PREMIERE | Sarah Once Was, "Thumbnail Moon"
Sarah McNamara of Sarah Once Was, photographed by Margaret Leyva.
We naturally look to the skies for signs of hope and inspiration. From stargazing to witnessing the unique shape of a new moon, the assemblages of these galactic formations are like curious cosmic entities that twinkle and reflect beams of light that hurdle their ways from space down to the stratospheres of our familiar. There is a certain comfort that can be found from these meditations, taking in the expanses of worlds that extend beyond our grasp and the entirety of our comprehension that offer mysteries and wonders alike that science continues to discover and document in turn. Perhaps it is that search for parallel worlds that align with our cosmology that assuage the things that remain scattered or in question from within. Maybe it is the comfort we find in the surrounding galaxies that make us feel less alone in a world that can feel both claustrophobic and infinite all at the same time.
Delivering these psychic and lunar visions of heart is the debut of "Thumbnail Moon" from Sarah Once Was, accompanied with visuals of natural splendor courtesy of Aja Dewolf Moura. The musical outfit of Sarah “Mac” McNamara, known for work with the studios Wiggle World, Universal Hair Farm and countless other creatives, shares a lullaby for 2024. A song that that provides mindful pause in a world that is always going and going without stopping to appreciate the beauty that surrounds in abundance. “Thumbnail Moon” is a song to quell the pangs of anxiety, a song that assuages the stressors that weigh upon the psyche and soul that allows the serendipity of a sacred space where the entire natural realm feels like a sanctuary or a spa for the spirit from within to safely dwell in the warmth of a blissful solitude.
Written by Mac and friend Seraphina Perkins, “Thumbnail Moon” basks in the ephemeral light of the sublime and the limitless feelings that cannot be named nor described in full. Sarah Once Was blends gentle joy with a subdued sentiment of grief. Permeating the track is the thrill of overwhelming love coupled by the pains of loss where Mac mesmerizes with a mood that emulates the floating feel of an out of body experience. “Thumbnail Moon” is a midnight ode to the tune of life in motion, a rocking chair ballad that takes inventory of inward observations and intimate moments collected like photos in a scrapbook.
Aja’s visuals further elevate the evocative aura of the Sarah Once Was sound and vibe. Along with all the elements of earth, water, trees, plants and sky we see all creatures big and small. From swans, ducks, dogs, snails, caterpillars to a toy horse — Mac congregates among an exuberant ensemble that extols the universe encompassing ethos of “Thumbnail Moon”. The song celebrates what is, what once was, what can be, the environments that influence us, the galaxies far, far away that might not be dissimilar from our very own and everything in between. “Thumbnail Moon” is song of humanity and heart and all the things that connect us all across the multiverses.
Reflections by Sarah McNamara; photographed by Marisa Bazan.
Sarah McNamara provided some exclusive thoughts on the new single and more:
“Thumbnail Moon” is so simple, it feels like it has always existed. At the same time, it’s also gone through a few evolutions. I originally wrote this song in about as many minutes as it takes to play it. I was house/dog sitting for my sister in Berkeley, staring out at the fog and it was a new moon — and I was needing a sliver of new hope. My sister had a Nikki McClure print up with the word process on it, which inspired the lyrics of the first verse, which was the only verse in the original version. I recorded and released it under the artist name “Mercutio” and my dear friend Seraphina Perkins felt connected to it — on Soundcloud you can see how many times someone listens to a track and she listened over 300 times! I love folk traditions and viewing songs as living things, so I asked her to write a second verse.
Seraphina Perkins shared the following about the song and what it meant to her:
"Thumbnail Moon” to me feels like an ending and a beginning, the era I first listened to it on repeat feels very cosmic and nonlinear. It’s like this sentiment of youth and learning how to love when you're young. It also very much feels like learning how to let go when you're young, to honor your growth and all of its ephemerality. Adding a verse to this song felt so natural, and there's voices of both fate and choice woven together and their interplay feels clearer as time goes on. There's also references to recovering and running ahead, like we almost experience these time lapses when in love and get ahead of ourselves but we can also trust our own timing. I connect with this song because I feel it captures all the bittersweet melancholy of letting others in and also knowing how to move on. The same way seeing a tiny sliver of the moon signifies the beginning of a new cycle like we are where we are supposed to be. —Seraphina Perkins
In communion with nature and Sarah McNamara of Sarah Once Was; photographed by Aja Dewolf Moura.
So, I recorded this new version of Thumbnail Moon and Seraphina will be releasing another interpretation of it later this year as well! Omar and Eric of Worthitpurchase are playing on both. Meg Webb is playing violin on the whole bridge section. I feel like it lends a suspension of reality. I love the harsh interruption of the song.
Aja Dewolf Moura shared insights on the visuals for “Thumbnail Moon”:
It’s a special thing to work alongside someone with an appreciation for the charm of each moment, and it’s important to find the compositions that will compliment that. We approached the video with initial thoughts of textures and symbols that felt enchanting to us both and went from there. We share the same hometown in Northern California and I wanted to convey an energy that is felt in that area while filming it all in Los Angeles. “Thumbnail Moon” feels like equal parts solitude and playfulness to me, a very meditative track indeed.
