Valarie Kaur's Sage Warrior book is accompanied by an original soundtrack composed by musician and trumpeter Sonny Singh, who created a distinct musical piece for each story in the collection. Singh's fiery trumpet and powerful voice guide listeners into what Kaur describes as "new experiences of the sacred," making the album a companion listening experience to the written work. The album releases September 6th, with the book following on September 10th.
What is the Sage Warrior album?
The Sage Warrior album is an original composition by Sonny Singh, a musician and trumpeter who has worked closely with Valarie Kaur. Rather than being a standard companion soundtrack, Singh created original music specifically designed to accompany each of the stories contained in Kaur's Sage Warrior book. This approach transforms the album from background music into an integral part of the storytelling experience, where the compositions are meant to deepen and expand how readers connect with the narratives.
Kaur presents Singh as a "long time brother," indicating a deep creative partnership and trust. This relationship shaped the album's conception—Singh did not simply compose generic pieces, but rather engaged directly with the stories themselves to create music that would "usher listeners into new experiences of the sacred." This intentional pairing suggests that the album works best when engaged with the book, creating a multimedia experience rather than two separate works.
How does the music enhance the storytelling experience?
The album uses two primary musical elements to deepen the storytelling: Singh's fiery trumpet and his powerful voice. These are not incidental details—Kaur explicitly highlights them as the vehicles through which the music "ushers us into new experiences of the sacred." The trumpet, with its bright, penetrating tone, can evoke intensity, urgency, and spiritual calling. Singh's vocal work adds a layer of human intimacy and emotional directness to the narratives.
By creating one original composition per story, Singh ensures that the music responds to the specific emotional and thematic content of each narrative. This approach prevents the listener from settling into a single musical mood; instead, each story brings its own sonic landscape. The integration of music and text invites readers to engage more deeply—not just with words on a page, but with the feeling-states and spiritual dimensions that the music illuminates.
Kaur's invitation—"I invite you to listen to his music as you read the stories"—suggests a reading practice that is neither purely visual nor purely auditory, but synesthetic. Readers are encouraged to move between the words and the sound, allowing each medium to inform their experience of the other.
When are the album and book releases?
The album release precedes the book by four days. The Sage Warrior album becomes available on September 6th, while the book launches on September 10th. This staggered release may allow listeners to first experience the music and then discover how it maps onto the written stories. Alternatively, it creates an anticipatory window where those who have the book can begin pairing it with the freshly released soundtrack.
Who is Sonny Singh?
Sonny Singh is a musician and trumpeter with enough standing that Valarie Kaur entrusted him with the entire original soundtrack to her book project. The fact that Kaur describes him as her "long time brother" indicates a relationship beyond mere professional collaboration—this is a deep creative partnership rooted in trust and shared purpose. Singh brings both instrumental prowess (evidenced by references to his "fiery trumpet") and vocal capability to the work, giving him the range to create varied, emotionally resonant compositions across multiple stories.
Where to go from here
For those interested in exploring the intersection of music and spiritual storytelling, the Sage Warrior project offers a direct entry point. The recommendation is to experience both media—listen to Singh's album while reading Kaur's book—rather than engaging with one or the other in isolation. This integrated approach honors the intention behind the project: that music and narrative together create a fuller encounter with the sacred dimensions of the stories being told.
More information about both the album and book is available at www.sagewarrior.us.
