Sarah Tromley, now known as Rexford, beckons listeners into an intimate odyssey with her latest EP, Clear My Heart.
Transitioning from her former moniker to Rexford symbolizes a profound personal journey rooted in healing and growth, encapsulated by her home on Rexford Drive. With this release, Rexford unveils a tender exploration of vulnerability, love, and self-discovery, laying bare her soul in six deeply personal tracks. Describing her EP as a snapshot of emotions rather than a glossy portrayal, Rexford embraces imperfection and the scars that shape identity, offering an authentic portrayal of her innermost thoughts and experiences. The EP, now available for streaming worldwide, invites audiences to delve into a world where raw lyricism meets poignant storytelling.
Clear My Heart not only captures moments that shaped Rexford but also embraces them, crafting a musical diary of emotions that resonates deeply with listeners. Standout track “Meet You Again” courageously addresses societal stigmas surrounding women’s reproductive health, challenging conventions with honesty and vulnerability. Alongside the EP, Rexford’s self-produced short film of the same name offers a visual companion to her music.
As an artist hailing from the Pacific Northwest and now based in Los Angeles, Rexford emerges as a multi-faceted force, leaving an indelible mark with her clarity, depth, and authenticity. Through her music and film, Rexford invites audiences on a transformative journey of healing and self-discovery, promising an experience that resonates long after the final note fades.
To celebrate her new EP, Rexford sat down with us to talk through each track on Clear My Heart – read on for more about the EP, in Rexford’s own words.
TRACK ONE: “One Horse Town”
This song may be my favorite song on the EP. The EP title, “Clear My Heart,” came from lyrics in this song. By definition, a “one horse town” is a very small town. This song is reminiscent of young love—the first time you get close to someone. It reminds me of high school and the first time I “fell in love.” It’s that feeling when you are about to leave for college, and you know your relationship is coming to an end…and you drive over to your boyfriend’s house to break up: “…but in the last months something changed, and I think you’ve known…things are different now, drag me out the middle of your one horse town…cry with me a little.” This song could also be viewed as speaking to your inner child. To set oneself free. To clear one’s heart is to set free the feeling we hold onto that ends up holding us back in life. The production on “One Horse Town” is very carefree and ethereal. I love this version but definitely want to remix this song—it deserves a deep house Vegas pool party moment.
TRACK TWO: “Save You Back”
This song started as a letter to my friend who committed suicide.
The feeling of wishing you could have said or done something to change the outcome was what left me feeling so raw and depressed. This song is always a hard one for me to sing live—singing the lyrics takes me right back to the morning I woke up to the heartbreaking news: “We just spoke yesterday, you told me you were okay. Tell me what, could have changed?”
The poems and letters I hold closest to my heart are the ones I feel must be turned into songs so they can live and breathe in the real world. There is something so therapeutic about writing a song and seeing it come to fruition—for anyone to listen to. I got into music to help people heal and feel through my lyrics. Growing up, music was my therapy. I hope my words can be as healing for you to hear as they were for me to write. Don’t forget to check on your loved ones.
TRACK THREE: “IDTYK (How To Love Me)”
This song is the breakup song I really needed. Post breakup, I felt misunderstood, judged and hurt. But the truth is, this relationship really needed to end and once it did, I felt such a breath of fresh air. I wanted the lyrics to be cheeky but the production to keep a very happy, cruising the PCH California vibe. Writing this song was so liberating and freeing—I wanted my listeners to feel that same vibe. The guitar on this song was inspired by one of my favorite bands growing up: Blink 182.
TRACK FOUR: “Are You Gonna Be a Man”
Another breakup song…lol. “Are You Gonna Be a Man” is inspired by the people who lie to us and make US feel crazy, when it’s really the relationship that’s crazy. This is the most cinematic song on my EP. I did an epic music video for “Are You Gonna Be a Man” in this rain room in downtown LA with my creative director, Crystal. It was so cool to bring my emotions to life with my fellow creatives and really tell a story. Crystal and I wanted the music video to feel as epic as the vibes on this song. You can really feel my pain turn into power through the lyrics and production.
TRACK FIVE: “Now or Never”
After writing so many breakup songs, I had to throw in a happy one.
“Now or Never” is the first love song I have written…ever. I have been writing and releasing music since 2019, and it took me creating Rexford to finally connect with my heart center and really write from an authentic happy place.
“Now or Never” is for the dreamers.
For the ones who love—and love to be loved.
It’s for the hopeless romantics.
The Nancy Meyers fanatics.
The ones who keep loving, no matter how hard they may fall while trying to find their “person.”
I always dreamed of writing love songs that I could one day sing at someone’s wedding (or maybe at my own). As I get older, I have found there are many types of love, but never the same love twice. And the most important love one can have is for oneself.
The production on this song is what I would call, “only the good notes.”
George Lewis Jr. (Twin Shadow) is pure genius and Sara Diamond truly sculped lyrics that portray a fairytale like feeling. This is my Disney princess song.
TRACK SIX: “Meet You Again”
“Meet You Again” is one of the most personal songs I have written.
I had a miscarriage a few years ago and it hit me really hard.
I wrote a letter to myself, and to my baby.
And from those words, “Meet You Again” was born.
I contemplated not sharing my story, but I want women to have a song to connect to and know they are not alone.
“Wish I could hold you and say everything’s okay
It’s not
But I’ll live another day
And maybe on the way
I’ll get to meet you again.”
Clear My Heart EP by Rexford is out now.