What does it mean to build a home with someone? And what happens when the life we imagine together never comes into existence? In “Play House,” Sarah Khatami explores these questions through an intimate and romantic perspective, while remaining aware of the contradictions that come with love.
In a culture fascinated by the aesthetics of domestic life, the song reflects on intimacy, shared routines, and the idea of a sentimental normality that has yet to exist. Sarah moves between the excitement of imagining a future with someone and the possibility of falling in love with something she has created entirely in her mind. Caught between devotion and expectation, “Play House” explores the difficult line between what could happen and what is actually happening.
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Sarah Khatami
Sarah Khatami
Sarah Khatami
The music video brings this idea to life visually. Sarah longs for a life that never quite materialised. Gradually, cracks begin to appear in the foundations of her fantasy, and the world she has imagined starts to fall apart. The visual narrative follows the emotional tension of the song while preserving its intimate atmosphere.
Originally from Pittsburgh and currently based in Brooklyn, Sarah Khatami is a songwriter whose work draws inspiration from a wide range of musical worlds. Her sound moves between R&B, jazz, indie pop, rock, and traditional Persian music. While her influences shift from one song to another, one element remains constant: clever, narrative-driven songwriting that pays attention to the small details of human experience.
Her artistic identity is also deeply connected to her family background. She grew up surrounded by poetry through her father, who introduced her to the words of Hafiz, Rumi, and Saadi. Her older sisters, meanwhile, introduced her to the music of Lauryn Hill, Fiona Apple, and Tracy Chapman. Between Persian literary traditions and the voices that shaped her musical upbringing, Sarah developed her own way of telling stories.
In June 2024, she released her debut album, stalemate, which received positive coverage from publications including Illustrate Magazine, Obscure Sound, and Cougar Microbes. Her subsequent singles, “Jannah” and “BAD,” also attracted attention, earning recognition from SceneNoise and Cosmopolitan ME, respectively.
Her latest work continues to expand that creative journey. Sarah received fiscal sponsorship from the New York Foundation for the Arts and funding from the New Music USA Creator Fund to develop Shaydaayi (شیدایی), a project bringing together musical reinterpretations of original Persian poems written by her father. It represents another meeting point between her cultural roots, poetry, and her own sensibility as a songwriter.
In Sarah Khatami’s music, songs do more than tell stories; they create emotional spaces where listeners can recognise parts of themselves. “Play House” is a clear example of that ability: a reflection on love, expectations, and the futures we imagine before knowing whether they will ever become real.
The music video brings this idea to life visually. Sarah longs for a life that never quite materialised. Gradually, cracks begin to appear in the foundations of her fantasy, and the world she has imagined starts to fall apart. The visual narrative follows the emotional tension of the song while preserving its intimate atmosphere.
Originally from Pittsburgh and currently based in Brooklyn, Sarah Khatami is a songwriter whose work draws inspiration from a wide range of musical worlds. Her sound moves between R&B, jazz, indie pop, rock, and traditional Persian music. While her influences shift from one song to another, one element remains constant: clever, narrative-driven songwriting that pays attention to the small details of human experience.
Her artistic identity is also deeply connected to her family background. She grew up surrounded by poetry through her father, who introduced her to the words of Hafiz, Rumi, and Saadi. Her older sisters, meanwhile, introduced her to the music of Lauryn Hill, Fiona Apple, and Tracy Chapman. Between Persian literary traditions and the voices that shaped her musical upbringing, Sarah developed her own way of telling stories.
In June 2024, she released her debut album, stalemate, which received positive coverage from publications including Illustrate Magazine, Obscure Sound, and Cougar Microbes. Her subsequent singles, “Jannah” and “BAD,” also attracted attention, earning recognition from SceneNoise and Cosmopolitan ME, respectively.
Her latest work continues to expand that creative journey. Sarah received fiscal sponsorship from the New York Foundation for the Arts and funding from the New Music USA Creator Fund to develop Shaydaayi (شیدایی), a project bringing together musical reinterpretations of original Persian poems written by her father. It represents another meeting point between her cultural roots, poetry, and her own sensibility as a songwriter.
In Sarah Khatami’s music, songs do more than tell stories; they create emotional spaces where listeners can recognise parts of themselves. “Play House” is a clear example of that ability: a reflection on love, expectations, and the futures we imagine before knowing whether they will ever become real.