Sabby Sousa
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2017 | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
I’ve said this many times and I’ll say it before, Canada is truly the home for some of the most impressive gems in the music industry. Our latest premiere is just evidence of that factual statement. An up and coming artist who goes by the name of Sabby Sousa is making her Lyrical Lemonade debut for the release of her brand new video for the hit song, “Cream n’ Frostin”.
If you haven’t heard the song yet, then it’s advised that you go on your preferred streaming service and check it out. Already on Spotify, the song has amassed more than 1 million streams since December. This is no coincidence as the song is one of the most upbeat and catchy pieces out right now. Sabby’s voice is extremely dynamic but soothing at the same time. You can’t help but love her vocal talents and celebrate her unique style.
The video itself is a direct reflection of this cute diy pop lane that Sabby Sousa is operating in. Set to pink background and aesthetics, this video will make you want to jump up and start dancing all over your house. I can’t stress how much I enjoyed this visual. I’ve watched it about 20 times and it still doesn’t get old. It’s always great to add visuals to music and it’s done perfectly in this one. If you want to check out the Cream n’ Frosting video, I’ve attached it down below. Give it a watch and let us know what you think! - Lyrical Lemonade
When and how did you first get into music?
"The first song I ever heard was 'Can’t Get You Out of My Head' by Kylie Minogue. I was five and that’s when I knew I wanted to be a popstar. Once I graduated high school, I knew it was time for me to start taking it seriously. I got linked up with my producers House of Wolf, and have been making music ever since."
Do you intend to pursue music as a full-time career?
"Yes! Music full-time 100%. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t see and the truth is when you love what you do, it’s worth every second of hard work. If I wasn’t doing music I would definitely be somewhere in fashion. Fashion is definitely my second child."
What genre would you say your music falls under?
"I would consider my music pop mixed with r&b plus a little bit of a dream pop aspect. I love all music but I definitely feel like I’m inspired by a lot of indie pop."
Congrats on your first EP! What's next for you?
"Aw, thank you so much. I really do love that project. It’s so cohesive and such a great pinch of my personality. My latest single 'Lux Love' was meant to be apart of the EP but she ended up being a single because she was the first song I ever did. She has a special place in my heart and I thought what better way to end my first era than with what started it. My next era starts super soon and I’m really excited. It’s bubbly and pretty and very in the realm of 'Cloud Boy.' We’re starting with singles."
Who inspired your most popular song, "Cloud Boy?"
"'Cloud Boy' was inspired by a very good friend of mine. It really was about falling in love with him. Every sweet and sincere aspect of it."
What were your favorite songs to write, and why?
"My favorite songs to write had to be 'Sundae Thot' and 'Slip Me Sum.' Wow I really did that... I love telling a story, and I got to really be fantastical with those two. All the plays on words ... my mind."
What is your creative process from start to finish?
"Writing-wise, it really depends... A lot of my melodies come to me in the shower and in dreams. I keep everything in voice memos, notes, and my writer's Moleskine. Every song is case by case and had a different process. For example, I wrote "Cloud Boy" in the shower."
What is your hidden talent?
"My hidden talent is a can do a killer seagull call."
How would you describe yourself using three words?
"Three words to describe me would be passionate, loving and optimistic. I really do love hard and prefer to see the good in everyone and everything. It really bites back at me sometimes, but I genuinely feel like if I can spread the smallest ounce of positivity around, then hopefully it will spark change in someone else to do the same."
If you could have the answer to any question in the entire universe, what would it be?
"Why hasn't time travel been created yet?"
What's your favorite movie of all time?
"Devil Wears Prada."
What's your favorite TV/movie genre?
"I love comedy. My fave of all time is Scream Queens."
What's your favorite color?
"Baby Pink."
Are you a morning or night person?
"Morning." - queued
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi Canadian Beats. My name’s Sabby. I’m a pop singer from Toronto. I love all things pink, sweet, and sentimental.
Tell us a bit about your music and writing style.
My music is a mash of glittery dream pop with R&B flare. I would describe the sound to be almost bright and angelic. My writing style is a mesh of my current life experiences wrapped into unrealistic motifs that surround perfection and the obsession with all things pretty. Things that have that inspired my writing recently have been renaissance paintings, desserts, luxury, and the constellations.
Do you have any upcoming shows? For someone who has yet to see you live, how would you explain your live performance?
I have a few gigs lined up for the beginning of 2020. My sets usually consist of pastel outfits, small DIY built sets, and a sweet performance that will make your heart flutter. My goal is always to fall in love alongside the crowd. I want my live performances to always be a place of positivity, passion, and fun. So dancing with the crowd is always a must.
If you were asked to suggest only one of your songs for someone to hear, which would it be?
I would recommend listening to ‘Cloud Boy’ for starters as it is a song that may put you to sleep in the best way. It is also an accurate representation of what my music embodies wholeheartedly.
Canadian Beats is all about Canadian music, so who are your current favorite Canadian bands/ artists?
My favorite Canadian artists right now have to be Bulow and Ralph. Such strong forces in Canadian pop right now. Love them. - Canadian Beats
Toronto-based ‘floss pop’ singer-songwriter Sabby Sousa has returned with the sugary and crisp ‘Heiress’. The artist debuted in 2016 with ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ and didn’t follow it up until late last year when she released ‘Cloud Boy’, which has currently earned 300,000 streams and reached momentum when it featured on Spotify’s Release Radar and Discover Weekly playlists. Written by Sabby Sousa herself and produced by House of Wolf, ‘Heiress’ highlights the secrecy and the obligation to live a double life as an independent artist. Sabby Sousa handles all creative direction of her band and is set to release music through 2018 in the run-up to her forthcoming EP. - Born Music
Sabby Sousa is back with more of her flawless Floss Pop!
The indie queen debuted in 2016 with the emotionally punchy Heartbreak Hotel, but gained major traction with her dreamy harp-driven 2017 followup Cloud Boy; thank to its breathy lyrics like “let me whisper on your neck pretty please“, Cloud Boy racked up over 300k streams. Not bad for a girl with lots of talent!
Today Miss Sabby returns with Heiress, an eclectic blend of electronic R&B sounds for a chilled pop vibe, similar to Madison Beer‘s huge smash Dead. Heiress is the latest serving of the Toronto-based beaut’s self-labeled ‘floss pop’, and will ultimately result in an EP release later this year. Get it girl! - She Bops
"Hey, tell us a bit about yourself."
Hi i’m Sabby. I’m a pop singer. I like japanese candy, rhinestones and anything baby pink.
"Where did the new single come from?"
I wrote the melody in the shower over a year ago. It took me a while to write because I felt like I was scrambling to just find lyrics to call it complete. That was until some tea in my life was spilt. Majority of my songs are about some tea so this is no exception.
I knew I wanted the motifs to be heaven based and very dreamy so everything really connected. I produced this one with House of Wolf. Been working with them for almost a year they really get my vision and knew exactly what I wanted for this song along with all my other works. Which leads me to say that Cloud Boy links to a project I have down the road.
"Is there more content in the pipeline?"
So much.
"What’s on the horizon for you?"
I’m really excited to release more music! I hope to do more shows and meet some fans this year. - Purple Melon
Sabby Sousa vibes herself as the “bubbliest lil bih” and the pulsating, playful vibe on Heiress live up to that.
Heiress is produced by Canadian killers House Of Wolf, who are partly responsible for the 28 million+ streams on Carlie Hanson‘s Only One.
Gawjus stuff. - Project U
Discography
- 2021 - "See You Again", "Cream in the Clouds" - EP"
- 2020 - "Emerald", "Dolla Dolla"
- 2019 - "Cream n' Frosting'' Lux Love'
- 2019 - 'The Dream Palace' EP
- 2018 - 'Xanax'
- 2018 - 'Heiress'
- 2017 - 'Cloud Boy'
- 2016 - 'Heartbreak Hotel'
Photos
Bio
Sabby Sousa doesn’t make music. She lets it appear from thin air.
“It’s this weird, organic thing that comes out of the blue. And I kind of have to wait for it to pop up. It just needs to happen.”
When people use the word “dreamy” to describe a song, they’re typically talking about the sound: airy synths; spacious reverbs; a feeling of floating through space. But for the self-proclaimed “queen of floss pop,” the dream isn’t figurative at all. She literally writes in her sleep.
“I just write in my head,” says the Toronto-bred artist and songwriter, whose breakout “Cream n’ Frosting” was produced by rising production duo, House of Wolf (Cheat Codes, Carlie Hanson). And the spontaneous conception isn’t limited to Sousa’s REM cycle, either. “I wrote one of my most successful songs underneath an office desk. It always happens in the worst situations.”
It makes sense that things would come naturally for Sabby. She’s known what she wanted since she was 5 years old. “I was into the whole pop star thing from the second I heard music,” she recalls, citing Kylie Minogue as her first musical memory. “I was very inspired by the traditional pop star.”
But don’t confuse the fantasy of pop stardom with a flighty, fame-hungry facade. Hers is no meaningless, bubblegum getaway.
“I do want to be big. But I want to have purpose. And I want my music to have purpose. I want to entrance people and get them thinking.”
What of the music itself? For starters, it’s jubilant. Bouncy. Catchy. FLOSSY. This is the sound of a young woman on a mission. Feeling blue? She’ll turn you pink before you can blink.
“I’m in a place where I know who I want to be as an artist,” Sousa says, pointing to visionaries like Gwen Stefani and Charli XCX and the aesthetics of Kawaii and J-fashion. She sees the “floss pop” style as something to be adopted by others, and maybe even a way of putting Toronto pop on the map.
To achieve this will take more than a couple killer choruses, and Sabby knows this. That’s why complete concepts are key. “Creating a sound, a visual, and lyricism that highlights my whole world is the goal. I want to put on a S-H-O-W.”
The local live scene hasn’t been of much help (“getting a pop gig in Toronto is quite impossible”) but Sabby’s no stranger to climbing Career Mountain. She worked the audition and singing contest circuit from early childhood before ponying up for a talent scouting program after high school. That relentless grind led her to House of Wolf, who have become her musical family. She built her skills and her team by pounding the pavement and it’s paying off.
“We’re definitely all coming up, which I love. You want to come up with the people you’ve been working with for a long time."
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