the power back to the person who needs to have the last say. “It was written based on the hypothetical situation where you’re being gaslighted at the end of a relationship or friendship, and you need to stand up for yourself and have the last word,” says Martinson. “The song itself is meant to be a little cheesy, a little pop, and very much a feel-good-while-strutting-down-the-street jam. “

“It Ain’t Over” is only a snippet of what is to come with Martinson’s debut album, Back To You. Musically, the album took a unique shape with Martinson collaborating with different musicians for each track. Recorded during her years at Berklee while studying for her Master’s degree, each song on the album was written around the exact capabilities and strengths of the various musicians who performed on each piece, with each track having a completely different set of musicians. “The needs and strengths of the musicians completely influenced the style, vibe, arrangement, key, tempo…everything for each song. I imagine the songs would be very very different if only 2 of the musicians had been different,” says Martinson.

For Martinson, Back To You is the culmination of the past ten years, telling the stories of love, change, loss, and relationships that she has experienced in her personal life. From disco to pop-piano ballads, to a capella electronics, Back To You revolves around one main idea: no matter where we go, who we meet, or what mistakes we’ve made, we are still ourselves and we still owe ourselves a lot of love, gratitude, and forgiveness.

Sarah Martinson’s love of a fierce horn section and a funky ‘70s-inspired bass line contrast with her innocent, classically trained vocal sound. Raised in Eagle River, Alaska, Sarah immersed herself in classical music with her musical parents and brothers. Never settling on one vibe, Sarah’s love for nature and her jazz and classical roots shine in a sound that is reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, Sara Bareilles, and Vulfpeck. Sarah is currently residing and performing in Edinburgh, Scotland. From a classically trained trumpet performer to a rural high school teacher, Sarah has collected memories and influences for decades, culminating in her debut contemporary album, Back to You, set to release May 29.

Artwork for “It Ain’t Over” by Sarah Martinson