_{By Madeline Harris}

“My debut album, Almanac, really began when my world fell apart.”

Spencer Sanders is not afraid to be unapologetically himself. His passion project Almanac makes this undeniably clear. His authenticity, emotiveness, and willingness to reflect on loud truths are brought to the forefront in every one of his songs.  

Spencer’s vibrant relationship with music and writing has always been present — from drumming on pots and pans at the tender age of three to composing a two-act musical in high school. He’s always loved to write, but Spencer says he realized at a young age he “lacked the patience to write novels” and thus, he switched gears, and a love of writing poetry was born. 

“I’ve always loved to tell stories,” he said, and his passion for doing so is evident in the ornate lyrics on his new album, Almanac (check out the single “Golden Age” for an example of witty songwriting). And luckily, his poetry just so happens to have the ultimate sonic catalyst—his powerful and vulnerable vocals.

With his music, Spencer aims to provide an emotionally evocative experience for the listener and does so through expressive vocal performances that aim to tug on the heartstrings. His music delivers meticulously mindful lyrics packed with symbolism and motifs because, to Spencer, his music is poetry first. “Vibes are crucial to a song, but I’m always drawn to lyrics first. I don’t want to listen to songs by statues. There has to be emotion present, or I’m not interested.”

When music blends seamlessly and simultaneously with lyrics, “that feels like magic,” Spencer says.

In his work, he taps into the extremes of human emotion with a rare unfiltered disposition. So many people suffer quietly as they look for answers amid the noise of the world, but Spencer says music can be the “loud answers” many people need. People feel less alone when they find solace in art conveying intense emotions, and this is an area Spencer knows well.

Writing has always played an enormous role in his life as a mechanism for processing loud feelings and experiences. This dates back to his childhood and is especially true given his bipolar diagnosis at the age of eight. “Even as a kid, I had huge feelings that I didn’t always know where to place.” Music, however, became the perfect outlet for processing these huge feelings: “I would bound around the house singing at the top of my lungs.”

To this day, Spencer finds writing songs a crucial part of emotional processing, and the resulting art holds a mirror to his perception of reality. He credits the Covid-19 quarantine as a pivotal time in his journey as an artist. The isolation led to self-reflection and redirection as he really cracked down on pursuing his music career more seriously. “Like so many artists at the time, I found my focus when I had no choice but to board up the windows, lock the doors, and belt out my overly dramatic songs.”

His admirably honest portrayals of sensitive subjects, ranging from toxic romances to losing trust in former friends, make Spencer’s lyrics distinctive. His most-streamed song and the first on the album, “Rust” highlights his struggle to heal from betrayals following his coming out as a queer person. In it, he navigates curating peace amid the turbulence and does so with elaborate motifs and passionate vocals. When listening to this song, it’s hard not to feel every bit of what Spencer does— the imagery is almost tangible.

Spencer’s remarkable attention to detail on the new album guides the listener on a sort of emotional rollercoaster. “With Almanac,” he says, “I wanted to capture my experience navigating the highs, the lows, and the ache of the in-between of bipolar disorder.”

In the process of recording Almanac, Spencer traveled to Nashville to work with drummer JT Bates— a renowned studio drummer known for working with big-name artists like Ed Sheeran, Bon Iver, and Spencer’s biggest musical influence, Taylor Swift.

“By proxy, I was only one person away from Taylor!” Spencer beams. 

“I felt like a small fish in a big pond,” he says regarding Nashville, “but many people were there to help bring my vision to life in a way I had only dreamt of.” He says he’ll never forget the first time he heard Sam Hunter play mandolin over the melody of the single “Paradise Found”: “I’ve never been so in love with a sound.”

It’s a sound rich in hope and anticipation for what the future of Spencer may have in store. Since honing in on music more seriously, Spencer has kept busy writing, recording, and producing. While many artists struggle with the all-too-common problem of writer’s block, Spencer claims to face the opposite problem: “I’m someone who just can’t stop writing, whether it’s three in the morning and I’m slumped over my piano or I’m stuck in rush-hour traffic tapping out a rhythm on my steering wheel.”

You can keep up to date with all of Spencer’s musical output by following his Instagram. Check out the single “Paradise Found” below!