The seven-piece, indie-pop band Post Saga has been active in the Cleveland music community for the past seven years.
Amidst changing lineups, breakups and diversifying its sound, the band鈥檚 frontwoman, Danna O鈥機onnor, is on a mission to inspire other independent artists, particularly queer musicians and other underrepresented voices.
鈥淚 have a vision and idea of what I want to do and how I want to not only empower my band but empower the music community,鈥� O鈥機onnor said.
Moving from California to Hudson, Ohio, at age 10, O鈥機onnor now resides in Lakewood. Music became a lifeline for the singer-songwriter, especially during the painful breakups she experienced early in her adult life.
鈥淲e did the 鈥榲ery gay thing,鈥� we U-Hauled almost immediately and lived with each other for two months, and then she broke up with me. And it was the end of the world,鈥� O鈥機onnor said. 鈥淚 thought I was going to die.鈥�
O鈥機onnor went to therapy, and her therapist recommended she find a creative outlet to cope.
鈥淚 was like, 鈥業 really miss playing music,鈥欌�� she said.
Shortly after, O鈥機onnor approached some of her musician friends in Hudson to start a new musical project, and was born.
The name means 鈥減ost-story鈥� and was inspired by O鈥機onnor鈥檚 songwriting, which serves as a way to record her life experiences and share them with others after the fact.
鈥淏eing unafraid is so, so big."Danna O'Connor
The band's debut EP in 2017 was born from her struggles, featuring songs that resonated with her heartbreak.
鈥淲e joke a lot in the band that we should just name it 鈥楲esbian Breakup Songs,鈥� because it was just all about my ex-girlfriend and how sad it was and all that,鈥� she said.
What started as a therapeutic outlet has evolved into a full band with a diverse sound, including horns, saxophones and keys, setting Post Saga apart from many groups in the Cleveland music scene.
鈥淚n the scene here in Cleveland, you hear a lot of pop, punk or rock. I want something different,鈥� O鈥機onnor said.
Creating a vision for Post Saga
Post Saga's lineup includes Matt Muenzberg on keys, Luke Mason on guitar, Alex Carlson on drums and Nick Yanosko on bass, with varying horn players per show.
Her vision for the band was clear: To create a sound that stood out.
The band describes itself as 鈥渄istinctively queer and female-fronted鈥� and pulls sonic inspiration from Amy Winehouse and 鈥�70s soul.
鈥淚 think what puts us apart in the musical scene here is, number one, I'm a woman with all male musicians, and we have horns on top of that,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I think that's kind of what people gravitate to when they look for live music, because horns are sexy.鈥�
O鈥機onnor said representation matters to her because she didn鈥檛 have a lot of it growing up, but she doesn鈥檛 want to be known solely as an LGBTQ+ person who happens to make music.
鈥淚 want you to like me because you like my music, not because I'm gay. I think me being gay is the least interesting thing about me and about my band,鈥� she said.
O鈥機onnor emphasized the importance of collaboration and communication within the seven-piece band. As the only female member, she said she has had to assert her voice to ensure her ideas and contributions are recognized.
鈥淵ou just have to be more direct in the way that you speak with them, especially in general. As women, our voices aren't heard, especially in the music scene,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f you notice, a lot of the big acts here are all male led.鈥�
This experience has taught her valuable lessons in communication and leadership, which she now applies to her interactions within the broader music community.
鈥淏eing unafraid is so, so big,鈥� she said.
O鈥機onnor is deeply involved in Cleveland's music scene, often attending open mics and networking with fellow musicians. Her goal is to support and uplift other local artists, offering resources and guidance to those starting out.
"There's a lot of gatekeeping in music communities, and I want to break that cycle," she said.
The comeback album
After releasing two albums, the band called it quits early last year amid growing frustration about writing new music. O鈥機onnor changed her mind earlier this year, realizing the band needed to take a break to realize what they had.
鈥淭he only reason we got back together was because I started actually going to shows and actually feeling inspired to want to write and to, like, be part of the music community,鈥� O鈥機onnor said.
This renewed energy resulted in their latest EP, "," set to release Friday.
The album鈥檚 title track reflects on recurring patterns of behavior and personal growth.
"I wanted to focus more on 'I' instead of 'you' in my songs," she said.
The EP represents a significant evolution from Post Saga鈥檚 earlier work, showcasing O鈥機onnor's introspective lyrics and the band's matured sound.
鈥淚'm just leaning into this idea that we're indescribable and that you just are going to have to listen to find out,鈥� she said.
The band鈥檚 goal for this year is to go on tour for the first time, expanding their reach beyond their hometown.
"We want to see how our vibe resonates outside of Cleveland," she said.
Post Saga plans to tour regionally and will host a local EP release show at Trellis Rooftop in Lakewood, featuring artists Marcus Smith and The Labra Brothers, Saturday.
