In this episode of Curious Goldfish, host Jason English sits down with Sarah Mootz, a Georgia-bred singer-songwriter whose 12-year career is a masterclass in the "Ted Lasso" philosophy of belief and resiliency. Mootz, known for her soulful indie-pop sound and singles like "The Dog," joins the conversation from a songwriter retreat in Nashville to discuss the grit required to navigate an industry that has repeatedly tried to misbrand her.

Mootz’s journey began at 16, working with Johnny Cash’s former producer, Pat Holt, who recorded a nine-song album with her before eventually "ghosting" the project. Looking back, she realizes he tried to mold her into "Radio country," a sound that didn't fit her unique talent. This was followed by a "traumatic" American Idol audition where producers pressured her to be a "big rock electric gal" rather than the singer-songwriter she actually is. Mootz reflects, "You have to believe in yourself more than anyone else does if you want to keep doing this".

After a failed distribution deal and management shifts, Mootz has embraced a radically transparent DIY approach. While Athens, GA, provides a soulful environment where artists "value unique sound" over profit, Mootz balances that with a "business gal mindset" in Nashville and L.A.. She spends hours daily DMing fans and building an email list, noting that many fast-tracked artists "don’t know the value of that one-to-one" connection.

Mootz is now preparing to release her most mature work yet, an 11-song album titled Human Condition. The record focuses on self-realization and life lessons learned throughout her 20s. One standout track, "Say You Love Me," serves as a personal anthem she wrote to herself after her Idol experience. She explains, "I have a tendency... to write things that I need to hear. Like, that I'm not telling myself yet".