Not too long ago, 25-year-old singer-songwriter Sarah McLaughlin realized that performing under her own name had become unwise. Worried that people might confuse her with famed Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, whom she adores, McLaughlin eventually changed her stage name to Bishop Briggs, in honor of the Scottish town of Bishopbriggs, where her parents were raised.
Briggs was born in London, moved to Tokyo when she was 4, and promptly fell in love with karaoke bars. She struck out for Los Angeles at 18, and had her first hit, “Wild Horses,” by the time she was 24.
From there, things started happening quickly: There was a breakout smash, “River,” a major label deal, an opening slot on a Coldplay tour, and an official debut, “Church of Scars,” a pop/electro/gospel offering that showcased her cavernous voice.
She is now in the middle of an international headlining tour that includes an appearance at WKQX’s Piqniq on Saturday. In a phone call from the road, Briggs, who is giddy and warm and still in a place where fame seems like a wonderful novelty, traced her rise from preschool karaoke queen to newly minted pop star.
The following are edited highlights from that conversation:
Singing in Japanese karaoke bars was like a real-life version of “Lost in Translation”
It didn’t seem weird at the time, to be 4 years old, singing in a karaoke bar. To be in a bar didn’t seem unusual. It was kind of this rite of passage, the thing to do the minute you land. It really was where I first fell in love with performance, seeing my dad have so much joy singing Frank Sinatra. I never could see myself doing anything other than singing.
She quickly learned the secret to picking the right karaoke track
(It’s gotta be) in the right key, because if you’re starting a song that’s way too high or way too low, you’re going to be all over the place, and your voice is probably going to hurt the next day. I also think having a song like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” that’s like eight different songs in one, that keeps the audience on their toes. I don’t like it when people take themselves too seriously.
Those early performances sparked a desire to become a singer
I was really lucky that I had a family full of music lovers. I was given singing lessons, not just because I was passionate, but because I sounded bad. Really, really bad.
She wrote her first song when she was 7, but it took years to write anything memorable
When I first moved to LA, I had just turned 18. I wrote this song, and the title was along the lines of “You Ruined the Innocence of Us.” This guy that I was seeing, I found out that he was seeing someone else when we first started dating. I wasn’t aware of that, and it was this weird feeling: You ruined it, you ruined the innocence and the purity of those beginning feelings. The song actually began with a 20-page poem I wrote (that) I for sure read to him. I wanted him to feel the wrath. I’m pretty transparent when it comes to that stuff.
For years, she played to indifferent audiences in Los Angeles
I had nothing to compare it to, but now that I look back on it, I’m like, that was so bad, performing for three people that were looking at their phones. I didn’t know that it could be what it is right now, which is so incredible. Having people singing along, it really is just a soul-filling thing. I live and breathe this. Even when it was performing for three people, I really gave it my all for those three people in front of me.
She eventually changed her name
I’m a ’90s baby, and Sarah McLachlan is queen. I knew from a very young age that I could never compete with her. I really wanted a fresh start, and I wanted to be reminded of my hometown. It felt like this grounding thing, to have that as my name every time I introduced myself.
She began to find that fans like to tell her their troubles
I have the same thing that I have in my friendships at home, that I wish I could do more, that’s what’s hard. People just want you to say that you understand, and you hope it gets better, and just to be able to listen and be respectful of the fact that they’re sharing this intimate part of their life with you. Oprah has this quote, that every person, what they really want is to just be seen. They just want to feel that they are protected, and that people care about them, and I really, truly believe that.
She wouldn’t mind being more famous, but not for its own sake
For me, I want the world. I really want to connect with as many people as I can, and I want people to leave my concerts inspired and wanting to write songs themselves. Being able to connect with more people is always something I’ll want. … I used to perform all the time, but no one ever sang along, and having that connection, where you can talk about things that are important to you, I’m just so grateful for every single day.
Allison Stewart is a freelance writer.
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When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park, IL
Tickets: $20-$55; 800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com
