{{short description|American musician (born 1978)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Sara Tea | image = Sara Tea.png | caption = Sara Tea backstage at The Empty Bottle Chicago | birth_name = Sara Thurston | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|5|13}} | origin = Tucson, Arizona, U.S. | death_date = | occupation = DJ, artist, musician, producer, business owner, cultural critic, podcast host | genre = Indie rock, folk rock, avant-rock, post punk, art rock, alternative rock | instrument = Drums, percussion, bass guitar, guitar, piano, vocals | years_active = 1999–present | associated_acts = Josh Taylor’s Friends Forever, She’s Crafty, The Hot House, Clotheshorse, The Little Heads | website = {{URL|www.saratea.com}} }}
'''Sara Tea''' (born May 13, 1978) is an American musician, DJ, artist, and producer. She is best known for creating Danceotron, Denver, Colorado’s “No Bullshit Dance Party.”
Born '''Sara Thurston''' in Tucson, Arizona, her family moved to seven different states before settling in New Jersey for her high school years. She attended Princeton High School, which is known for its strong music and arts programs.<ref name="Westword Tenacious">{{cite web |title=Tenacious T : Sara T. |url=https://www.westword.com/music/tenacious-t-5082782 |website=www.westword.com |access-date=15 December 2020 |date=27 January 2005}}</ref>
In 2015, she was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a form of dysautonomia. This caused her to have issues drumming and performing basic tasks, leading her to take a hiatus from 2017-2020. Her first solo EP ''Songs for Discarded Souls'' was released on January 13, 2023
==Career== ===DJ=== After graduating from high school, she moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1996. She began working as a preschool teacher’s assistant and in video production until she landed 2 on-air radio positions in 1997 - KUCB (now popularly known as Radio 1190) and the online radio station gogaga.com, one of the first online radio stations in the country. Around this time, she got involved in Boulder’s rave scene and going to underground dance parties.<ref name="Westword Tenacious" /><ref name="Apogee">{{cite web |title=apogeemag.com : Sara T. |url=http://www.apogeemag.com/interviews/sarat.html |website=www.apogeemag.com |access-date=15 December 2020|date=November 2004}}</ref><ref name="Bizwest">{{cite web |title=GoGaGa.com goes silent on Internet radio |url=https://bizwest.com/2001/01/26/gogaga-comgoes-silent-on-internet-radio/# |website=BizWest |access-date=15 December 2020 |date=26 January 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/Radio1190/photos/a.298562902021/10151565233097022 |website=www.facebook.com |access-date=15 December 2020}}</ref>
In 2000, she moved to Denver, Colorado. There, she got her first DJ residency at the Snake Pit.<ref name="Westword Tenacious" />
In April 2002, she started "Denver's No Bullshit Dance Party,” Danceotron, at Hipster Youth Halfway House. "I put up rules like 'Leave your attitude at the door' to make it clear that this night was for dancing.”<ref name="Westword Tenacious" /><ref>{{cite web |title=SPIN |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VNQlLLxbfvoC&q=danceotron&pg=PA106 |publisher=SPIN Media LLC |access-date=15 December 2020 |language=en |date=January 2007}}</ref>
{{Blockquote |text=“The reason I created Danceotron was because I wanted to remove the obstacles that made me frustrated to go out, which was dealing with obnoxious promoters and door staff—people who just didn’t want to connect. It gets more complicated when you add drugs and alcohol, and this whole idea of what it means to go out and dress up. So, I created an environment I desired. Anyone can do that; you can create the reality you desire.”<ref name="Onion">{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Bree |title=No bullshit: DJ Sara T. on how to throw a dance party|url=http://www.avclub.com/denver/articles/no-bullshit-dj-sara-t-on-how-to-throw-a-dance-part,35890/ |publisher=The Onion |access-date=15 December 2020 |date=5 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205194110/http://www.avclub.com/denver/articles/no-bullshit-dj-sara-t-on-how-to-throw-a-dance-part,35890/ |archive-date=2009-12-05 }}</ref> }}
In 2004, she received awards from ''The Denver Post'' for Best Underground DJ and from ''Westword'' for Best Dance/Electronic DJ.<ref name="Westword Tenacious" /><ref name="Denver Post Best Bets">{{cite web |title=Best bets this week |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2007/12/26/best-bets-this-week-9/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=26 December 2007}}</ref>
In 2006, she was named one of The Denver Post’s “Six DJs you ought to be dancing to” and was described as having an “electro-booty synth” style. She was praised for introducing audiences to new sounds and evolving to develop more than one style.<ref>{{cite web |title=Six DJs you ought to be dancing to |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2006/08/16/six-djs-you-ought-to-be-dancing-to/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=16 August 2006}}</ref>
In 2007, she created the soundtrack of the play ''1001'', a postmodernist take on ''The Arabian Nights'', at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Director Ethan McSweeny felt that they needed more than one artist’s take on the play, deciding that a DJ could provide a “cultural smash-up” of different genres, generations, and cultures. Sara was recommended by the sound designer due to her reputation with Danceotron.<ref>{{cite web |title=How cool is that? '1001' gets a DJ |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2007/01/22/how-cool-is-that-1001-gets-a-dj/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=22 January 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bows |first1=Bob |title=1001 |url=https://variety.com/2007/legit/reviews/1001-1200510639/ |website=Variety |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=4 February 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sara Thurston, aka, Sara T spins a musical track during 1001 in the... |url=https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/sara-thurston-aka-sara-t-spins-a-musical-track-during-1001-news-photo/161353345 |website=Getty Images |access-date=28 December 2020 |language=en-us}}</ref>
In 2008, she moved to Los Angeles and in 2010, she was listed on ''LA Weekly’s'' “Top 5 Hottest L.A. Lady DJs.”<ref name="LA Weekly">{{cite web |last=Benson |first=Kristina |title=Top 5 Hottest L.A. Lady DJs in 2010: The Sequel (Now with More Supertalented Spinnin' Hotties) |url=https://www.laweekly.com/top-5-hottest-l-a-lady-djs-in-2010-the-sequel-now-with-more-supertalented-spinnin-hotties/ |website=LA Weekly |access-date=15 December 2020 |date=23 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Bree |title=Sara T. directs new Lust-Cats video and prepares to throw another killer dance party |url=https://www.westword.com/music/sara-t-directs-new-lust-cats-video-and-prepares-to-throw-another-killer-dance-party-5716053 |website=Westword |access-date=7 January 2021 |date=22 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Best Bets |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2009/01/07/best-bets-55/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=7 January 2021 |date=7 January 2009}}</ref>
In 2011, she hosted a show on Indie 103 called NXT LVL, before moving to Chicago, Illinois later in the year.<ref name="iHeart">{{cite web |title=Best bets this week : Sara T. |url=https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-nxt-lvl-with-sara-tea-31045515/ |website=www.iheart.com |access-date=15 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="chicagoreader_5238340">{{cite web |title=Thin Man, Prichard, the Hildegard Knef, Shot of Therapy |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/thin-man-prichard-the-hildegard-knef-shot-of-therapy/Event?oid=5238340 |website=Chicago Reader | date=23 September 2009 |access-date=7 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
In 2012, she joined the Chicago all-female Beastie Boys tribute band, She’s Crafty, as the group’s first DJ. They met at an all-women comedy showcase at the Book Cellar called The Kates. She remained in the band until 2013 when she moved to Florida.<ref name="She's Crafty interview">{{cite web |last1=Madrid |first1=Monique |title=She's Crafty & She's Also A Kickass Tribute |url=https://www.serialoptimist.com/conversations/shescraftychi-15759.html |website=Serial Optimist |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=25 April 2013}}{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Stories |first1=Local |title=Life and Work with Maggie Tomasek - Voyage Chicago {{!}} Chicago City Guide |url=http://voyagechicago.com/interview/life-work-maggie-tomasek/ |website=voyagechicago.com |access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref>
In 2015, she moved back to Los Angeles and lived there until 2017, when she moved to Michigan. She took a 3 year hiatus due to her illness and played her first show in March 2020.<ref name="MNSTRM">{{cite web |title=MARCH 2020 |url=https://issuu.com/mnstrmmedia/docs/march_25e5c6a9004e35 |website=MNSTRM |access-date=15 December 2020 |language=en |date=9 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="Spotify Podcast">{{cite web |title=Soft Revenge With Guest Artist Sara Tea - Making An Artist |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/0caGrikLDtlJjOTy2qnk18?si=x0d2odtrS-ScrTTGd2WXAA |website=Spotify | date=19 February 2020 |access-date=15 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
===Musician=== Sara first began playing the drums in 1999 after a mentor gifted her a drum set. She had tried several instruments throughout high school like guitar, keyboard, and cello, but none “clicked.” She took a month of drum lessons and two months later was playing shows. Around the same time, she began songwriting and producing.<ref name="MNSTRM"/>
In 2000, she was the drummer for the indie-pop band Clever Elsie.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Tom |title=Marie Litton puts her girl power behind Lil Thunder |url=https://www.westword.com/music/marie-litton-puts-her-girl-power-behind-lil-thunder-5121909 |website=Westword |access-date=7 January 2021 |date=12 September 2013}}</ref>
She was the drummer for the band The Hot House from 2003 to 2005.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heller |first1=Jason |title=The Hot House |url=https://www.westword.com/music/the-hot-house-5088325 |website=Westword |access-date=7 January 2021 |date=9 February 2006}}</ref><ref name="Westword Tenacious" />
In 2007, she started a band called the Little Heads, now known as Clotheshorse.<ref name="Westword Tenacious" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Tom |title=Stung By Bees |url=https://www.westword.com/music/stung-by-bees-5094770 |website=Westword |access-date=16 January 2021 |date=9 August 2007}}</ref>
From 2008 to 2009, she was the drummer for Josh Taylor’s Friends Forever.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wolfinsohn |first1=Ben |title=Friends Forever |website=IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0359297/ |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=31 March 2001}}</ref>
In 2011, she was the drummer of the band The Hildegard Knef. She left the band later that year due to medical issues, which ended up being diagnosed as dysautonomia in 2015.<ref name="chicagoreader_5238340"/><ref name="Spotify Podcast"/>
In 2020, she had planned on releasing her first solo EP titled ''Soft Revenge'', but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the release until 2021.<ref name="Spotify Podcast"/> The EP was originally going to be recorded at High Bias Records in Detroit with Chris Koltay (The War On Drugs, Akron/Family, Deerhunter), but due to the pandemic, Sara produced it herself throughout 2020.<ref name="MNSTRM"/> She was inspired to self-produce by a conversation with Heba Kadry.<ref>{{cite tweet |number=1351741709215027204 |user=saratea |title=To properly honor Phil Spector’s death… |access-date=June 12, 2023 |lang=en |url=https://twitter.com/saratea/status/1351741709215027204}}</ref>
Sara released her latest EP, ''Songs for Discarded Souls'' on January 13, 2023. The sound has been described as "indie-tronica...from the torch-songs-meets-hip-hop approach of Portishead, with a hint of Mazzy Star."<ref>{{cite web |title=Pulp Arts Around Ann Arbor |url=https://pulp.aadl.org/node/613250 |website=pulp.aadl.org |access-date=30 January 2023}}</ref> The final mix was completed in the summer of 2022 and the first single off the EP was "Heaven Knows." The EP was mixed and mastered by Fred Thomas at Ravine Studios in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Of the EP, Sara stated, "Music shouldn’t be a luxury of the rich, healthy or young. I’m excited to keep building spaces online to just support each other in a world that sometimes makes it very difficult and pushes many of us to the edges of society. That’s why these are the songs for the discarded souls."<ref name="tigerbomb">{{cite web |title=SARA TEA - TIGER BOMB PROMO |url=https://www.tigerbombpromo.com/SARA-TEA |website=www.tigerbombpromo.com |access-date=30 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
===Podcast=== In 2011, she began her podcast, Sara Tea Time. It has featured guests from comedian Aparna Nancherla to ''Broad City’s'' Ilana Glazer to Ben Roy. The focus of the podcast is interviewing creatives about “their world and how they manifest” and their creative process. As of January 2021, there have been 15 episodes of the podcast.<ref name="Sara website">{{cite web |title=Sara Tea |url= http://saratea.com/ |website=Sara Tea |access-date=15 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Tea time">{{cite web |title=Sara Tea Time Podcast |url= http://sarateatime.com/ |website=Sara Tea Time Podcast |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140110142603/http://sarateatime.com/ |access-date=15 December 2020|archive-date= 2014-01-10 }}</ref>
===Other work=== In 2002, Sara worked in the sound department on the movie The Next Industrial Revolution.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sara Thurston |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12086484/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 |website=IMDb |access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref>
In 2004, Sara opened up a boutique shop called Chielle in Denver. At its original location, it served as a clothing shop, selling local literature and music and hosting occasional concerts. When they relocated, they started hosting performances by artists like K Records founder Calvin Johnson, Michael Hurley, and Dear Nora. In 2017, Chielle was listed on Westword’s “10 Bygone Alternative Spaces That Shaped Denver Underground Music.”<ref name="Westword-Underground">{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Tom |title=10 Bygone Alternative Spaces That Shaped Denver Underground Music |url=https://www.westword.com/music/10-bygone-alternative-spaces-that-shaped-denver-underground-music-8813011 |website=Westword |date=21 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="Denver Library">{{cite web |title=RMN-039-6101 |url=https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p16079coll32/id/196785/ |website=digital.denverlibrary.org |access-date=15 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Apogee"/>
Sara is a mentor with the organization SoundGirls, whose mission is to give women and non-binary people a network within the audio and music production industries.<ref name="Spotify Podcast"/>
In December 2020, she was accepted into Giphy artists.<ref name="Giphy">{{cite web |title=Sara Tea GIFs - Find & Share on GIPHY |url=https://giphy.com/sarateatime |website=GIPHY |access-date=28 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tea, Sara}} Category:1978 births Category:American women DJs Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Tucson, Arizona Category:Princeton High School (New Jersey) alumni