In a music world often dominated by formulas and metrics, Sarah Coponat [Ecletismo Musical post here] stands out for her sincerity and fearless emotional presence. Known for her spontaneous piano improvisations, whether on stage or live-streamed on Twitch, she has built a global and deeply loyal community.

On the verge of releasing her new album, We Are Incandescent, Sarah answered our questions with the same honesty and quiet intensity she brings to her music. What follows is a rare and personal portrait of an artist who doesn’t just compose melodies. She composes versions of herself, one performance at a time.

Ecletismo Musical(EM): Do you ever feel that by creating music you’re actually trying to create yourself, or at least a version of yourself that can be understood?

Sarah Coponat: Interesting question. I feel like my sense of self is directly tied to the music I create—like I can’t separate who I am from what I make. I have this need to stay honest and emotionally present in every note. Without that intensity, I lose interest—or  I just start spiraling into
an existential crisis. Every song feels like a tiny glass bottle, holding a piece of my soul, or distilling the essence of a fleeting feeling.

EM: Is emotion in music something you control, or something you surrender to?

Sarah Coponat: Emotion is definitely the guide. It’s how I know if I’m on the right path—and it also gives me confidence. If I feel something, then I know I’m where I need to be. And if I don’t, then I either rerecord it… or maybe it’s a sign I should just let it go.

EM: When you improvise live, in front of thousands, do you feel more exposed or more invisible?

Sarah Coponat: That feeling has definitely changed over time. At first, seeing high numbers gave me a rush—it was like a hit of adrenaline, proof that something was clicking. And when the numbers dropped, yeah, it could mess with my head a bit. Now, I try to stay more balanced. It still affects me sometimes though, I wont lie. What I do know is that I don’t feel invisible. This has been my way of reaching people. First, it helped me find my earliest listeners… now, it’s how I build something real with my audience.

EM: When you first started doing live streams (reddit and then twitch), you used your voice (singing) as one of the instruments. What made you decide to focus more on the piano (and the kazoo)? Was it a sense of vulnerability, or a conscious choice to be recognized primarily as a pianist?

Sarah Coponat: It was a conscious choice. We felt that the piano world was something we could manage more easily. My new album, “We Are Incandescent”, features vocals, piano, and kazoo.

It was a real challenge to create a world where all those different facets of my music could coexist in a beautiful, coherent way. I think the next projects will include more and more songs with vocals.

The kazoo actually started as a joke—it was a gift I got during a livestream. But thanks to my brother’s magic, it turned into something that sounds like a desert flute. I love creating those Arabic-oriental textures that transport you instantly.

EM: How is it for you to have a community that supports you and follows you almost “religiously”? How has this community influenced your creative process and the way you approach your music?

Sarah Coponat: It’s something Seb and I worked hard to build. I’m a very shy person, so being exposed to the world like that really pushed me—it’s been a challenging but interesting experience. I’ve grown a lot because of it.

It’s definitely influenced the way I approach music. I started improvising live on stream because I was afraid of boring people by playing the same songs too often.

I thought I would just do live what I used to do alone in my basement. Now, improvisation has probably become my biggest strength.

It’s crazy. You really don´t know where your choices may take you. I like to make friends with difficulty. Get out of my comfort zone. never let fear lead the way. Twitch is also an amazing space to experiment and see how people react.

In the end, these listeners are my most loyal supporters—they show up to my concerts, they back me in so many ways… and honestly, they’re also my cheerleading team, haha.

EM:  In a world obsessed with permanence and metrics, is creating something that vanishes (besides the VOD’s), like an improvised piece, a quiet act of rebellion or a declaration of freedom?

Sarah Coponat: Well, I try to keep all the recordings, but you’re right there’s something very poetic about the ephemeral nature of those sessions. Nowadays, it feels like we have this need to record and photograph every single moment you know ? Sometimes, it’s nice to let the music live its own life on our minds.

I used to be obsessed with not forgetting every new melody I created, but now I believe they all have a life of their own. What’s meant to be remembered will find its way back. It’s a process—nothing truly disappears. It’s like matter changing shapes. I believe those little melodies you think have vanished, are still here, invisible but woven into the new ones.

EM: What do you think is missing for your rare talent to be known by millions in concerts, just as it already is on streaming platforms? Does being “just” a pianist create distance or limit your reach?

Sarah Coponat: Thank you very much. Honestly, I don’t have a clear answer. The music industry feels kind of like the Wild West to me. Right now, my main focus is playing more shows.

I’d also love to work more in film and video game music. I think it’d be awesome. I’ve loved doing it.

I guess different music resonates with different people. I don’t think piano alone isn’t enough in itself, but I do plan on recording more singing—my new album is heading in that direction, and the next projects even more so. So, we’ll see!

EM: If you could curate your ideal festival, what names would be on the lineup, living or not?

Oh wow. That’s a very difficult question haha, I’d love to create a very cool piano festival, with improvisators and composers, let’s bring back Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Oscar Peterson, Chopin, Nina Simone, etc.

If you had to choose the five greatest albums of all time, which would you pick and why?

Wow, I’m really bad at choosing—you know, I can’t even decide what to order at a restaurant! Probably because I’m making decisions all the time with music, so I just can’t do it outside of that anymore.

I’d say…

Rachmaninoff – Second Piano Concerto

Because it’s one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard. I was obsessed with it as a kid—I’d ask Santa for a different recording every Christmas for years!

Pink Floyd – The Wall

I grew up listening to it with my dad, and I feel like it helped shape my brain in some way. Same with the Alan Parsons Project. Oh and Enya.

Paul McCartney and Wings

It feels really comforting. I always go back to their music when I’m feeling lonely or homesick.

Radiohead – Pyramid Song

Liszt – Mephisto Waltz

And some Liszt and Chopin pieces too—like the “Mephisto Waltz”, Chopin’s piano concertos, some studies…

And omg yes “gershwin raphsody in blue”. Barbara. I’m just giving names at this point…sorry!

I know I will look back at this and think omg how could I forget this and this and that!

What are your plans for the next few months? Could Portugal be one of your destinations?

I definitely hope so! Let’s have some Porto together! Oh but I don’t like red wine so much so maybe let’s just have a cup of tea. For now, I’m doing a show in Paris very soon, the 4th of October in La salle cortot.