New York City singer / songwriter Leo Sawikin is set to release “Am I Ever Gonna Fly Again” on November 20 (Pre-Save HERE).  The song is off his upcoming debut album Till You’re Somebody Else  out January 24, 2025.  Both were recorded at Studio Litho in Seattle, produced by Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Fleet Foxes, The Shins, Band of Horses) and mastered at Sterling Sound by Greg Calbi (The Smile, Bob Dylan, Bon Iver). 

 

“Am I Ever Gonna Fly Again” was inspired by a European trip Sawkin took. Taking the train from Rome to Barcelona through the South of France was one of the most exciting and life-changing summers of Sawikin’s life. The next year he returned in the hopes of having a similar experience, but it just wasn’t the same. “This time I was traveling from London to Frankfurt,” says Sawikin. “I wrote the lyrics after a night of excess in Cologne when I woke up feeling hungover, depressed, and feeling particularly hopeless because there I was in Germany, supposedly living out my dream, and I was still miserable.”  The melodic song questions whether he will ever feel that free and alive again.

 

Sawikin, the former front man of the indie band The Chordaes, describes his solo work as “shoegaze-y Britpop,” and this is apparent in songs he’s already released, including the charting hit “Till You’re Somebody Else,” released April 2 (watch the lyric video HERE). It reached the #1 spot on the Mediabase A/C Independent Artists Chart and reached #26 on Billboard’s AC Chart.  Other tracks include “What Is The Answer,” released July 10.  “Hold On” which Earmilk called “a “…masterpiece,” saying the song “…takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster that they won’t soon forget. “Hold On” showcases Leo Sawikin’s innate talent and ability to craft introspective and relatable songs.”  “The Same Mistakes” had Celeb Mix raving, “…a low-slung, softly gleaming guitar topped by Sawikin’s oh-so evocative voice, at once tender and wistful…rolls into a delicious, throbbing rhythm, swaying on gentle undulations. Slowly building, the tune takes on a glowing wall of sound, full of enveloping resonance and gorgeous, shimmering coloration.”  Neufutur hailed Sawikin’s vocals on “Don’t Pass It By” as “…a deeply felt, attentive, and highly musical performance…That falsetto note during the song’s chorus puts a graceful touch on an already elegant performance…” Other recent releases include “New York I’m Coming Home”, an uplifting song about the joys of coming home after a long trip and seeing your surroundings with fresh eyes, as well as “This River.”

 

Sawikin just completed a year-long cross-country tour with Jon McLaughlin. He will be playing with him again at City Winery in Nashville, TN on November 23 and at Clyde Theatre in Fort Wayne, IN on December 13.  More tour dates will be announced soon.

 

Leo Sawikin

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