It didn’t take long for Twin Cities-based singer Sage to discover her principle passion in life.
“My mom would gather my older sisters along with my twin brother and me and play all kinds of music for us,” she reminisced. “Jazz, rhythm and blues, pop, rock and roll, classical, opera. From Prince to Pavarotti. We listened to just about any and everything under the sun.”
From then on, Sage knew that she wanted to be a singer, and counted Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, and Donna Summer among her earliest inspirations. It was just a matter of finding the right outlet for her to express her own talents and ambition.
After her parents divorced, Sage moved with her mom and siblings from Omaha to Milwaukee, prior to another short stint back in their native Nebraska. Eventually, however, seeking to live closer to her own parents, Sage’s mother moved the family to Minneapolis.
Sage initially enrolled at Patrick Henry High School before transferring to Minneapolis South, where she earned her first big role in a production of Mozart’s classic opera, “The Magic Flute.”
“The part called for someone with a pretty wide vocal range,” she explained. “And I seemed to fit the bill.” It was at this time that she really began to sense she had some real talent, that singing was something that she might want to pursue.
Sage continued to distinguish herself, singing in school as well as at her family church. Nevertheless, after graduation she decided to put her musical dreams on hold. For a while, anyway.
“I took a little bit of a hiatus, at least as far as singing goes,” Sage revealed. She went on to a successful modeling career. Among her accomplishments on the runway were coming in as third runner-up in the International Modeling Talent Association (IMTA) competition and as a finalist for Miss Hawaiian Tropic Minnesota.
She also earned both an Associate of Arts degree and her Bachelor of Arts in paralegal studies, which have enabled her to chart a separate career as a contract manager and analyst with a local law firm. Still, dreams of making it as a singer always remained close to her heart.
When acclaimed Hollywood music producer Mark Williams paid a visit to Minneapolis in search of new talent, Sage took the opportunity to audition. “I sang Whitney Houston’s ‘Saving All My Love for You,’ she noted, adding that Whitney was her all-time favorite artist. Williams was impressed, inviting Sage out west where they recorded a number of tracks in his Los Angeles studio.
Although it proved to be a great experience for Sage, nothing much ever materialized of the songs that she and Williams created together. Not to be deterred, she went on to audition for the final season of “Showtime at the Apollo,” making it through the first wave of cuts but falling just short of appearing on the national television broadcast.
“My mom often said to me, ‘Never give up on your dreams. It’s never too late. Perseverance pays off’” recalled Sage.
Today, when she thinks of her mother, the late Sandra Nelson, those words reverberate just as intensely as they did the very first time she heard them. And her faith, coupled with the strength that she continues to marshal from her mother’s love and support, have helped lead to her biggest break yet—signing with Atlanta-based CSP Music Group.
CSP boasts a Who’s Who of music industry professionals in the fields of production, songwriting, engineering, management, and artist development. It’s here that Sage believes she has finally found her musical home. “It’s been such an amazing journey so far. And, it’s just getting started.”
In addition to building her brand, Sage has written and recorded several new songs, including “Don’t Let them Go” and “Save Us.” Plus, her latest single, “I Like,” is charting on digital radio stations in markets such as Cleveland, Los Angeles, Tampa, Dallas, Baltimore, Miami and Houston.
When asked about the sort of things that inspire her personal approach to songwriting, Sage names artists like Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige among others. “Like those women,” she said, “I try to write [about] my real life experiences.” Among her favorite performers are Usher and, again, the “one and only Beyoncé.”
Sage is planning to perform more and more around the Twin Cities herself, starting with a singing engagement at the next Sister Spokesman event on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Titled, “Let’s Grow Girl: Seed, Plant and Harvest,” April’s installment of Sister Spokesman will be held from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center (1256 Penn Avenue North, Suite 5100).
Sage’s music can be found on Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube and Twitter. You can also learn more about Sage on her Instagram page (@sagetheartistofficial) or by visiting her website at https://sageme.co.
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