Sara Mae

Sara Mae
GenresIndie, Bedroom pop
OccupationsMusician, Writer
LabelAudio Antihero

Sara Mae Henke is a writer and musician based in Philadelphia, PA. They founded the band The Noisy,[1][2][3] and have released two poetry collections as Sara Mae.[4][5]

Early life and education

Sara Mae was raised on Chesapeake Bay, before relocating to Boston,[6][7] and later Knoxville,[8][9] where they received their MFA from the University of Tennessee. In 2021, they were a Sewanee Writers' Conference Scholar,[10][5] received a Graduate Creative Writing Award in 2022,[11] and were also a Big Ears Music Festival Artist Scholar in 2023.[12][13]

Writing (2016 - present)

While living in Boston in 2016, Sara Mae began writing for Boston Hassle,[14] in addition to performing poetry locally,[15][16][7] and winning a Boston Poetry Slam in 2017.[17] They published their debut poetry collection, Priestess of Tankinis through Game Over Books in 2018.[18][5][19]

In 2023, they were a finalist in the Just Buffalo Literary Center Poetry Fellowship,[20] their poetry was featured in Phoenix Magazine's "Issue 65" publication and exhibit,[21] and their second collection, Phantasmagossip, won that year's Vinyl45 chapbook competition.[22][23] Phantasmagossip was then published via YesYes Books in March 2025,[4][24] and Sara Mae accompanied the release with a reading a tour.[25][26]

On October 31, 2025, Sara Mae published an excerpt from their upcoming Lawn Madonna novella on The Alternative.[27][28]

Sara Mae has also contributed poetry,[29][30][31] fiction,[32] and reviews[33][34] to numerous music and literary publications,[35] including The Georgia Review,[13] Poetry Foundation,[36] FENCE, The Adroit Journal, and American Literary Review.[37][38][39]

The Noisy (2019 - present)

Early releases and debut album (2019 - 2024)

Sara Mae began writing and self-releasing music as The Noisy in 2019 with Day Night Dress,[40][2][41] which was followed by the Charm Bracelet EP in 2021.[42][43] In 2022, they released the Junie B Jones & The Strawberry Moons, a collection of demos from a "Song-a-Day" project,[44] and recorded a radio session for WDVX.[45]

Sara Mae evolved the project into a band lineup,[2][41] and in 2023, The Noisy released the “Morricone” single,[46][47] and crowd-funded the recording of their debut album The Secret Ingredient Is More Meat,[48][49] before relocating to Philadelphia.[3][8][50]

The album was preceded by the “Ballerino”[51] and “Backlit”[52] singles before its self-release on May 24, 2024.[53][54] The release was followed by a video for “Violet Lozenge.”[3]

The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat and new material (2025 - present)

In 2025, the band signed with the Audio Antihero label to issue a deluxe edition of the debut album, entitled ‘The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat,’[47][55] which featured new and unreleased material,[2][1] as well as radio session for WVKR.[56][57]

The “Twos” single was issued in June,[58][59] and was followed by “Grenadine,”[60][61] “Nightshade,”[2] and “Neckline (Deluxe Version)”[62][63] before the deluxe album's release on October 24, 2025,[64] with a video for “Tony Soprano (Deluxe)”[65][66] premiering on KLOF Mag the day prior.[1]

Critical reception

The original and reissued ...More Meat album album received positive coverage and support from Under the Radar Magazine,[2] KLOF Mag,[1] Jenesaispop,[67] WXPN,[68] Rockdelux,[69] God Is In the TV,[63] Spectrum Culture,[70] Muso's Guide,[71][66][72] Post-Trash,[73] The Alternative,[74][75][76] and other outlets.[77][47][78]

The “Grenadine” single reached No.3 in the Hype Machine “Most Posted” chart,[79] and “Twos” reached No.1 in the “Popular Now” and “Highlights” charts.[80][81]

The releases received airplay from BBC Radio Scotland,[58][62] WSUM,[82] Dandelion Radio,[83] WNYU,[84] WMFO,[85] CJSW,[86][52] and KXLU,[87] as well as the band recording sessions for KGNU,[88] WORT,[89] Y-Not Radio,[90] and WVKR.[91]

Discography

Albums

  • The Secret Ingredient Is More Meat (Self-Released, 2024)
  • The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat (Audio Antihero, 2025)

EPs

  • Day Night Dress (Self-Released, 2019)
  • Charm Bracelet (Self-Released, 2021)

Demos

  • Junie B Jones & The Strawberry Moons (Self-Released, 2022)

Singles

  • "Morricone" (Self-Released, 2023)
  • "Ballerino" (Self-Released, 2024)
  • "Backlit" (Self-Released, 2024)
  • "Twos" (Audio Antihero, 2025)
  • "Grenadine" (Audio Antihero, 2025)
  • Nightshade (Audio Antihero, 2025)
  • "Neckline (Deluxe)" (Audio Antihero, 2025)

Compilation appearances

  • Artists United Against Genocide Vol.1 (Artists United Against Genocide, 2025) - contributes "Everybody Wants to Be My Moon"

Bibliography

Poetry

  • Priestess of Tankinis (Game Over Books, 2018)
  • Phantasmagossip (YesYes Books, 2025)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Video Premiere: The Noisy - Tony Soprano (Deluxe)". KLOF Mag. 2025-10-23. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Campbell, Caleb. "Premiere: The Noisy Share New Single "Nightshade"". Under the Radar Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  3. ^ a b c Polyak, Emma Zoe. "The Noisy releases a playful new music video for "Violet Lozenge"". WXPN | Vinyl At Heart. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  4. ^ a b "Phantasmagossip - Turn & Work". 2025-07-08. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  5. ^ a b c "Sara Mae". underblong. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  6. ^ simone (2017-10-04). "Cantab Feature for Wednesday, October 4, 2017: World Qualifier Champion Zeke Russell and Sara Mae Spotlight". Boston Poetry Slam. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  7. ^ a b "Check out Sara Mae Henke's Artwork". bostonvoyager.com. 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  8. ^ a b rosyoverdrive (2024-05-27). "Pressing Concerns: The Noisy, Alice Kat, Drug Country, Dog Park". Rosy Overdrive. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  9. ^ "Local Stories: Meet Sara Mae". Knoxville Voyager.
  10. ^ Mae, Sara. "Sara Mae". The Offing. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  11. ^ "Graduate Creative Writing Awards". English. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  12. ^ "Haunted Passages Poetry: "Phantasmagossip whispered to me between planes, our bodies awake to our mirrored shapes, our ears to the palm of the same bed frame" by Sara Mae". Heavy Feather Review. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  13. ^ a b LaClaire, Scott (2023-12-13). "Mae, Sara - The Georgia Review". Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  14. ^ "Sara Mae Henke // BOSTON HASSLE". bostonhassle.com. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  15. ^ simone (2019-05-01). "Cantab Feature for Wednesday, May 1, 2019: Sara Mae". Boston Poetry Slam. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  16. ^ "DG History". The Dirty Gerund Poetry Show. 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  17. ^ "Archive of Past Shows, Features, and Slams". Boston Poetry Slam. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  18. ^ Mae, Sara. "Sara Mae". The Offing. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  19. ^ Egonu, Ugochi (2018-08-28). "Rookie » Hear Each Other Out: An Interview with Zenaida Peterson and Sara Mae Henke". www.rookiemag.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  20. ^ Cloyd, David (2023-06-23). "Announcing the 2023 JBLC Poetry Fellow". Just Buffalo Literary Center | Buffalo, NY. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  21. ^ Writer, Caitlin Mulqueen, Staff. "Phoenix Literary Magazine holds 'Issue 65' exhibit at Gallery 1010". The Daily Beacon. Retrieved 2026-01-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Sara Mae Henke". DVAA. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  23. ^ Blum, Jordan (2025-10-01). ""A Haunted House is History Insisting on Itself": An Interview with Sara Mae". The Bookends Review. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  24. ^ "The moment of rupture: a conversation with Phantasmagossip author…". Broad Street Review. 2025-07-02. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  25. ^ Gill, Michael (2025-04-14). "Cantab Recap For Wednesday, April 9th, 2025". Boston Poetry Slam. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  26. ^ "Video Premiere: The Noisy - Tony Soprano (Deluxe)". KLOF Mag. 2025-10-23. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  27. ^ Staff, The Alt Editing (2025-10-31). "Book Excerpt: 'Lawn Madonna' by Sara Mae". The Alternative. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  28. ^ Henke, Sara Mae (2025-11-22). "Engaged! Deluxe Album! New Job! Writing Residency!". New Moon Newsletter. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  29. ^ "Two Poems". Peatsmoke. 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  30. ^ "Feedback: Ars Poetica | Sara Mae". waxwingmag.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  31. ^ "Issue 21 - Sara Mae". Stone of Madness Press. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  32. ^ americanliteraryreview (2022-04-20). "Spring 2022". American Literary Review. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  33. ^ Mae, Sara (2023-12-29). "Frog - "GROG" | Album Review". POST-TRASH. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  34. ^ Mae, Sara (2024-07-01). "My Best Unbeaten Brother - "Pessimistic Pizza" | Album Review". POST-TRASH. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  35. ^ thwack (2021-09-23). "Sara Mae: BIOLUMINESCENCE • Cleaver Magazine". Cleaver Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  36. ^ "The Birth of Venus". The Poetry Foundation. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  37. ^ "Poetry by Sara Mae". Anti-Heroin Chic. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  38. ^ k-ming (2023-02-20). "Alternative Story of Saint Lucy". The Offing. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  39. ^ "Staff Masthead". The Adroit Journal. 2019-08-04. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  40. ^ "Playlist for Jeff Breeze on WMBR's Pipeline!, Tuesday, September 24, 2019 (8-10pm)". track-blaster.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  41. ^ a b Teitz, Alex (2025-06-24). "The Noisy – Twos". FEMMUSIC Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  42. ^ ""Tough Cookie" by The Noisy. WVKR 7/26/25, 3:12 PM Sat Jul 26 with Tech Director on WVKR". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  43. ^ ""Queen of Wands" by The Noisy. WVKR 7/26/25, 3:12 PM Sat Jul 26 with Tech Director on WVKR". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  44. ^ ""Music was a helpful place to live in the yearning." (An Interview with Sara Mae of The Noisy)". Half Mystic. 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  45. ^ WDVXRadio (2022-09-06). The Noisy "Violet Lozenge" live on the WDVX Blue Plate Special 08-27-22. Retrieved 2026-01-05 – via YouTube.
  46. ^ ""Morricone" by The Noisy. WVKR 7/26/25, 3:12 PM Sat Jul 26 with Tech Director on WVKR". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  47. ^ a b c "The Secret Ingredient is Even More Meat - Turn & Work". 2025-10-24. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  48. ^ "Single: The Noisy – Grenadine – START TRACK". Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  49. ^ Doyle, Jon (2025-06-24). "Weekly Listening: June 2025 #4". Various Small Flames. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  50. ^ paulfcook (2025-10-24). "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: THE NOISY – PHILADELPHIA - Joyzine". joyzine.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  51. ^ Goldin, Dan (2024-04-19). "The Noisy - "Ballerino" | Post-Trash Premiere". POST-TRASH. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  52. ^ a b "Music for Pseudo-Intellectuals on Mon 5/13/24 | WKDU Philadelphia 91.7FM". wkdu.org. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  53. ^ "Album: The Noisy – The Secret Ingredient is More Meat – START TRACK". Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  54. ^ Mosk, Mitch (2024-08-21). "Feature: Inside The Noisy's Debut LP 'The Secret Ingredient Is More Meat'". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  55. ^ Zivkovic, Ljubinko (2025-10-24). "SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE NOISY - THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS EVEN MORE MEAT". The Spill Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  56. ^ ""Grenadine (WVKR Session)" by The Noisy. Tardis Jukebox Wed Nov 5 with The Doctor on WMFO 91.5FM Medford". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  57. ^ Writer, Guest (2025-10-27). ""Pink Merkins & Meat Sweats: How Philly Nightlife Shaped the Visual World of My Music": An Essay by The Noisy's Sara Mae". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  58. ^ a b "BBC Radio Scotland - Roddy Hart, 26/08/2025". BBC. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  59. ^ Schlosberg, Jeremy (2025-08-20). ""Twos" – The Noisy". Fingertips. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  60. ^ Doyle, Jon (2025-08-26). "The Noisy - Grenadine". Various Small Flames. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  61. ^ Buckley, Mark (2025-08-27). "New Music: The Noisy – Grenadine | AnalogueTrash". www.analoguetrash.com. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  62. ^ a b "BBC Radio Scotland - Roddy Hart, 28/10/2025". BBC. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  63. ^ a b "EXCLUSIVE: The Noisy 'Neckline' (Deluxe Version) Premiere - God Is In The TV". 2025-10-16. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  64. ^ "Album Of The Week: Rafael Toral Traveling Light". stereogum.com. 2025-10-21. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  65. ^ "The Noisy release The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat". LOUD WOMEN. 2025-11-05. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  66. ^ a b "Muso's Guide - The Noisy Go Deluxe With Tony Soprano". www.musosguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  67. ^ Bardají, Jordi (2025-09-26). "RFTW: Mariah Carey, Olivia Dean, Barry B, Zara Larsson..." jenesaispop.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  68. ^ Polyak, Emma Zoe. "The Noisy releases a playful new music video for "Violet Lozenge"". WXPN | Vinyl At Heart. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  69. ^ "Rockdelux Sound System: playlist semanal con lo que suena en la redacción". www.rockdelux.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  70. ^ "At the End of a Good Thing: Ciao Malz and The Noisy Talk Grief, Drag and the Art of Survival at the End of an Era. – Spectrum Culture". Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  71. ^ "Muso's Guide - The Noisy Tease New Album". www.musosguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  72. ^ "Muso's Guide - Singles That Mingle 20250901". www.musosguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  73. ^ Goldin, Dan (2024-04-19). "The Noisy - "Ballerino" | Post-Trash Premiere". POST-TRASH. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  74. ^ Staff, The Alt Editing (2025-08-25). "The Alt Weekly Roundup (8/25/25)". The Alternative. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  75. ^ Staff, The Alt Editing (2024-06-10). "Artist Interview: Sara Mae of The Noisy". The Alternative. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  76. ^ Staff, The Alt Editing (2025-06-30). "The Alt Weekly Roundup (6/30/25)". The Alternative. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  77. ^ "The Noisy • "Twos" • 2025". Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  78. ^ "The Noisy's new tracks / Hype Machine". Hype Machine. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  79. ^ "10 most-posted artists / Hype Machine". Hype Machine. Archived from the original on 2025-08-27. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  80. ^ "Popular tracks / Hype Machine". Hype Machine. Archived from the original on 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  81. ^ "Popular tracks / Hype Machine". Hype Machine. Archived from the original on 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  82. ^ ""Little Grill" by The Noisy. Red Planet Sun Oct 26 with duMars on WSUM 91.7FM Madison". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  83. ^ "Dandelion Radio - October 2025 Tracklistings". dandelionradio.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  84. ^ ""Ballerino" by The Noisy. The New Afternoon Show (Friday) Fri Oct 24 with Leilani Patao on WNYU". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  85. ^ ""Neckline (Deluxe Version)" by The Noisy. Tardis Jukebox Wed Oct 22 with The Doctor on WMFO 91.5FM Medford". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  86. ^ "Practical Lace – Episode January 8, 2025 – CJSW Radio". Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  87. ^ ""Backlit" by The Noisy. She Rocks! Wed Nov 26 with She Rocks on KXLU". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  88. ^ "Afternoon Sound Alternative". Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  89. ^ "Frog Moon Tue Nov 4 with Shannon on WORT 89.9FM Madison". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  90. ^ ynotradio (2025-11-10). The Noisy Y Not Radio Session. Retrieved 2026-01-06 – via YouTube.
  91. ^ "WVKR 7/26/25, 3:12 PM Sat Jul 26 with Tech Director on WVKR". spinitron.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
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