Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with VK Lynne

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

I used to wake up to the Beatles. My mom had all their records, and she’d play them just loud enough to get me up in the morning.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

I always loved to sing, and I wrote a lot of stories and poetry. As a teenager, I finally made the connection that I could put the two together and begin writing songs.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

I’ve been in a lot of bands, and in 2023, I decided to go solo again. I spent 2024 writing and recording The Spider Queen. Then in October of that year, I met David Ruiz. He was freshly on his own as well, having been formerly a guitarist for Edge of Paradise. We started talking about what we wanted from music, and what we brought to it, and our thoughts were remarkably similar. We started writing, and everything seemed to click.…Before we knew it, we had Allie Kay, John Chominsky, and Brendan Flavin on board, and Sapient Scar was born.

David writes from a very honest place, and that appeals to me A LOT. He brings an emotion to composition that I’ve rarely experienced. So I’m very excited about the future of Sapient Scar.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

Maybe it’s the sound of Beth Hart singing for Lacuna Coil, haha.

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

To be open. In my early solo records, I had strong ideas about every facet of my songs, and it closed me off to other people’s input. But working with other writers, particularly Cody Johnstone (producer of The Spider Queen), made me get comfortable with letting someone else add some seasoning-and even a few ingredients- to my soup.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

I tend to write everything on my acoustic Martin guitar. I use a Scarlett interface and a Røde mic to run everything into Logic. But I am by NO means a producer. I demo the song and then let the experts work!

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I just discovered my friends Patrick and Alex Windsor’s band, Black Mail House, and it’s absolutely delightful.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

I’m a lyricist who pulls HEAVILY from her own life, so I always tell folks- if you impact me intensely, good or bad, I’ve probably written a song about you!

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

Most importantly, hope and empathy. Music has always been my lifeline, and the writers who get down in the trenches with you when life is hard have always been my favorites. Melissa Etheridge, The Indigo Girls, Brandon Flowers, Beth Hart, Nuno Betterncourt…these folks are my constant companions.

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

That it matters. Emotions matter, words matter, music matters. What makes us distinctly human is our need and ability to analyze and understand our condition, and the arts do that in an ineffable and necessary way.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

Wacken. If I could play Wacken, I’d die happy.

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

Nuno Bettencourt. He’s an underrated genius who has the rare capacity to be both technically and emotionally proficient. Extreme has been my favorite band since I was 14, and at every turn of my life, there’s been a song to pull me through with Nuno’s name behind it.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

Bandcamp!:

Me: https://vklynne.bandcamp.com/music

Sapient Scar: https://sapientscar.bandcamp.com/music

Spotify!

Me: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4f081zomZ69LeNvO4KZUbr?si=KJBP2kpbQKui84FWQHZppA

Sapient Scar: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1wlbgeDqleEZ5GYuDp21Ck?si=Ur4exQAnTAeZ6w2n8sh5Nw

Instagram!

Me: https://www.instagram.com/vklynne

Sapient Scar: https://www.instagram.com/sapient_scar/

TikTok!

Me: https://www.tiktok.com/@vklynnemusic

Sapient Scar: https://www.tiktok.com/@sapientscar

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

Lots of touring! I love the road in a deep way, and I can’t wait to get back out and play live. We need human connection, now more than ever, and I’m ready to be part of it.

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

For the OG’s- that I truly appreciate them and the way they’ve supported me through so many incarnations! They stayed with me through my early solo years, then Vita Nova, stOrk, The Spider Accomplice, now Sapient Scar…They’re amazing.

And for the new ones who give me a chance? That it means the world- to me and all of us! Especially at a time when music is being devalued by AI “bands,” one of the most subversive things you can do is listen to a real artist make human ART.

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