One of the first people I ever interviewed was Sinclair way back in 2019. Her music is considered alternative pop, but what drew me to her was her immense talent. Her roots are in classical and jazz music, and she is a master of both the acoustic and electric guitar. Sinclair can rock as well as anyone out there, but admits to having a special affinity towards the Spanish guitar.
Released in October of 2024, Sinclair's God Forbid is a columniation of the feelings that had been building during the pandemic regarding her life and the mercurial music industry. The entire album was written entirely as a solo-write, with each lyric and musical phrase carefully planned. And while it goes against the trend of releasing random singles one at a time, Sinclair thought it was important that these songs be viewed as a body of work.
She shared, "Singles and EPs are great, but where's the soul of it? You don't get the chance to really seep with it and peel back the layers. With an album, you get these B-sides that nobody would ever consider releasing as a single."
And unlike many of her past releases, God Forbid was lyric-driven, and she shares a lot of the angst and frustration she felt post-pandemic. She agreed, "This record is very much birthed from a place of discovering for myself that I am too unique, too divine to fit into a certain category."
When I watched some of her behind-the-scenes footage from making the album, I realized not only is Sinclair a gifted musician, but she is also a genius producer. Sinclair made all the demos and pre-produced every track before joining co-producer Mark Hill in the studio.
Sinclair explained, "I did my best not to over-conceptualize the sound design and just lay a foundation. If I thought that there was a musical motif or riff that was fundamental to the composition of the song, I made sure that it was in the demo so that when I got to tracking, it was honored and respected. But instead of micromanaging everything, I allowed other talents and genius players to come in and elevate everything that I laid out."
After watching her in action, I wondered why she wasn't producing music full-time. She admitted, "For the last five years, since 2020, production work has been 80% of my job. The majority of my income has been producing for artists, for myself, for other people, for TV, film, and for songwriters. I've just loved it."
While some of her songs aren't suitable for children, others relay a message that all can appreciate. The song "Back Corner" is about finding happiness living in the shadows. There is peace that comes with not living in the spotlight.
The song "Puppet" is about how she felt being in the music industry and not being true to herself. "I felt like everybody wanted me to be something that I didn't connect to," she stated.
"In A Nutshell" is a summary of Sinclair's life and the volatile relationship she has with her parents. She shares her solitude with the words, "Love gives birth to pain, and pain gives birth to lonely people. That's life, they say, in a nutshell."
An exquisite music video was made for the song "Rebel in the Wreckage." The contemplative song is about being OK with not being dissatisfied. It reminds us not to trade our freedom and love for equality.
Very recently, Sinclair played two shows at the Bluebird Cafe. She played her megahit, "This Too Shall Pass," and showed off her exceptional guitar skills with the dance song "BRCLNA." She also shared one of her most popular songs from God Forbid, "Left Standing." The conception of the song came from John 8: 6-8 where Jesus tells the crowd, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Of course, no one is left standing.
Sinclair stated, "'Left Standing' is about redemption and realizing that we all make mistakes. I might get some things right, but I hope the mistakes that I made won't define the rest of my life."
And of course, the record would not be complete without a tribute to Sinclair's wife of 11 years, Natalie. "My Queen" is about walking the walk with someone who is always in your corner. Sinclair stated, "The song is about looking for the magic in the togetherness because it's not always going to be obvious to you. It's about choosing gratitude and being thankful for your partner and life in general."
God Forbid was an album that Sinclair wrote with intent. The purpose of writing the songs was not to make herself famous, but to feed people. It is a soul-baring testament to survival and defiance, and selfhood. Her music is known for fusing cinematic pop with raw intimacy and poetic truth.
Join Sinclair's journey as she continues to create and produce inspiring music, all while evolving as an artist and human.
Follow Sinclair on her website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.
God Forbid Tracklist
- The Only
- White Boy Syndrome
- Back Corner
- Puppet
- Rebel in the Wreckage
- In A Nutshell
- Left Standing
- Help Me Out
- My Queen
- Running
- Your No F*****g Saint
- Imagine
