My new song, If You're Down is an indie folk pop track inspired by my experience of falling for two people who were in a relationship. It captures the yearning and longing of having a crush, and the frustration with being too afraid to actually do something about it. Working on the song became a way for me to process the emotional turmoil I didn't express at the time.
If You’re Down reflects the tension of longing for connection, feeling distant, and the agony of unreturned vulnerability. I wanted closeness with both people, but every time we hung out, I didn't know how to bridge the gap. I’d lie awake replaying moments, unsure of what to say. My fear wasn't just about rejection—it was the fear of being too intense, too vulnerable. This inability to express my feelings kept me stuck, unable to move on. Through If You’re Down, I explore the feeling of being on the outside looking in, trying to navigate complex relationships.
The story behind If You're Down began during my senior year of college, where everything felt like an adventure: late-night mud wrestling, polyamorous situationships, and cuddle piles with friends. One night that ended with my friends and their overlapping romantic interests cuddling on the couch together, inspired the song. A photo from that night became the tarot-inspired album cover, reflecting the many times my friends and I sat in a circle doing tarot readings for each other. The 3 of swords, a card symbolizing heartbreak, kept appearing in my readings and became a key symbol in the music video. I recreated the card, along with others, in a symbolic love triangle involving a deer, an angel, and a devil wearing a goat skull.
Sarah Krohn is a creative octopus involved in every step of her process — whether it's producing in her bedroom, directing her friends on camera angles, or performing on stage. The Chicago-based musician's indie pop-rock songs layer catchy choruses, driving beats, and midwest emo inspired guitar lines, with lyrics about crushes, identity, and social anxiety. Influenced by Pinegrove, The 1975, and Jacob Collier, her live shows are a place for both headbanging and self-reflection. She has shared stages with musicians like Barrie, Olive Klug, Caring Less, and the Jamie McLean Band.
