Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Sye Elaine Spence

Photographed By Alex D Rogers

WHERE DO YOU LIVE AND WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I live in NYC. I grew up here and just moved back from living in Atlanta for about four years.

WHY MUSIC?
I've always been drawn to writing poetry when I was young. It felt like a really natural way to express myself. I spent a lot of time alone as a kid, and it was then that I began experimenting with melodies and songwriting. I loved how melodies could bring words to life and it was really like a second language for me, that I was always intent on mastering and exploring.

WHO WERE YOUR FIRST MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS AND WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO NOW?
So many as far as artists and styles. I think mainly, I was heavily influenced by the female lyricist. Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Kate Bush, among others. Right now, I am very much into Alt-J. I've had them on repeat for about a month.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU CREATIVELY?
Everything. People would be surprised how simply I live and create. I really just collect all of my experiences, as a human, a woman, a mother, a friend, and express them through song. I don't seek, I find. Nature, a smile, a tear, I try to see and understand the source of all those things and connect with that. That is what I think it’s all about. Trying to understand and interpret, this strange and beautiful thing, humanity.

HOW YOU DECIDE ON YOUR ARTISTIC DIRECTION? 
It is the same approach as finding inspiration. I really get visions, or revelations of a story that I have inside of me that I haven't told yet. Its a slow uncovering of some truth that I need to share, and most times, the feelings, the visuals, the words, the melodies, all come to my mind, and I just capture it through the writing, recording processes. I have been also really lucky to have a community of creatives that I collaborate with that kind of vibrate on a similar frequency, and pieces we've done so far, just seem to unfold really organically.

HOW DOES YOUR ARTISTRY MANIFEST ITSELF IN OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE?
I think my art is my life. Everything I do is an expression of who I am inside. So my style reflects that, my home does as well, my relationships. Everything.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU GET UP TO? 
I live the quiet life. When I am not recording, or touring, I'm more than likely, at home, reading, cooking, or curling up with my little one.

HAVE YOU WATCHED ANY GOOD MOVIES RECENTLY?
 Yes, I recently saw “Room” after some friends recommended it. I read the book last year.

IN 2016 YOU’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?
Finishing up a new record.

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