Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I was born in Auckland, New Zealand but moved to Nelson when I was 10 and am now based here.
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: Not really. I took piano lessons as a kid but I hated practising so I stopped. I took music my first year of high school, but was too shy and terrified of having to sing in front of people so I didn’t continue. I didn’t tell anyone I could sing until about 8 years ago.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘Sylvee’?
A: I was always played a lot of music growing up, as well as lots of theatre productions and soundtracks. I think that’s why I love to combine emotion, classical instruments and alternative/pop production. I was definitely a big Britney and Spice Girls fan! But in terms of starting to write my own music, Lana del Rey, Gregory Alan Isakov, London Grammar, Bon Iver, and Angus & Julia Stone were massive influences for me.
I used to live on Sylvia Road in Northcote, Auckland. That house was always full of happy memories, which is where ’Sylvee’ came from.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Time For the Girls’. Is there a story behind it?
A: We wrote the song about feeling tired of male domination. It’s a moment that sociologically feels like rebellion, but in actual fact is claiming pure equality. Women have been made to feel small all their lives, and with ‘Time For The Girls’, we’re letting you know that we’re not only done with that narrative, but we’re full of power, and we’re not playing around.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Yes! My EP is due for release early next year which I’m super excited about.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: I think just feeling free to be yourself is a big one. I hope that people can relate and feel empowered by my music. At the beginning of Sylvee, my first EP ‘Life on Mars’ was a lot more emotive and a very different sound to what’s coming. I loved creating those songs, but what i’m making now feels a lot more me and explorative with where I’m at.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Absolutely! It’s my favourite thing in the world. Nothing beats the feeling of listening back to something you’ve just made and loving it. It’s also a complete outlet for me. It feels like a therapy session. You get to tell your story and stop it from just rattling around in your head forever.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: It really depends. Sometimes it starts with a beat or an instrument, sometimes the lyrics or melody come first. Often if it’s just me, I’ll start with the piano or guitar. If I’m in a session, it really depends on what’s going on at the time, who the producer is, and what we’re all feeling.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Music wise, definitely learning about how unfair the industry can be. You really do have a responsibility to understand how things work, so that you can protect yourself and your work. It’s so important and I don’t think we get taught that enough at the beginning, which is why so many artists get walked all over.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I have had a couple of really cool Synchs on a couple of US TV shows called ‘Walker’ and ‘The Republic of Sarah’. But with the release of this EP coming, even if 3 people listen to it, I’ll still be so proud of it. It feels really special to me.
LISTEN TO THE ARTIST:
Follow Sylvee:
Spotify – SoundCloud – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram