Harry Styles Drummer – Sarah Jones

Sarah Jones is a professional drummer and backing vocalist who has been working with Harry Styles since Harry’s world tour in 2017. As a professional drummer for over 10 years, she has played with several well-known musicians such as Bat For Lashes and the bands Hot Chip and Bloc Party.

Who is Sarah Jones?

Sarah Jones is a 37-year-old professional musician, born in London, England. She is Harry Styles’ drummer and is married to Mitch Rowland, Harry Styles’ guitarist. Aside from that, she is a founding member of NYPC, an electronic music band, and is notably acknowledged as a versatile and talented session and touring musician.

In her journey as a musician, she started by playing the piano when she was young but felt it wasn’t for her. When her cousin taught her basic drum beats, she fell in love with the instrument and knew that it was her true passion. She has been perfecting her craft ever since.

While doing her own thing, she collaborated with local bands and took on more projects that required traveling to various places. She launched an electropop project in music under the moniker Pillow Person which contains electropop-inspired tracks.

Jones is known for her natural groove and feel for the music that she plays, which is evident in her live performances with Harry Styles and Bat For Lashes, Hot Chip, Bloc Party, and Puscifer. Her vocals are also on par.

Combined with her musical versatility, this makes her an in-demand drummer for both studio recordings and live shows. With her continuous successful touring, recording, and session work, Sarah Jones is quickly establishing herself as one of the most in-demand drummers of this generation.

How did Sarah Jones become Harry Styles’ drummer?

Sarah Jones, a backing drummer and vocalist for Hot Chip, often plays with DJ “Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.” The DJ was previously in a relationship with Harry Styles’ Creative Director and was responsible for finding Style’s backing band.

She was offered the job when she was in Mexico for vacation and was planning to tour with a metal band that will open for Iron Maiden. She cut her trip short and went back to London to audition for the position. Although she was unfamiliar with Style’s music, she decided to take a shot. Despite not knowing what to expect, Jones took on the challenge and has been touring with Styles ever since.

What is Sarah Jones’ drumming style?

Harry Styles’ drummer Sarah Jones is known for her versatility as a drummer. Her taste in music is eclectic, spanning from metal to blues. Her drumming style revolves around the use of electronic gadgets such as an electronic trigger pad and drum pad which is known as a hybrid drum.

She is known for playing different genres such as new wave, synth, and pop where she is able to switch from one style to another with ease. Jones is an extremely talented and assertive drummer. She is well known for her ability to lay down a groove, keep it going, and add intricate fills that complement the song.

What drum kit does Sarah Jones use?

Sarah Jones uses an acoustic drum with an electronic trigger pad, specifically the Roland Bar BT-1. This allows her to play a dynamic sound regardless of the level of force that she uses when striking it. The BT-1 is the perfect trigger pad for those who want zero crosstalks, as it ignores vibrations from the drum kit and can only be triggered when hit with a drumstick.

With its small and flexible design, it makes it easier to carry when touring. In addition, Jones uses the Roland acoustic V-Drums with an SPD-SX Sampling Pad for easy triggering custom samples. She uses it to enhance sound quality, and store clips, loops, tracks, and one-shot sounds. Drummers can trigger, store, and record a wide range of sounds in real time. It also helps make a high-quality sound like any other live performance without having to change the acoustic drumkit’s setup.

Jones’ hybrid setup is the perfect example of a drummer who is able to play any genre with confidence because of her efficient drum kit. The SPD-SX Sampling Pad and Roland Bar BT-1 allow her to play any style with ease and give her the ability to switch from one genre to another without missing a beat.

Does Sarah Jones have a solo career?

Sarah Jones has a solo career in addition to being the drummer for Harry Styles. She releases songs under the moniker “Pillow Person” and tours with other bands such as NYPC and Hot Chip.

Based on Spotify records, Pillow Person uploaded its first single in 2016 named “Go Ahead” followed by “On Your Way,” “Kitchen,” “Bleu,” and “Music For 8pm.” These tracks contain electro-pop tunes that you’d want to listen to when you are partying with friends or having a night out.

While being preoccupied with a flourishing solo career and touring, she also did an extensive amount of session work for other bands and artists. Jones somehow still found time to play with Harry Styles while continuing to produce her own songs.

Recently, she collaborated with Anthony Silvester on musical projects under the name “Technology + Teamwork.” Their first release was a single called ‘We Used to be Friends.’ The song has a retro synth-wave tune blended with a modern pop twist. The track gives off an electronic-retro vibe with a basic beat that is catchy and will make you want to groove.

Conclusion

Sarah Jones is a talented drummer who is able to play any genre with confidence. She has a versatile drumming style that allows her to switch from one genre to another with ease. Her drum kit is the perfect example of a hybrid setup that allows her to play any style of music.

In addition to being the drummer for Harry Styles since Harry Styles’s world tour in 2017, Sarah Jones also has a solo career where she releases songs under the nickname “Pillow Person.” She is a talented musician with a bright future in the music industry.

Sarah Jones Featured Image by: Pistenwolf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mike O'Connor
Mike O'Connor

I've been playing drums for over 18 years. I work as both a session drummer and a drum teacher, and I love to share my knowledge and tips on this site. You can also find me on the Electronic Drum Advisor YouTube channel.

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