By Phil Lacombe
Out of the Coachella Valley’s endless stretch of desert quiet and late-night glow comes The Sieve and the Saddle, a duo built on contrast, chemistry, and storytelling that feels carved straight from the landscape itself.
Made up of Morgan Alise Carmona and Johnny Carmona, the pair create music that blends Americana, folk, and desert-tinged rock into something emotionally direct and sonically expansive. Their songs don’t just sit in a genre—they drift between them, pulling in grit, warmth, tension, and release in equal measure.
At its core, The Sieve and the Saddle is about balance: voice and guitar, softness and edge, personal truth and shared experience. Whether in the studio or on stage, they bring a sound that feels both intimate and wide open, like a conversation happening under desert stars that somehow belongs to everyone listening.
CVW: How did The Sieve and the Saddle first come together as a musical duo?
S&S: We met playing in a couple different cover bands, but once we started writing original music as an acoustic duo in 2018, we created The Sieve & The Saddle.
CVW: What does the name “The Sieve and the Saddle” represent to you both?
S&S: Queen Elizabeth I was painted holding a sieve inscripted “The Good fall through and the Bad remain in the saddle” symbolizing, in part, the dichotomy of morality. Many of our songs grapple with duality in the world, good vs evil, imposter syndrome, judgment and self reflection.
CVW: If you had to describe your sound using only three words, what would they be?
S&S: Americana Indie Rock
CVW: The Coachella Valley plays a big role in the local music scene, how has it shaped your songwriting?
S&S: Our music is shaped by the experiences we’ve lived, which in turn is shaped by the people we surround ourselves with. The Coachella Valley is our home and the music scene here is incredible. We are fortunate to have a supportive environment here where musicians feel comfortable to be vulnerable and really lay their hearts out on the stage. It’s infectious and allows us to be vulnerable in our writing and performance.
CVW: What’s your typical songwriting process like, does it start with lyrics, guitar, or a shared idea?
S&S: Generally Morgan writes lyrics and melody to a few simple chords and Johnny takes it to the next level filling in the intricate guitar phrasing and rocking solos. Then we work together to come up with a killer bridge and make tweaks where needed.
CVW: What song in your catalog feels the most personal or difficult to write, and why?
S&S: Morgan here. One of our newest songs, Mary, poured out in just an hour, but it really lays bare all of my insecurities and can be difficult to perform when I think people are really listening.
CVW: How do you balance creative differences when you don’t immediately agree on a direction?
S&S: Johnny here. Morgan’s the boss. Happy wife. Happy life.
CVW: What has been your most memorable live performance so far, and what made it stand out?
S&S: We were invited out to Idyllwild to play a show in this outdoor space on the side of a beautiful green hill with some really accomplished musicians. The show ran all day as the community showed up to enjoy. Everyone was singing and vibing. It was very inspiring.
CVW: What’s next for The Sieve and the Saddle that fans should be watching for?
S&S: Last year we released over 50 videos of us playing live on YouTube and we’re currently writing a new album that we’ll be excited to share soon!
CVW: Where can fans find you?
www.youtube.com/@thesieveandthesaddle
IG & FB @thesieveandthesaddle
And we play live every 1st Thursday of the month at Plan B Live Entertainment & Cocktails
The Coachella Valley has always been a place where music develops in the space between isolation and inspiration and The Sieve and the Saddle fit right into that tradition. With a sound shaped by contrast and connection, Morgan and Johnny continue to build a catalog that reflects both the rawness of experience and the beauty found in telling the truth out loud.
That’s a wrap on this week’s Local Music Spotlight, but the party doesn’t stop here. Hit the shows, feel the beats, and keep the valley’s music scene thriving. Because around here, the next song that changes your life might be playing tonight.
