Sawyer Fredericks Shines Through

Screenshot D Strait YT

When I first heard Sawyer Fredericks's deep, soulful, and emotionally charged voice, I was immediately captured. My heart was racing, my eyes were welling, and my emotions were being played like a violin.

How was this possible? It was just a Monday night, and I was mindlessly watching The Voice. The emotional connection Sawyer expressed while singing was channeled through the television screen and seemed to be directly aimed at me. It was as if I had receptors and was open to receiving.

Sawyer’s voice can elicit longing, empathy, aching, and compassion. It is especially potent when he reaches for high notes, and it warbles and vibrates while emoting every last drop of feeling.  At times he sings quietly or pauses so that a word can linger, and within a short time frame, he can powerfully amplify his voice to soar with energy and surge with purpose.

What was most delightful to discover was that Sawyer Fredericks is a songwriter. Through his thoughtful phrasing, he masterfully sings and shapes words that resonate with the listener. 

That night I was ready to receive and surprised to find so many viewers obsessively hungry for genuine original music. My reaction had something to do with the fact that certain genres of music are rarely celebrated on mainstream television. 

One added detail really sparked my interest. In several interviews, Sawyer Fredericks mentioned one of his favorite artists is Langhorne Slim, someone I've been writing about since 2006.