SARAH CLANTON
Cellobrate the unexpected
Sarah Clanton is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, cellist, and creative catalyst whose music bridges the worlds of folk-pop, jazz, and classical with soul-stirring authenticity. Known for her “cello-brations” — joyful, genre-bending performances that invite audiences to laugh, feel, and heal — Sarah’s sound combines the lyrical sensitivity of Norah Jones with the bold charm of Amy Winehouse, all wrapped in her signature cello grooves.
A classically trained musician turned indie innovator, Sarah discovered her unique musical voice after a life-changing moment at Bonnaroo, realizing that the cello could sing as freely as her own voice. Since then, she has toured nationally and internationally, releasing music, and shared the stage and writing room with notable Grammy-winning and nominated songwriters including Dan Navarro, Richard Leigh, Tim Johnson, Melissa Fuller, and Georgia Miles. Her song “Tequila” was recognized by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) as one of their Top 40 Songs, marking her as an emerging voice to watch.
Sarah’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through her community-building work. She is the founder of Cellotree Arts Presents, a thriving East Nashville house concert series that has quickly gained national acclaim. Each September during AmericanaFest week, the series transforms her and her partner Andy Beckey’s home into a creative haven — hosting nearly 100 artists across five days of music, connection, and magic.
In addition to her life as a performer, Sarah empowers fellow musicians through her company Tunedough® (currently under construction getting a facelift), offering one-on-one artist consultations and workshops that simplify the complexities of royalty collection and music business management. Having ridden the roller coaster of the music business she’s done and seen a little bit of it all having been mostly an independent artist crafter her own career as well as being signed to a record deal. Her engaging teaching style has earned her invitations to speak at major events year after year such as the Rocky Mountain Song School, Opelika Songwriter Festival, and the Gunnison Valley Music Association, where she helps artists understand their income streams, manage their careers, and build sustainable creative lives.
Looking ahead to 2026, Sarah is expanding her artistry globally as the Music Programmer for the ÉCU Film Festival in Paris, France, where she has performed for the past two years. 2026 will also mark a new chapter as she and her partner Andy Beckey embark on full-time van life, collecting songs, connecting with communities across the world, and preparing for a new full-length record in 2027.
At her core, Sarah Clanton is a storyteller and space-maker — weaving melody, community, and mindfulness into everything she creates. Whether performing on stage, mentoring musicians, or curating events that bring people together, she continues to remind us that life, like music, is meant to be cello-brated.
“Here We Are contains eleven of the most stylishly produced pop songs I’ve ever heard in my life, and unlike her closest contemporaries’ output it contains absolutely zero filler... There’s no need for any debate; Sarah Clanton is the most exciting artist in all of pop music right now, and Here We Are sees her arriving at the primetime stage ready to lead a new generation of music fans into the future”
“She’s got the charisma of a mainstream pop singer plus all of the authenticity of an underground rebel, which isn’t exactly a combination that you find every day in this business.”
“Sarah Clanton, the American south’s up and coming pop singing superstar, has never had a problem when it comes to imparting her most sacred feelings unto her fans, but in her brand new album Here We Are she takes her vulnerable style of writing to the next level and yields an intimately moving album that can sit beside pop’s greatest recordings... The string arrangements are nimbly delivered with virtuosity and grandiose charm, but they in no way outshine Clanton’s vocal performance – which on its own could bring even the most discriminating and hard nosed of music fans to their very knees. I wasn’t surprised to find either of these in Here We Are, but then again I’ve come to anticipate nothing less than elegant perfection when it comes to this artist’s body of work.”
“Artists of Sarah Clanton’s caliber come around only once in a generation, and if we don’t give her music the platform that it truly deserves we could be robbing ourselves of the opportunity to experience of our era’s most gifted performers... Driven by a featherweight vocal from Clanton that weaves around a surprisingly visceral guitar riff and jazzy percussion, “I Can See You” actually took my breath away the first time I listened to it. It’s essentially a perfect amalgamation of Clanton’s southern-style sway and the intricately wound, classically inspired arrangements that she’s becoming famous for. I don’t normally say this, but this song alone makes Here We Are a more than worthy purchase for any pop music fan. I think if she cuts this track as the leadoff single for this record, she could seriously be looking at a Grammy nomination.”
“Sarah’s star burns so bright that not even the darkest of shadows could smother its flame, and in her brand new record Here We Are, she dishes out some of her most searing songs for us to enjoy in high definition... Clanton has a number of live shows coming up this fall that will likely sell out very quickly after the release of Here We Are, so if I were you I’d do my best to secure a chance to see her play this set live while it’s still fresh and new to the world.”
“In the last three years or so, Clanton has risen out of relative obscurity to become one of the biggest names in indie pop from one end of the United State to the other. Her infused style of classical and pop (that is led by the gravity of her intense cello play) is changing the game, and her latest record Here We Are is easily her finest hour yet... There are danceable grooves met with deeply emotional moments of contemplation, and just when we think she’s run out of ideas she throws another layer of hypnotizing smoke in our direction, leaving us a combination of dazed and awe-inspired. Even if you’re not the biggest pop fan in the world, you’re going to want to give this album a spin – it transcends any barriers that genre categorization could place around it.”
“Sarah Clanton is my go-to cellist when I need a player who can think outside-the-box.”
“Sarah Clanton is one of the most unique and intriguing artists and songwriters in the Nashville scene these days. Her wit and whimsical charm shine through in the various styles she employs, and her instrument-of-choice being a cello certainly helps her stand out from the pack.”
“Armed with a voice as big and powerful as her cello, SC commands the stage. I’m truly inspired by her infectious songs and engaging performance.”
“The idea of going to see someone play the cello might conjure thoughts of a stuffy classical recital, but a performance by Sarah Clanton is anything but formal.”
“Sarah is full of surprises. Her demeanor is demure, her music is dark-edged with a satirical bite. She has imagination, bravado, and the technical chops to turn you into a believer.”