Sadhappy

Sadhappy is the artist project of Scottish singer-songwriter Aaron Smith, previously known by his own name. He has opened on tour for Ellie Goulding and has received praise from tastemaker outlets such as NME, CLASH and Wonderland.

The name Sadhappy is inspired by the juxtaposition of life’s highs and lows, meant as a reminder to embrace both while working toward becoming the best version of yourself.

His debut EP, Say Goodbye, was developed over an almost two-year period, during which he refined his approach and revisited older songs from his archive to assemble a release shaped by what was happening in his life. The five-track EP includes America, Dance Again, Say Goodbye, Love Me Like I Am Nothing and Superlow. The song Say Goodbye tackles the universal experience of saying goodbye to someone, and also touches on themes like anxiety and loss, written so listeners can take their own meaning from it.

Aaron Smith started playing guitar when he was around 7–8 years old, then began busking, which gave him the confidence to sing. He went on to take a songwriting course and workshops, where he met his former manager; at the end of the course he joined a small tour in Scotland that selected four artists, with each playing a show in their hometown and working with a tour manager. The experience made him want to keep going, leading to his first publishing deal.

When developing material, he often seeks feedback from people outside the music industry, frequently friends, while also sometimes checking in with management and with his friend Lucy, who signed him to his label. He says disagreements with producers or industry insiders happen quite a lot, and that he’s learned the importance of standing by his choices as the leader of his songs.

Among the artists that first got him into music, he cites Chris Martin (Coldplay) and John Mayer, as well as Bon Iver. When he was younger, he also listened to post-hardcore such as Bring Me The Horizon and Sleeping With Sirens. Now, he says he listens to everything and mentions inspirations including Fred Again, Bon Iver, Calvin Harris, Novo Amor, and still Coldplay, especially in relation to live shows.

On what’s next, he says live shows are definitely happening, but he won’t be playing guitar on stage, so he’s putting thought into building the live set. He’s also writing a lot for the next project.

The meaning behind Sadhappy is also tied to talking through low moments: he explains that speaking to someone was the way he got through difficult periods, including anxiety and depression, and that saying it out loud takes the power out of it. He also notes that some daily habits have changed over time: he no longer drinks coffee (after experiencing panic attacks) and he has ditched Big Bang Theory, while still loving making music, eating, being with family, and especially working; he says he loves his job and being constantly on the go.