Stephen Sanchez chats with RM in front of his show at Red Hat Amp.
Stephen Sanchez may look and sound like a vision from the ’60s, but his already-flourishing music career has only just begun. The California native skyrocketed into popularity after his ’50s-indebted single “Until I Found You” received massive support on TikTok and climbed through the charts in 2021.
Album cover by Club Deluxe, courtesy of Universal Music Group
Advancing this career milestone into another, the 21-year-old released his debut album Angel Face in 2023, and is now embarking on a 31-city U.S. tour, including a stop at Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh Oct. 15.
And this isn’t the singer-songwriter’s first time in the City of Oaks, having graced the stage at Lincoln Theatre in December 2023. “It was so cool; it was one of our favorite shows because it was such a good crowd,” Sanchez tells RM. Here, we caught up with the sultry singer ahead of his Raleigh stop for insight on his soar into the spotlight, favorite moment, muses and more.
Since your track “Until I Found You” went viral, what has been your biggest “pinch me” moment?
It would have to be playing with Elton John at Glastonbury. Maybe it was that Kate Hudson kissed me on the cheek after—that was pretty cool. I watched Almost Famous so many times, falling in love with Penny Lane. And then she just kissed me—which was epic. Most of your songs are love songs. Who’s your muse? I feel like I’m going through a lot of growth in my life, as people do, and it’s become my muse. It happens a lot in your 20s, when you make a lot of mistakes and they feel a lot more fundamental in shaping who you are. As for love songs, [it’s] what I’m hoping for in someone. It’s like goal setting, before I feel like I’ve gotten there all the way.
Is your sound inspired more by modern music or genres you grew up on?
I definitely think this record was a mix of the worlds. There were years of listening to ’50s and ’60s music and so many bands discovered from the first time I listened up to now. It’s a lifetime vibe from listening [to music] for ages and ages.
It’s always been the lyrics. Sometimes, there are some melodies you have to really finagle and construct… but it’s always so much harder when you have the melody first and then [have to] come up with something to say.
Your post-show routine?
It’s changed dramatically over the years. Initially, it was running offstage and getting on the bus immediately and trying to go to sleep in a crappy bandwagon, which is a borderline storage trailer with beds. But now we’ve spruced things up a bit more… journaling, doing a devotional, occasionally a video game—and a snack, for sure.
Go-to snack?
Probably a Sprite and a hot dog. I love a hot dog.
*Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity
“If you only get one great love, New York may just be mine.” So says Sex & the City’s Carrie Bradshaw of her longest relationship and most unconditional love—New York City.
Sentiment seconded. I returned to the city this summer after a decade and was once again swept away by its utter New York-ness—at once the same and strikingly new—lending me the experience of simultaneously traipsing it like a tourist who’d never been merged with an old soul returning again.
Whether meandering the Meatpacking District and Chelsea Market; parking it at the plethora of primo parks (Washington, Brooklyn Bridge, Central, Bryant); biking the Brooklyn Bridge or West Side Highway; boat-touring out to Lady Liberty; getting your culture on (MoMA, Whitney, The Met); or shopping, natch (SoHo, West Village or Broadway)—there’s no shortage of to-do’s in the city so nice they named it twice.
But New York is so much more than Broadway or shopping or trudging Times Square (if that’s your thing—just don’t go expecting a flash mob a la Friends With Benefits). So, here’s an itinerary worth flying for. Because “in New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
Whether you’re feeling Almost Famous or in need of a little Christmas, there’s no shortage of brand-new (and OG) hot entertainment—from the Radio City Rockettes to Broadway to Billy Joel’s Madison Square Garden series. Dealer’s choice: Kick up your feet, belt “New York State of Mind” (how fitting) or hang with your fave hexad of Manhattan besties in just-bowed Friends—The Musical Parody. Could it be any more perfect? broadway.com
If you really wanna take your “NY minute” next level, head into the sky (literally) for an out-of-this-world experience overlooking Manhattan midair (read: floating 100 stories in the sky). And if you need a little liquid courage or just wanna sip Champagne in the sky (who wouldn’t), take your drinks and dining to new heights at Peak. Insider tip: The elevator up is its own unexpected adventure. And while you’re there, the “triumph of culture, commerce and cuisine” that is Hudson Yards is worth a gander. edgenyc.com; peaknyc.com; hudsonyardsnewyork.com
“I knew you, your heartbeat on The High Line, once in 20 lifetimes.” If it’s a T Swift lyric, you know it’s iconic. “Two stories tall and thousands of stories deep,” the walkable oasis built on a historic freight rail above the streets of the West Side runs from Hudson Yards to the Meatpacking District. Pro tip: After you take it to The Edge (literally), ground yourself with a walk down The High Line to The High Line Hotel for a cuppa (trust me)—or take it all the way to Gansevoort Street and stroll the Whitney. thehighline.org;thehighlinehotel.com
Ciao, bella! Amazing Italian isn’t hard to find in NY—especially in this neighborhood (hey, Don Angie, Via Carota). But this bilevel small plate/vino haven raises the bar with its ample bar seating (!) and its come-as-you-are approachability. It’s a total vibe. lartusi.com
Easily the Rolls-Royce of “rolls rice,” this, well, sanctuary atop the Sanctuary Hotel is a veritable garden masterpiece. Heated and covered from the elements—yet without losing that alfresco feel—the terrace elevates your senses through a palatable journey of modern Japanese cuisine and creative craft cocktails. Japanese whiskey fans will find the Spicy Toki pretty neat. sushilab.com
If you’re looking for the best tacos in town, it’s a wrap. Free up some time from fine dining with some damn fine tacos (locals call it the best tacos in the city)—then walk them off with a stroll through Chelsea Market.lostacos1.com
This approachable contemporary American neighborhood staple serves up three meals a day across its handful of NYC locations. Our rec: some Sunday Funday wild blueberry waffles and hair of the dog at the Central Park South spot for primo people-watching just steps from the park (natch), Carnegie Hall, MoMA and Rockefeller Center. sarabethsrestaurants.com
Heaven and hell collide in this Hell’s Kitchen respite. A short hop to Broadway and Theatre Row, this gem of a jewel-box setting is a must-stop retreat for theatergoers (and all humans, honestly). While you can’t go wrong with any of the seasonally inspired meals, on my recent visit to the city, it easily ranked amongst the best brunches I’ve ever had—from scene to service to sips to sustenance. Pro tip: The Broadway-themed cocktails and parklets are unparalleled. 44andx.com
Farm and city merge with intention in this Chelsea “Cookshop” across from The High Line Hotel answering the call of chef and James Beard 2022 Outstanding Restaurateur semifinalist Marc Meyer’s “longstanding desire to… incorporate the range of ingredients in the Northeast.” Think: animals, agriculture, artisanal cheese and more. We’ll have one of everything—but especially brunch. cookshopny.com
Right this way for drinks, eats and good vibes. This February 2022-launched swank sip spot situated in a four-story townhouse at Rockefeller Center was reimagined in the spirit of the former famed bar housed here (Hurley’s—known for iconic regulars Johnny Carson, Jack Kerouac, David Letterman and decades of SNL vets) by nightlife veterans and celeb investors. Already dubbed one of Eater’s hottest new cocktail bars of 2022, the new spot with a storied legacy is helping redefine Midtown as a place Manhattanites want to hang. NBD.pebblebarnyc.com
If you’re a fan of exclusivity—or are feeling a smidge starstruck—this secluded unmarked sip spot in an unassuming old Brownstone serves up classic cocktails, speakeasy vibes–and Broadway star-spotting post-show. Reservations strongly encouraged. barcentrale.nyc
Rooftop Bars
’Tis the season for freezin’. At Igloo Bar, put on a warm red coat and make your way up to the 230 Fifth rooftop for a boozy hot cocoa—or whatever spirit keeps you warm. The ever-apropos igloo reopened Nov. 15—just in time for your winter-wonderland wishes to come true, including daily rooftop light shows and views for days. … Or get high on views of the Empire State Building and New Year’s Ball 30 stories up in the heart of Times Square at upscale all-seasons The Skylark. 230-fifth.com; theskylarknyc.com
Speakeasies
Hooch, there it is. There’s no shortage of speakeasies in the city that never sleeps. Travel through time, pinkies out, fancy drink in hand in Gramercy’s upscale speakeasy Dear Irving with its time-traveling theme, natch. Or channel Fitzgerald a la Roaring ’20s and jazz up your juice-joint-hop at Garfunkel’s on the Lower East Side. For underground vibes, get snug with handcrafted sips at LB (Little Branch)—aka a low-lit subterranean West Village nest hidden down a flight of stairs featured on World’s Best Bars (!). @lbbarnyc
