Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A) I grew up in Western Canada on a cattle ranch with my family, and my parents were actually rodeo athletes and that’s how they met! So country music was always playing during my childhood, because it was the music everybody listened to in my circle. It definitely shaped my appreciation for songwriting, so when I decided I wanted to be an artist, the lyrics were naturally coming out in a way that was reflective of the country music I grew up hearing.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Sykamore”?
A) My hope is that if I continue to write and share my music, the people who gravitate towards it will stick around and become lifelong fans. I suppose if someone had never heard my music before, I would tell them the music is emotional, autobiographical, fresh, and full of storytelling.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A) Lots of women in the industry have been inspiring me lately – Taylor (Swift) has been so influential the past few years with everything she has been releasing and the massive success of her tour. She sets a great example for artists who want to write from the heart, and release music that really means something to them as well as their audience. I’m also constantly in awe of Lana Del Rey, another pioneer of writing exactly what you’re feeling in a way that is still accessible. I am mainly inspired by artists who can find a way to tell a story in a way that bridges the gap between their experience and the listener’s experience – I’m also a big student of melody. If you play me a melody that I would never ever think of in a thousand years, it makes me want to go right to the studio and try to come up with something just as fresh!
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the EP, Through the Static?
A) This EP really puts the ‘seasons’ of life and love under a microscope and studies them in their individual states. There are so many different patterns we find ourselves in as we fall in love, as we fall out of love, and everything In between. We experience a range of emotions throughout the journey and each song is sort of one stop on that tour. Two tracks explore the possibility of love or the beginning of a relationship, and the other two explore romances that have ended and the feelings that inevitably come along with that. I called the EP Through the Static after a lyric in one of the unreleased tracks – because the emotions these songs are based on can feel so strong, as if they are cutting through a wall of noise and getting straight to your heart. They are stark and contrasted against everything else you might be feeling.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A) Sincere.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording Through the Static?
A) Writing always comes with its own unique set of challenges, but that’s part of the fun! No two songs are written the same way, so the challenge sometimes can be to just show up and wait for the inspiration to come. It always reveals itself differently, so there is an element of patience you have to practice in the writing room. And when you just want to get the song out and have it FINISHED, it is tempting to get frustrated sometimes. But it always finds a way out, you just have to let it guide you!
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A) My music is rooted in honesty, I like to think. I try to stay true to the things I am passionate about and the feelings I’ve experienced in some way or another. I find that my audience really appreciates when I am writing from a raw, authentic place. There is always a story behind every song and so I suppose the message of my music is be present, feel what’s going on around you, really be mindful of your heart and listen to what it’s telling you. My goals as an artist are to just keeping making art, keep pursuing the opportunities that come across my path, and enjoy the ride. I’d love to continue to play internationally and meet friends and fans all around the world!
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A) Lana Del Rey is probably at the top of that list!
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A) Don’t shy away from the thing that makes you different. It’s tempting to try to copy what someone else has already done, but the journey of figuring out who YOU are and what you bring to the table is so much more rewarding. That is what people want to see and hear. You won’t stand out doing someone else’s bit.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A) I’d tell myself to not worry so much about the future and just enjoy the present moment. There were a lot of moments I think I rushed through because I had a sense that I was going to fall behind if I didn’t keep moving, keep achieving. When the truth is, if you show up every day and work hard, your timing will take care of itself. Worrying about it and rushing through won’t make anything happen any faster so you may as well stop and smell the roses a little bit.
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