Photo Credit: Nicole Ngai
“A fuzzy indie-pop burner… a scuzzed-out slice of guitar-rooted pop that displays her gift for melody.” Clash
“Crean’s vocals are warm and gracious, her diction reminiscent of the small-town storyteller tone seen among artists such as Phoebe Bridgers and Snail Mail.” When the Horn Blows
“A cool and confident affair… with a slick baseline and effusive vocals – not a whiff of insecurity to be found.” Hot Press
“Irish singer-songwriter Sarah Crean continues to push her music in larger directions… displaying earworm pop melodies.” – Nialler9
Irish/Brighton-based artist Sarah Crean releases her new single ‘22 Angel’ on Thursday, 31st July. Written and self-produced, it’s the first glimpse of a larger project arriving in early 2026.
Crean’s music sits in a world of soft distortion and emotional clarity, drawing comparisons to Japanese Breakfast, Men I Trust, and Maggie Rogers, while carving out something more intimate. ‘22 Angel’ distills that approach – restrained, melodic, and quietly intense.
Built from detuned synths, hushed percussion, and layered vocals, the track explores control, memory, and recovery. It resists big pop moments in favour of a slow, deliberate burn.
“I didn’t set out to write an anthem, but the weight of what inspired it just pulled it there,” Crean explains.
“It’s like a compilation of unearthed diary entries from a time when I felt under the control of a partner – and the people around them who mirrored that lack of moral compass. Every lyric feels like it was lifted directly from pages I’d hidden for years.”
‘22 Angel’ follows her 2023 EP Death by Laundry (AWAL), which included the breakout track ‘2:00am’ – now streamed over 7 million times. That EP earned her early support from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 1, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, Nialler9, and Spotify’s editorial teams.
Visually, this new phase sees Crean working with an all-women creative team: Nicole Ngai (photography), Alice Sanders (styling), and Thea Bryant (illustration/layout). The imagery is subtle but loaded – hinting at mythology, displacement, and personal myth-making – themes that run through what’s to come.
Track Credits
Written, produced and performed by Sarah Crean
Mixed by Daniela Rivera
Mastered by Jett Galindo
Photography by Nicole Ngai
Styling by Alice Sanders
Biography
Sarah Crean is an Irish singer, songwriter, and producer based between Dublin and Brighton. Her dreamy, slow-burn indie pop – shaped by influences like Men I Trust, Japanese Breakfast, and Maggie Rogers – is defined by a sharp eye for life’s intimate details and a sound that lingers long after the song ends.
After her breakout 2023 EP Death by Laundry and the viral success of ‘2:00am’ (7M+ Spotify streams), Crean has been steadily building an international audience. She’s toured with Bombay Bicycle Club, Pillow Queens, and Haley Blais, and shared stages with BLACKPINK (Hyde Park) and CMAT (O2 Forum Kentish Town).
Now freshly independent and on the cusp of her debut album – a concept record created entirely by women – Crean is entering a bold new chapter.
With the first singles landing in Summer 2025 and the full album due in early 2026, Sarah Crean is emerging as one of the most compelling new voices in alt-indie pop.
Connect with Sarah Crean