Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Cantu.
Sarah, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I am a Mexican-American who spent the first ten years of my life in Nicaragua. My parents were missionaries and pastored a church. This taught me many of the valuable lessons I carry with me today, like how to be rich in love and not just the materialistic things that we often let define us. However, my life as a pastors daughter did not make for an easy childhood. In fact, Between the ages of 8 and 9, I experienced sexual abuse from one of the people closest to me; and my fear of speaking out led me into 12 years of silence.
In 2008 my parents decided to move us back to Houston, Texas where they are originally from. I joined public school, and went about my life with the aspiration to be a runner- but this quickly changed after I got invited to sing at a church service, and then another, and four years later I moved to Oahu to study worship and creative arts at Pacific Rim Christian University. Living in Hawai’i reminded me of how privileged I was to have grown up in Central America, despite my experiences of having been abused. As my appreciation for my culture began to grow, so did my ability to create meaningful music- which I then realized was an important tool to raise awareness and be a voice for those, like myself, who have been kept silent.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Never did I think I’d be saying this, but I recently moved back to Houston to dedicate more time to my music. This journey started a little less than a year ago when Nicaragua entered a political crisis that led to the persecution, kidnappings, and even deaths of hundreds of students protesting for their freedom. At the time, I was still living in Hawai’i, and my only music-related goal was to release a random song (that was already written and recorded) before I turned 20 in June of 2018. (hence the name) However, a week before my birthday I wrote a song with my brother, Christian, that talked about the current issues happening back in Nicaragua, which deemed more important. A day after my 20th birthday, I walked into the studio with my friend Ivan Luna, and we recorded what is now known as ‘Azul Y Blanco.’ As we were recording this single, I realized that I not only wanted to talk about the problem but create a space in which people could help improve it. Less than a month later, our event called Tiny June + Friends came to life, and we hosted our very first benefit concert to aid the issues taking place in Nicaragua by providing ten affected families with three this included months worth of basic food needs.
After seeing the success of our first event, I realized the weight of what I had started and knew that it couldn’t stop there. I remember calling up my mom the day after the event, saying, “Hey mom. I just wanted to let you know that I’m going into the studio next week to record my next single, Dear Anonymous, which has to do with sexual abuse.”I remember her silence, her initial response, and lastly, her support.
I’m so thankful for my amazing parents because I’ve heard the horror stories of parents who aren’t as supportive- which really affects their ability to feel like they have a voice. ‘Dear Anonymous’ turned out to be a very emotional project. It not only required me to walk back into a place that I avoided for 12 years, but I chose to invite hundreds of people into that space with me. My hope? That one of them would find freedom in my vulnerability. On March 9th, over 150 people gathered in a small venue, as we advocated against sexual abuse- this was our second Tiny June + Friends.
Music has become such a small part of Tiny June. I love music, but more so, I love using music to love people. I love having the ability to inspire people to use their voice, as well as having the ability to stand up for those who haven’t quite found their balance. This is my heartbeat.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
The way I look at it, I believe the life of an artist has its fair share of victories and difficulties. As far as music is concerned, it has become increasingly easy to produce and release a good track without the help of any major record labels. Social media has also played a huge role in helping create a platform in which we as artists can share our work, and create momentum- which is not something a lot of artists before us are able to say. However, this can also make it increasingly difficult for the hard-working artists to be recognized for what they do.
I absolutely love everything Voyage Houston stands for, and their ability to uplift the very artists I am talking about. One of my favorite things to do when I discover new music is research the artists I am listening to. What’s their story? What is the heartbeat behind what they do? It makes them human, and humans are relatable- and who hasn’t taken a moment to relate to the music they listen to? I like talking about these stories with the people around me because it inspires others to do the same.
As an artist, seeing people share my story is how I know I’m creating an impact in the community.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My music can be found on all major music platforms. You can also keep up with everything I’m doing on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.
I have recently partnered with a company called Kitt & Bunn Supply Co. based out of Oahu, in which I sell hand-crafted earrings which helps fund our vision for Tiny June + Friends. These pieces are for purchase on their website (www.kittandbunnsupply.co)
Sharing and talking about the work of any artist will always a great way to show hard working artists that they are seen, and making a difference. This also helps create momentum for everything to come and inspires us to keep fighting to make those goals a reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tinyjune.com
- Email: tinyjunemusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiny.june/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiny.june/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itstinyjune
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAvdnYiNz-o
Image Credit:
Abigail Padilla, Ryan Padilla, Daniel Roman, LeeAndra Lopez, David Castillo, Sophia Trevino
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
