Sabrina Sterling Talks About Her Highly Anticipated Debut EP, 'Ramona'
On singer-songwriter Sabrina Sterling’s debut EP Ramona, (which dropped on August 15 via RCA Records), the rising talent delivers six deeply felt tracks that explore love, loss, longing, and personal reckoning. It’s acoustic-pop at its most introspective: soft in tone, sharp in sentiment. And throughout its journey, the sound is airy and emotional, but still carefully grounded—drawing more from the honest, full-band spirit of early 2000s artists like Michelle Branch than from purely modern minimalism.
At the center of the project is the title track “Ramona,” inspired by Sterling’s decision to cut ties with her father. It’s a delicate, emotionally layered song that turns quiet moments into something seismic, exploring the grief that comes with walking away from family and the strength it takes to choose yourself.
However, Ramona doesn’t stay in one place. “Soon” is built around whispery vocals and understated production that barely leaves footprints. Then there’s “Rot,” a gritty, full-band standout that feels like it belongs on an iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack—upbeat, emotionally tense, and wrapped in that unmistakable late-’90s acoustic-rock pulse. It’s one of the EP’s boldest swings, and it works.
But whether she’s unraveling old wounds or reaching for something just out of view, Sterling’s debut doesn’t push for drama—it trusts the listener to uncover its nuances. Now, Sterling is opening up to Stardust about bringing it all to life.
“Ramona” is a deeply personal narrative about estrangement and choice. What was something you took away from the experience of creating it?
Sabrina Sterling: Something I took away from the experience of creating “Ramona” was that no matter how much time has passes, sometimes you never fully heal. The first time I sang it onstage, I cried my eyes out. When I started promoting the song, I had quite a few people tell me I was a horrible daughter for not choosing forgiveness. At first, I was offended and upset. How could someone know so little yet tell me how to feel and respond? Then I realized it didn’t matter. It didn't matter as long as I knew it was the right choice for me. Making “Ramona” helped me share my story and potentially help show others who might be in similar situations that there’s another option besides accepting the abuse. To tell people it’s okay to remove someone from your life and choose yourself.
Can you walk us through the sonic palette of “Ramona”—like the textures or production choices that helped shape its emotional feel?
Sabrina Sterling: I wanted “Ramona” to feel big, like you could really feel the tension, but also the quiet anger and power in the pre-choruses. Since the song is about a real place, Ramona, California, I wanted the production to reflect its environment. It needed to feel warm with a slight twang. I really loved how the slide guitars and hums came in immediately on the first verse in a somewhat dark and uneasy way. Ending the song with almost everything dropping out and very whispery vocals creates this really intimate, emotional moment.
The EP tells such a powerful story, touching on themes of love, longing, and change. Which song felt the hardest to finish, and why?
Sabrina Sterling: Honestly, none of the songs on this EP felt hard to write or finish. “Rot” and “BYOB” actually started in co-writing sessions, and even though they were collaborations, they came together so easily because the room was full of great people. The rest were written in my bedroom and just came naturally. If I had to pick one, maybe “Mark On The Radio” because it took the longest, mainly because there were so many layers of different instruments and sounds, and we took our time finding the right parts for each one.
I love the entire EP, but there’s something especially captivating about “Soon”—from the lyrics to the vocal delivery to the subtle production details. Can you talk about what it represents to you personally?
Sabrina Sterling: “Soon” will always be one of my favorite songs I’ve ever made. I wrote it completely on my own, and when I brought it in to be produced, I knew exactly what I wanted, which almost never happens. I wanted it to feel stripped back and quiet with a big, dramatic ending. I knew it wouldn’t be a big ‘moment’ on social media, but I fought to put it on the EP because it was for me. It’s beautiful, vulnerable, and completely true.
The song came from a time when I was in a relationship with someone who had this full social life and was headed to a prestigious college in New York, while I was stuck at home. I was only allowed to go places if my mom knew everyone there, so as you can imagine, I didn't do a lot of going out. I spent that entire summer in my room, living vicariously through him and waiting. Deep down, I was scared he’d realize I had nothing left to offer. Whenever I sang “Soon” on my first tour, it was how I coped with the sudden end of our two-year relationship and the helpless, small feeling I struggled with. Now, when I sing it, I feel proud of how far I’ve grown from that version of myself.
“Rot” stands out with its gritty, almost upbeat feel—like a late-’90s band throwback with a modern edge. What drew you to that more driving, full-band production for the track, and how do you see it fitting into the emotional arc of the EP?
Sabrina Sterling: I was watching a lot of late 90s/early 2000s movies at the time of writing “Rot” and I think that heavily inspired the grungy, full-band feel for the production. The song is basically about enjoying being alone, which is pretty emo, so I feel like the direction we took the production made sense for the concept. I also liked the idea of having something a little bit edgier and darker to contrast the more intimate, quiet tracks on the EP.
You’ve built a following around your vulnerability and the safe space your music creates. How does it feel to see listeners reflecting their own experiences through your songs—and sometimes finding healing in them?
Sabrina Sterling: It’s honestly the most surreal and humbling part of making music. I write from such a personal place, so to see people connect with the same emotions and relate it to their own lives is a reminder that no one is really alone in what they go through. I’m incredibly honored to be a source of healing for some people.
Sabrina Sterling’s Ramona is out on all streaming platforms now.
