Sarah Kinsley About “Fleeting”, the Fear of Time Passing and Cinematic Sound

Sarah Kinsley is a star on the rise. With her signature brand of cinematic pop, she bends time, translates yearning into sound, and transforms deeply personal experiences into moments of collective emotional release. Drawing comparisons to artists like Kate Bush, and fueled by a love for maximalist production, immersive soundscapes, and visual storytelling, Kinsley feels instantly recognizable, even at this early stage of her career. Her music exists to make you feel. Whether through swelling layers of sound or hushed, intimate moments, Sarah Kinsley is an artist in the fullest sense: meticulous, emotional, and deeply intentional. She already secured her spot on our Artists to Watch in 2026 list.

Fleeting: A New Level of Honesty

On February 13, Sarah Kinsley will release her new EP Fleeting, which is her most vulnerable work to date. We had the chance to hear more about the project during a press conference hosted by Universal Music Group’s creative collective °1824. Kinsley spoke candidly about letting go of metaphor as armor and moving toward a more direct emotional language. While she has always written vulnerably, Fleeting marks a shift: away from layered ambiguity and toward clarity and courage. Singles like Lonely Touch and Fleeting already offer a glimpse into this new chapter. The EP as a whole dives even deeper into desire, movement, and the fear of time slipping through your hands.

When I was younger, ambiguity felt powerful. It was a defense mechanism. Being super honest about what I feel on this new EP is actually much more freeing.

Fear of Time Passing

One theme has followed Sarah Kinsley throughout her entire discography: time. From earlier projects that grappled with growing up too fast, Fleeting now explores a quieter but equally haunting question: What does it mean to hide from time, or to try to hold onto it? Kinsley is a self-proclaimed perfectionist, shaped by years of classical training that both sharpen her craft and challenge her sense of freedom. That tension between discipline and intuition, control and surrender lives inside Fleeting. The EP is about movement, about being in the city, about feeling so much it almost hurts, but in a way that reminds you you’re alive. New York, with its constant motion and sensory overload, seeps into the sound and atmosphere. Fleeting feels like city lights, late nights, and quiet walks home when your ears are still ringing and your body is exhausted yet fully present.

Live Shows as Collective Catharsis

Sarah Kinsley’s music is cinematic in its own right, equally suited for blasting through speakers in your bedroom or accompanying a solitary nighttime walk with headphones on. But the true transformation happens live. On tour, Kinsley’s songs become communal experiences. She describes the connection with her audience as something mutual, even humbling. Both the performance and the crowd bring a shared emotional space to life. Rather than directing the emotional tone, Kinsley credits her fans with creating the atmosphere. One marked by kindness, peace, and an openness that turns concerts into something almost spiritual.

When I lock eyes with someone in the crowd, it feels like past, present, and future collapse.

Q&A

You’ve shared behind-the-scenes glimpses of your production process on TikTok. Is there a song you’re especially proud of from a production standpoint?

Definitely Lonely Touch. It’s my favourite song on the EP. It was the first one I wrote for Fleeting, and the production is completely maximalist. I felt so bad for my collaborator Jake, who mixed it, because we packed so much into that song and I was pretty stern about not taking anything out. I love listening to music that’s really, really quiet, ambient and folk. But sometimes I also love noise and the feeling of being completely drowned in sound. The ending of Lonely Touch is just packed with so many sounds, so many instruments, everything at full volume. I was so proud of that moment, because it feels like a true sonic representation of what I felt in that song: this unrelenting desire and yearning that you can’t separate yourself from. Having the production surround you like that, making it feel unstoppable, was something I think we really accomplished. There’s also a ballad on the EP called Reverie that I’m really excited about the production on that one is one of my favourites too.

Final Thoughts

With Fleeting, Sarah Kinsley is entering a new era of cinematic pop that is textured, alive, deeply emotional, and honest. It’s music that feels intensely personal yet widely resonant, rooted in fear, desire, time, and the courage to let yourself be seen. As Kinsley herself puts it: “Making music that scores your life is such a big goal for me.” And that’s exactly what her music offers: a world to step into, a soundtrack you can weave into your own life. Whether you’re in need of comfort, catharsis, or simply feeling understood, Sarah Kinsley’s Fleeting invites you to press play and feel it all.