Ahead of singer/songwriter Sydney Sprague releasing her third album, “Peak Experience,” in September, she spoke to NYOTA about her songwriting inspirations, her single “Flat Circle,” and the themes covered in the album.

To start us off, how would you describe Sydney Sprague? Do you see yourself primarily as a musician, songwriter, creator—or something else entirely?

I’d describe myself as a songwriter. I’m just obsessed with songs. I remember making them up in my head when I was a kid before I ever picked up an instrument or knew anything about making music. Everything else I do, as far as playing, singing, producing, etc., while I love it all, is just a vehicle for that.

What inspires your songwriting, and how has that evolved since you first started making music? Have your sources of inspiration shifted over time?

I think it’s mostly self-soothing behavior. I have a lot of anxiety, and I’m not good at talking about my feelings in a normal way, so it’s always been my outlet where I feel like I can really explain myself and get everything out of my head. It’s very cleansing. I’m still mostly inspired by writing about my own problems and working through them; that hasn’t really changed much. 

Your sound reminds me of artists like Briston Maroney and Peach Pit—there’s that raw emotional edge with an indie-pop element. Are there any artists you look up to or feel have directly influenced your work?

Thank you, I love them both! I cite Death Cab for Cutie as a major influence on me. When I was a teenager and heard Transatlanticism and Plans for the first time, I was like, these are the kinds of sounds I want to make, and I need to figure out how to make them. I’ve been chasing that for a long time. I made my first record at their studio in Seattle (Hall of Justice) and my second with Andy Park, who has produced a lot of their more recent music. 

If this new album captured a specific moment or feeling, how would you describe it? Is it more like driving down a highway with the windows down, or the nervous excitement of a first day at a new school?

This is weirdly specific, but the album is named Peak Experience after a conversation I had with my bandmates once on a long drive. We were talking about what the ultimate experience a living being could have would be, and decided that it would be a cow being picked up by a tornado. I love the idea that a ‘peak experience’ is not necessarily just a good thing. Like, it’s exhilarating and amazing and horrifying at the same time. I think it’s a good metaphor for the way I felt during the time period when this album was written. So yeah I’d say it’s like the feeling of being a cow inside a tornado. 

Let’s talk about “Flat Circle.” What inspired this track, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?

“Flat Circle” is about second-guessing choices and decision paralysis. The title is a reference to that scene in True Detective where Matthew McConaughey is talking about how time is a flat circle repeating over and over again. I feel like in every moment there are infinite possibilities, and every time you make a choice, you are narrowing it down to just one of them. This song is about wondering if I picked the wrong one, and if I could do it again, would I do it differently.

The “Flat Circle” music video is visually striking, and I noticed you only appear briefly—with duct tape over your mouth. Can you talk about that creative choice? Why did you choose to show yourself in that moment specifically, and what were you aiming to express?

Thank you! My idea for the video was that each line of the song would have its own visual representation of the lyrics. I wanted it to feel like little vignettes of each moment that repeat themselves for a kind of time loop effect. I’m in the video for the line “I can’t say it’s cause my tongue’s too tied”, which repeats every chorus. I originally didn’t want to be in the video at all, and we recruited a ton of friends to play parts in it, but I thought it would be funny for me to appear just for that line since I am actually the one saying everything. 

Looking ahead, what can fans expect from your upcoming album? Are there any directions you’re exploring—sonically or thematically?

The singles (“Fair Field,” “As Scared As Can Be,” “Flat Circle,” and “Long Island”) feel like a good thesis statement for the themes of the album. There are moments of chaos and catharsis and moments of reflection in a seriously over-thinking kind of way. Sonically there is a lot of range through the album. There’s one song that leans pretty heavy and a little shoe-gazy and another that is pretty sparse and electronic based. I let each song go where it wanted to and I think the result is a collection that feels cohesive but surprising.