A Chat with Sid Dorey (05.05.25)
Sid Dorey is rapidly establishing themselves as one of indie-pop’s most exciting new voices. Their sophomore EP, Middle Seat, is a vulnerable journey through grief, growth, and belonging. We speak with Sid Dorey about all things Middle Seat below.
OSR: Middle Seat is such a personal and vulnerable EP. What was the emotional starting point for this project?
Dorey: I just started writing from experiences that were happening in my life. I didn’t want anything to feel inauthentic, or like I was writing for a specific theme. For me, a lot of these songs started from a place of pain and being unfiltered. I walk into writing sessions just talking about what has been happening, good or bad.
OSR: You’ve said the middle seat can be both uncomfortable and joyful. How did that metaphor shape the arc of the songs?
Dorey: One of my favourite ways to process emotions is by driving with my friends late at night. Some of my most painful and celebratory times have been in a car with friends with the windows down. I wanted to use that metaphor, because the car shows a sense of freedom, but the middle seat can be an uncomfortable seat. I tried to show both joy and pain in all of these songs through the production, melody, and lyrics.
OSR: What was the hardest song on the EP for you to write — emotionally or creatively?
Dorey: Definitely the song ‘Unlovable’. When I wrote this song, I was living in a cigarette-infested apartment and dealing with some mental health struggles. I was in a kind of dark place, and having a hard time reaching out for help. I also felt really guilty when I asked for help. To put those true stories down in writing made me really emotional. I also recorded the vocals a billion times, because I really wanted the raw emotion to come through. I recorded both versions of me singing the entire song all the way through, and versions of me punching into the sections, just so we would have more options.
OSR: There’s a thread of grief and identity loss throughout the EP. How did processing those themes change you as a person and an artist?
Dorey: The grief is actually through the lens of my aunt. She inspired me to write the song ‘What Comes With Heaven’ because she was going through a lot of grief at the time, and I have always looked up to her. This conversation was really important to me because it was the first conversation that felt more like a grown-up conversation. I’ve always seen myself in her, so to see her in so much pain felt really striking. Neither of us believes in heaven, but her parents wholeheartedly believe in heaven. There are so many layers to it, and I really wanted to find a way to process our conversation through music. Regarding identity loss, I feel like I’m always having an identity crisis.
OSR: How did your experience growing up in Florida and then moving to Nashville shape your sense of “belonging” — a theme central to Middle Seat?
Dorey: Middle Seat was heavily inspired by growing up in Florida, especially the title track. A lot of my friends were in rough housing situations growing up, and I wanted to write a song that showed how proud I was of them, and also tell their stories in a way.
OSR: Your storytelling is incredibly raw. Where do you draw the courage to be that open, especially on topics like religious trauma and strained family ties?
Dorey: I think there is more strength in telling the truth in who you are, instead of hiding it. By sharing different parts of me that may be painful, I’m hoping that others can relate, and find comfort.
OSR: You’ve talked about the idea of choosing who surrounds you. How has your circle influenced this new era of your music?
Dorey: One of the best parts of being in your 20’s is deciding who you’re around. You have complete agency over who you spend your time with. I have genuinely felt safe and comfortable EP with the people I surround myself with now, and that definitely hasn’t always been the case.
OSR: Sonically, how did you want Middle Seat to evolve from your debut, Drama in Doses?
Dorey: Middle Seat has a lot more joy and hope to me than drama in doses. It has more of an alternative edge to it as well that I love.
OSR: Many of your fans connect with your music through the lens of queer identity. How does your queerness influence your songwriting?
Dorey: Since the beginning of this EP, I started to consider how someone who hasn’t come out yet would feel listening to every song before I officially finished it. I really want anyone who feels like an outcast in any way to relate to my music, even if they’re not queer. But I write everything through a queer identity, so naturally it’ll be queer.
OSR: If you could send one message to listeners who feel stuck in their own “middle seat”, what would it be?
Dorey: As I said in the title track, “your life has just begun… you’ll find safety, you’ll find comfort”.
Many thanks to Sid Dorey for speaking with us. Find out more about Sid Dorey on their Instagram and Spotify.
