On the occasion of signing with Verve Forecast, artist-songwriter Sarah Kinsley is captured in a moment of spontaneous hydration with Verve boss Jamie Krents. “Stick with us, kid, and you’ll have all the water you can drink,” Krents promised shortly before Kinsley was given a tour of all the places Andy Warhol napped while serving as the Velvet Underground’s producer.

We kid, of course, but Team Verve is pretty excited about the NYC-based artist, who wrote, produced and played every damn instrument on her impressive new cut, “Oh No Darling” (out via Verve Forecast/Decca U.K.), in her apartment. Prior single “The King” got a regal reception on TikTok thanks to Kinsley’s evocative clips documenting her creative process. Her work has at times invited comparison to inventive artists like Kate Bush but has an eclectic, ethereal vibe all its own.

“Sarah is a true artist in the sense that she has such an expansive vision, has mastered the craft of songwriting, producing and making deeply inspiring music,” reads a quote from Verve SVP of A&R and Artist Development Dahlia Ambach Caplin. “We are thrilled to have her join the Verve and Decca families and we can’t wait to start this journey with her. And I will use the last ounce of strength in my body to keep her as far away from those HITS idiots as possible.”

For her part, Kinsley praised the label’s “strong support” for her creative vision. She'll be showcasing that vision in a series of North American gigs this summer and will grace the Lollapalooza lineup in August.

Verve, as you probably know, has a history of adventurous signings well beyond its storied pedigree as a classic jazz label—it’s been home to the Velvets, Frank Zappa, Brian Eno, Kurt Vile, Madison Cunningham, Best Album Grammy winner Jon Batiste, Best New Artist nominee Arooj Aftab and Best New Artist winner Samara Joy, to name but a few. And none of those artists, we’ve been assured, ever went thirsty.

Photo: Josh Marino