We last heard from Sarah Gargano back in 2018, when the New York-native emerged with her debut EP, Paper Girl. On the record’s cover, Sarah stood camera in hand, bag over the opposite shoulder, looking every bit the tourist. If that cover hinted at the prospect of travel, on Sarah’s upcoming second EP, the influence is writ even larger and louder. Last Summer, Sarah decamped to Nashville and recorded a series of tracks, each inspired by a city Sarah had visited. While the EP has not yet landed, today we’re sharing the latest offering from it, Dear Juliet.

As you could potentially guess from the title, Dear Juliet is inspired by a visit to Verona. The Northern Italian city which inspired Shakespeare, also caught Sarah’s imagination, as she sings, “dear Juliet, I never want to leave, dear Juliet, you’ve taken a piece of me”. Part tribute to the powerful women in her life, part love letter to Italy and the self-discovery it allowed her.

Musically, Dear Juliet seems to walk a line between Sarah’s folkier roots and a lush pop production. While citing the influence of Conor Oberst and Florist, there’s equally hints to more mainstream acts like Kacey Musgraves or Kate Nash, who combined an alternative flourish with a polished melodic quality. In taking the wider world as an influence, Sarah Gargano seems to have taken her songwriting forward, and in doing so, has never sounded better.

My Travel Diary is out soon. Click HERE for more information on Sarah Gargano.