This UAE-based musician is out to change the world

UAE-based musician Sarah Rocio Provenzani’s journey to the studio has been far from conventional. For one thing, she didn’t pick up an instrument until she was 22. The half-Italian, half-Venezuelan explains: “I’ve always loved music but I didn’t trust myself for a long time. It was my mother who pushed me into signing up for lessons.”

The now 26-year-old adds: “I studied classical music, jazz music, and then I discovered this passion for electronic music, especially melodic techno.”

And she discovered her stage alter ego, Sarah R Jay. “For my artistic career as a singer and composer in electronic music and melodic techno, I use the stage name ‘Sarah R Jay’, where Jay reminds me of ‘DJ’ and honours Michael Jackson, my favourite pop artist since childhood,” she laughs.

Before she found her musical spark, Sarah bounced between jobs and education, trying her hand at everything from teaching kids Spanish to doing a business management course at university. But once she did find her path, she was dedicated to perfecting her craft. Besides working towards diplomas from the Trinity College in London, she also enrolled herself into Ras Al Khaimah Music Zone. “When I moved to the UAE, I sought a top-tier music centre and was fortunate to find Music Zone in Ras Al Khaimah, created by the government of Ras Al Khaimah, offering amazing infrastructure where I could practice my passion supported by amazing professionals like Ashleigh September, my vocal coach, and Sherif Mohsen who helped me with professional recording, editing, mixing, and mastering,” she says.

As she broadened her horizons, she realised that her music could be a platform to usher in change, to urge awareness, to make a difference. “I wish to bring something new to the music industry and bring important messages to the world. Not everyone is speaking about some topics, they are just speaking about love and relationships and break-ups. But I would like to bring some something more meaningful to the table.”

Her first project? A number called Sea of Sorrow, which highlights the plight of helpless animals who’ve been abandoned. This is a real crisis affecting the UAE, with animal shelters and volunteers speaking up about the need to educate people about the responsibility that comes with raising a pet and the expenses one might need to inccur. “The vocal version was recorded at Music Zone Studios on July 23, with mix and mastering completed on August 15,” she tells City Times.

“The Sea of Sorrow is an intense ballad enriched by electronic music. My goal was to create an emotional and deeply moving atmosphere, underscored by strong drum and bass rhythms that emphasise the drama. The lyrics are crafted to resonate with the listener's soul,” says Sarah.

She dedicated the track to the many rescuers who work tirelessly, often at great personal sacrifice, to feed and treat stray animals across the seven Emirates.

Sarah herself is a rescuer. “My first cat, I found in 2019 with my father. And since then, we have rescued many cats. Now we have something like 50 cats; 20 at home and 30 outside. We feed them, neuter them. And yeah, it's hard work, but it's really important.”

She is teeming with suggestions to take the rescue efforts further. “I’d like to propose that everyone pays a small fee (an animal welfare levy), equivalent to the cost of a cup of coffee (Dh15) when they get a new visa. This could be a good way to generate a very significant budget to create more structures like public animal welfare centres that could support these animals. To trap, neuter and release, and try to get them adopted or fostered by people.”

She explains that these centres should provide four fundamental things supporting every rescuer: medical attention, food, shelter, and free neutering services. “These services should be provided to stray or abandoned animals found and checked in by rescuers (the family pets should go to private vets, not in those centres),” she adds.

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