In 2021, before it was formally released on streaming services, NY-based singer-songwriter Sarah Kinsley shared a snippet on TikTok of what would become “The King,” her breakthrough single and biggest track to date. Flash forward three years later, and Kinsley is dropping Escaper, her debut album, out via Verve Forecast/Decca. For someone whose upward trajectory started with the labeling of being a “TikTok artist,” a term that continues to follow who exploded on the platform like Kinsley, Escaper finds her escaping any conformities to establish a singular artistic identity. And with Escaper comes a full-fledged world populated by elevated pop music, harrowing string sections, and a voice to guide listeners through the grand nature of the album.

“It is a story dedicated to the spiral of how we use alternate realms and faraway places to escape grief, to not let pain find us,” said Kinsley on the album’s message. “Portals to other places allow us to become anything, anyone. This album is the symbol for choosing the real and the imaginary—returning to a world of flaws and emotion as a means of moving forward. Escaper is my attempt to offer the only way I know how to make sense of my life in its smallness and great entirety—through music.”

The crowning jewel of this debut album run is Kinsley’s upcoming global tour, which will take her everywhere from Vancouver to Munich. Starting Sept. 16 in Seattle, she will go through the US leg of the tour, including two sold-out shows in LA at the Troubadour on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21.

Pop with a Symphonic Twist

Any artist could dub their work important in the grand scheme of the music world. However, in Kinsley’s case, she asserts the importance of Escaper through a grandeur that carries radio-friendly sensibilities and classical instrumentation. “Last Time We Never Meet Again” opens the album with riveting strings that quickly become a trademark across multiple tracks. On top of serving as a fitting first impression for Kinsley’s traditional approach to music, the strings hold their own against electronic pulses that create a friendly tug-of-war between Kinsley’s pop side and her classical side.

With John Congleton in the producer chair, whose track record with Angel Olsen, St. Vincent, and Sharon Van Etten speaks for itself, Kinsley’s new material reaches stadium highs. Right from the get-go, the jumpy beat on “My Name Is Dancing” sets up a well-paced build-up into the vocal crescendo during the song’s climax. Throw in some shimmering synths, and you have a song that works for treadmill runs and hyping up a large crowd.

Wide Range of Vocals

Good production can only go so far if it is in the hands of a less skilled vocalist. That doesn’t apply to Kinsley, whose dynamic voice exudes grandeur each time she reaches a range not heard previously. “Starling,” one of the album’s standout singles, boasts Kinsley’s lower register reminiscent of early-stage Lana Del Rey songs like “Summertime Sadness.” The shakiness in her vocals compliments the fluttering piano keys, moving in a pattern that resembles ballet rather than a typical piano player’s style. By the second half, Kinsley opts for a higher register, reflecting the now nostalgic atmosphere at play, underlined by strings carrying over the same complex emotions exhibited in the vocals.

Similarly, the album’s climactic title track is home to a spectrum of varied vocal ranges. The chorus, in particular, has the sort of earth-shattering quality you would only hear if faced with the actual end of the world. Even when the guitar enters the picture and cuts through the drums, Kinsley grabs your attention back with her voice, which captures disarray like the instruments that remain wonderfully in flux throughout the runtime.

Empowering Those in the Margins

When “The King” dropped, one of the single’s standout traits was how it perfectly portrayed a sense of freedom through its thundering drums and glitzy synths. Escaper is no different, with Kinsley seeking to offer comfort for anyone who feels unnoticed.

“Knights” exemplifies Kinsley’s ability to uplift, opening to a swell of strings and piano playing that adds to the already established cinematic quality. But the allure of the track is the subject matter, punctuated by lines “And here’s to the dreamers / Here’s to the chivalry dying and the non-believers.” Despite starting on a somewhat somber note, the second half evolves into a full-on dance anthem, with glitzy production surrounding the strings and piano. At the same time, the underlying feelings of defeat are traded for feelings of empowerment through Kinsley’s uplifting lyrics.

When describing “Knights,” Kinsley said the song is “the power of the feminine striking through song. We are raising a glass to the nights we wish to forget, and the young girls within that we inevitably reach back for.” In many ways, the same could be said for the album as a whole, with Kinsley’s sudden success on TikTok proving how many avenues are available for independent female artists that weren’t there just a few years prior. But on its own, Escaper is an impressive full-length debut from a singer-songwriter whose success was guaranteed judging by Kinsley’s ability to occupy a corner in the pop sphere that stays true to her beginnings in classical music.

Words: David Sosa

Visit Sarah Kinsley on her website and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and their upcoming tour, which includes two sold-out shows in LA at the Troubadour on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21.

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Sarah Kinsley 2024 US Tour:

September 16—Neumos—Seattle, WA
September 17—Polaris Hall—Portland, OR (SOLD OUT)
September 19—The Independent—San Francisco, CA (SOLD OUT)
September 20—Troubadour—Los Angeles, CA (SOLD OUT)
September 21—Troubadour—Los Angeles, CA (SOLD OUT)
September 22—Valley Bar—Phoenix, AZ (SOLD OUT)
September 25—House of Blues Cambridge Room—Dallas, TX
September 26—Antone’s Nightclub—Austin, TX (SOLD OUT)
September 29—The Basement East—Nashville, TN
October 1—Thalia Hall—Chicago, IL
October 2—A&R Music Bar—Columbus, OH (SOLD OUT)
October 4—The Loft at Center Stage—Atlanta, GA
October 5—Motorco Music Hall—Durham, NC (SOLD OUT)
October 6—Union Stage—Washington D.C. (SOLD OUT)
October 9—The Great Hall—Toronto, ON (SOLD OUT)
October 10—Theatre Fairmount—Montreal, QC
October 12—Higher Ground Showcase Lounge—South Burlington, VT
October 13—Royale—Boston, MA
October 15—The Foundry—Philadelphia, PA
October 16—Webster Hall—New York, NY