SASAMI, the musical project of Los Angeles composer, songwriter and producer, Sasami Ashworth, releases a heavy rendition of Daniel Johnston deep-cut “Sorry Entertainer.” The single acts as a peek into the sonic world to come, on her highly anticipated, yet-to-be-announced second album. The video was directed by actor and comedian Patti Harrison and Alan Resnick.

“I made my last album when I was in a very emotionally vulnerable and tender place, but after a couple years of touring those same subtle, more sensitive songs, the live show became louder and more volatile,” says SASAMI. “A bit before the pandemic took hold I was really getting back into metal and numetal, so a couple months into quarantine I made an acoustic version of the System of a Down song “Toxicity.” My sadness ripened into anger throughout 2020, and deeper into it I started experimenting with a heavier palette and decided to perform the inverse exercise of metallicizing an acoustic song. ‘Sorry Entertainer’ is my take on mixing the desperation of being a hopeless and powerless artist and the extremely powerful sounds of a metal band. Like giving a toddler a flamethrower… or a fullstack.” 

“Sorry Entertainer” is SASAMI’s first release of 2021, following original track “Mess” and her “Toxicity”cover in 2020; she also co-produced Hand Habits’ recent single, “4th of July.” Additionally, SASAMI has announced a US fall tour supporting Japanese Breakfast.

Photo Courtesy: Angela Ricciardi