“Smoke Break” and Handling Break-ups with Singer Abby Sage

If it weren’t for accidentally uploading her songs onto SoundCloud as a young teen and receiving encouraging comments, Abby Sage wouldn’t be making music today.

Even before then, Abby Sage was made for it. Having music rooted in her upbringing and watching her dad perform at various clubs around Toronto, Sage has been fiddling around the guitar for the better part of her life.

To her, however, the guitar wasn’t just a gateway to music but also a tool for her songwriting. With inspirations like Amy Winehouse and Norah Jones, Sage’s interest in songwriting was catapulted.

From a secret endeavor to now, Sage has proved herself a fierce writer by fusing her emotions into musical storytelling. And songs like her most popular, “Holy Water” showcase this talent. In it, she captures the feeling of all-consuming love.

“You / You’re like a fire / Let me breathe before you come and burn my lungs.”

Today, Sage brings “Smoke Break” as her latest salvo: and it’s a salvo indeed.

There’s nothing more painful than the taste of utter defeat, and Sage’s latest is the soundtrack for moving on. In truth, this isn’t one for the embittered party, it’s for the person who’s sat through every tired meal, every stumbling block, every last gasp for that connection that simply isn’t there anymore.

“You take the high road, and I’ll take a smoke break,” the now LA-based Sage intones. “So what’s the deal with your false hope?,” she softly snarls, all-consuming in her nearly blasé, grounded sense of reality.

It’s a sense of detachment that we’ve all no doubt felt or experienced - been on the receiving or decisive end of, if not both, at some time in our lives. It’s never an easy thing to face, and Sage’s deftly forceful confidence here is a veritable anthem for ending that relationship you’ve been too nice to leave for too long.

In a Q&A talking about the inspiration behind “Smoke Break,” self-care tips and some relationship advice along the way, Unpublished happily introduces Abby Sage.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What inspired you to write Smoke Break?

[ABBY]: Under careful review I’ve found I’m the worst at confrontation and will avoid it at all costs. The idea of someone stepping outside to take a smoke break amidst a chaotic situation whether it be a party, an argument, a crowded room, really put the perfect visual in my head of what I’ve been doing for years and inspired me to write this song.

[UNPUBLISHED]: When writing Smoke Break, was there any particular song or artist you used as inspiration?

[ABBY]: I really admire Angel Olsen. So much of her work is simple and perfect yet there are a few on the “All Mirrors” project that has this crazy, huge element to them. That’s what I wanted Smoke Break to be, simple yet massive.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What lyric from Smoke Break is your favorite?

[ABBY]: The first line “You take the high road and I’ll take a smoke break”. It seemed like a cool contrast to me.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What advice do you have for people who are in a long-distance relationship?

[ABBY]: If you’re someone who likes space like me it’s great, full speed ahead. However, I’ve developed this weird needy quality in recent months so I guess never again. Changed my brand.

[UNPUBLISHED]: When should someone take the “high road” or take a “smoke break” in a relationship?

[ABBY]: I mean everyone “should” take the high road. But you can’t have two high roads so I guess the higher one. If you can’t, just smoke outside.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What is your recipe to heal a broken heart?

[ABBY]: Not sure. Wash your sheets, cut your hair, listen to smoke break.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What is your self-care routine like after break-up?

[ABBY]: Rinse 1 song for 2 weeks.

[UNPUBLISHED]: In the song, one person is avoiding having to talk to the other. What is something that helps alleviate your anxiety when you have to face a certain situation?

[ABBY]: My oil diffuser.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What is the best way to keep yourself from texting an ex?

[ABBY]: Never felt these urges. Text your mom.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Is there any advice to someone who wants to grow their communication skills?

[ABBY]: Address problems as they arise, don’t hold it in. Unless it’s something stupid then hold it in.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Any advice on how to move on after a failed relationship?

[ABBY]: Don’t dwell on anything. You will always have 20/20 vision in hindsight so it’s easy to see what you could have done to fix something. But you didn’t, so do it next time. Or more importantly find something that doesn’t need fixing.

[UNPUBLISHED]: What is your go-to anthem for self-love?

[ABBY]: A song on my project that I wrote about loving myself and my power. You will meet her soon. Apart from that, I’m Every Woman - Chaka Khan. That one’s better.

[UNPUBLISHED]: If Smoke Break was the anthem to any movie/tv couple, who would it be? (Personally, it reminded me of Joel and Clementine from “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”)

[ABBY]: I love this question, Joel and Clementine is such a good one though. I can think of anything better so you win, I love that movie.

[UNPUBLISHED]: Anything else I missed you want Unpublished readers to know?

[ABBY]: You took me on a JOURNEY with these, that’s all 4 me. Stream “Smoke Break,” stream the others when their digital birth goes down! Love! Thank you!