We recently had the chance to connect with EJ Sarà and have shared our conversation below.
EJ , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
So many people don’t seem to understand how long it takes to build a career in sync licensing. People often think, “Oh you just write a few songs and then they get on TV through these companies”, but it involves a constant momentum over years of time to build. I am always co-writing songs at the rate of about 2 songs a week. That is approximately 100 songs a year, in addition to maintaining and creating new connections, completing paperwork, and keeping up the social media. People don’t seem to grasp the dedication involved, but when they realize that I am totally focused on this goal whenever I have a spare minute (my main job is being a mom to the two cutest kids in the world), they start to see a little bit of the obsession I have with it, haha, and how it kind of needs to be a little bit of an obsession to see that success.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I write soulful, powerful, sassy and cinematic music with one theme that continues to arise: EMPOWERMENT. I previously worked as a music therapist playing and singing jazz standards and creating original music for hospice patients, and I currently teach motivating group exercise classes that inspire my songwriting. My songs have been featured on promos for the Olympics, The Office, Jeopardy, The Drew Barrymore Show, and many more. I can also be heard on all types of sports broadcasting including March Madness, WNBA, NFL Network, ESPN, CBS Sports, NBA Network, MLB network, Pac-12 Basketball, etc. My sassy style has landed my tunes on shows such as Selling the OC, Disney+ (Big Shot), NBC (Found), MTV, The CW (Batwoman), Hulu, SyFy, Masterclass, and ads for Kohl’s, Nissan, Volvo, and Baskin Robbins. I was also incredibly honored to have one of my songs featured during the intro for the gold medal US Women’s Gymnastics Team on NBC ft. Simone Biles during the 2024 Olympics. I have a passion for music and exercise, and am so grateful to be doing what I love everyday.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
Both of my parents taught me about work. My dad has always worked hard at whatever task he’s been given, be it at his job, at home, at church, or in the community. He was literally a rocket scientist for his career. He has always been so passionate about physics and space, and he showed that passion with the dedication he gave everyday to his work, in addition to the other areas of his life. He taught me to find what you’re passionate about and to follow through with dedication. Honestly, no one in my family has been an entrepreneur, so this was something I had to discover myself, but the pure grit and focus needed for success I most definitely learned from him. My mom has also taught me a lot about dedication and work. She has taught group exercise since I was a little girl and continues to teach to this day, so you won’t be surprised to know that I got the idea to teach fitness classes from her. She is an inspiration of strength and dedication to so many people. I hope I can keep teaching and creating for years to come as well.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There are definitely times when I felt like giving up, because I was putting in so much work and not seeing any results, but I don’t think I could have ever truly given up, because God has put so much of a drive inside of me for the last several years, and now that I see the success, I’m definitely not slowing down. Sometimes people ask what my ultimate goal is, and it’s hard to say because this journey has exceeded all my expectations. I’m just happy to keep riding this wave, and am excited to see what’s next.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I feel like the public version of me is a slice of my life, but of course, doesn’t paint the full picture. My elevator speech is I’m a group exercise instructor who writes empowering songs. This is definitely true! I love teaching my indoor, cycling, strength training, and Pilates classes and motivating participants through what I say and also through the songs that I play in class. In some classes, I curate playlists, and in addition to popular songs, I’ll play songs from colleagues as well as my own songs periodically. I also share videos of myself recording vocals, which is a regular activity at my house, but my main love is my family, which I don’t showcase on my page, because I like to keep their pictures private. That doesn’t change the fact that I love spending the majority of my time with them! I am also super nerdy and I love old books, old movies, jazz standards, and history. I love going to a good museum, watching silent films, and having great conversations about literature and history with my husband, Mark, who is an English teacher. He’s also been my biggest cheerleader throughout this journey. So grateful for him.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope they’ll say that I loved my family and that I was passionate about life. I hope they’ll say that I had a unique talent for songwriting and also helped many people improve their health through the power of exercise.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ej-sar%C3%A0-sanderson-49498a17/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ejsaramusic/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ejsaramusic
Image Credits
Mark Sanderson
