In her Irish accent, the singer and songwriter told us that she's been working on a second album, writing, recording, gigging, you know, the works. We asked what was inspiring her now to make music, she said it was her new 6 M13 pedal, "I've been experimenting with distortion sounds, going back to basics, and asking my dad for more guitar lessons [a blues musician]. Every time I sit with the pedal, I come up with these crazy distorted sounds." Packiam is truly a siren committed to her sound.
She's hobnobbed with all of Miami's sonic royalty. Packiam first came stateside
thanks to Jon Secada, who at the time was producing her music. After, she worked in Emilio
Estefan's studio and sang backing vocals for future mommy Shakira, whom
she calls a friend.
She's
currently spending a ton of time at Davie studio Cutting Cane alongside experienced producers.
Jorge Noriega worked with Ricky Martin, while Jodi Marr produced
Mika, and Tim Mitchell, Shakira. Tony Bennett recently even recorded his
album at Cutting Cane. "We write up there," Packiam says of the Broward studio. "It's a great setting. It's green and
away from the city." The place is decorated with rugs and unique musical
instruments. They even have a sarangi, an instrument from India, her
father's country of origin.
there, but also what she calls "Spare Bedroom Session," tunes she
produced herself. "One of the last songs I
wrote, which I'm kind of excited about, is called 'Dreams,' the guy that I
wrote it with, Tim Mitchell, actually had a dream with the melody in it," She says it's a sad but sweet story about childhood sweethearts whose
love is interrupted by Hollywood dreams.
When questioned to share a good celebrity sighting story, she came back at us with pure gold. One Halloween backstage at Madison Square Garden, she met Sting, dressed as the Joker. Though it was a Police concert, she says, "Sting
is the main star in my opinion." Packiam chatted with his son, and
noticed the star's wife Trudie Styler had trouble getting near her husband. Apparently, he was over taken with "sexy Halloween
cats all over him." Packiam's empathetic look endeared her to Trudie who
came over, squeezed her cheeks, and said, "'I like you.' That's my Trudie story. I gave her sympathy for all the women throwing themselves at
Sting."
Her band is a trio, consisting of
Andy Russell "on drumcussion, I like to say, because he uses his hands
and sticks, and he also plays an instrument from Switzerland called a
hang," she notes that when they played in the Keys recently at San Carlos
Theater, "People were blown away by his hang-ling." Their bassist
used to play with Clarence Clemens of Springsteen fame, Steve Argy.
Brickell. Her friends, who are also not from the US, come by to watch her play; she calls them the Foreigners. As for what's she calling her upcoming album, "It'll be a surprise."
You can Sarah perform every Friday night from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. at Seminole
Casino Coconut Creek (5550 NW 40 Street, Coconut Creek). She plays three sets in the night and has gathered
quite a following. She also suggests you eat at the steakhouse there; the steaks are really that good.
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