CYN writes to cynthasize and make sense of this world whirling around her. She writes prayers for kids like us. She wears her emotions outwardly and unabashedly. Through her voice, you can hear her speak of transition, comfort, love, and moving on. Her writing and her music is her escape and her therapy. The rawness of her sound lead her into successful collaborations with Galamatias, JERMS, and others in the music community in Chicago, Los Angeles, and the greater part of this planet. Her reliance on her faith has led her to the recording of her E.P. in L.A. slated for a 2016 release.
Hey Cynthia – We’re glad we could get the chance to speak with you today.
We are big fans of your sound and your music, but before we get into that, we would love to get to know more about your upbringing. We read that you are from a suburb in Chicago and often felt your singing/songwriting was an “escape” from the mundane average day-to-day life you lived in the midwest. Where do you think your love of creating music comes from?
Hi guys! Thanks so much for listening to my music! I was actually born in Pontiac, Michigan and raised in the Walled Lake area (suburbs of Detroit). I moved to Chicago when I was 18 to attend college, but to me, it was less about college and more about making relationships with people, the kind of relationships that could possibly build a big-time career (I always hoped would be in music).
I’m not sure why I love music so much, I think about it often and I’m never able to answer that question perfectly. If anything, it has to do with my insatiable need to express and analyze the way I feel—music is the chalkboard in which I lay my emotional equations.
As a child, my parents went through a pretty tough divorce. As an adult, I realize now I was forced to feel and cope with emotions way beyond my years. Watching my parents experience heartbreak and thus experiencing it with them as a five-year-old is an incredibly heavy thing to have to cope with, and that’s why and when I began writing songs.
In your bio, you mentioned that you “write prayers for kids like us” and love to include themes in your writing about comfort, love, and moving on in life. In a way, you find your craft to be a release from the pressures of life; a soothing therapy that you practice in your self-care ritual. What do you think it is about music that makes it such a healthy outlet?
Something interesting to think about regarding that question is how intangible or how unreal emotions can be to the perceiver. What I mean is, they aren’t actually real, physical things in our life…but we feel their affects! It’s fascinating to me, actually, but I think music provides something tangible in that sense, as in, instead of just feeling my emotions, I get to hear them. When I’m able to hear my emotional experience through a song, I begin to really understand myself more. I think that’s one of the reasons a listener is able to love music too: music has the power to further our understanding of ourselves and people, places, or things we choose to relate to.
Your influences include James Blake, Frank Sinatra, and Fleetwood Mac. These artists share an undeniable ability to soften the toughest souls with their sound and point of view. There is a quality that we hear in your music that gives us a similar feeling. As soon as we put on “Something,” within the first few bars, it’s clear your vocals are a gentle force to be reckoned with. We know Louis the Child produced this track. How did you two connect? Can you tell us about what makes a great collaborative experience?
I was connected to Louis the Child through our mutual friend, Imad Royal (they aren’t joking when they say, “it’s all about who you know!”). Working with Louis the Child was an incredibly heartfelt experience and a moment of my art I will never forget.
What makes a great collaborative experience is a lot of giving and a lot of letting go! As an artist, I want to work with a producer who will try hard to give their absolute best at all times, but also know when to step down and trust my creative input as well. I hold the same standards to myself—I have a lot of great ideas, but sometimes, the producer can hear what doesn’t make sense. It’s up to me to trust them and know when to step down.
We know you are/were in DePaul’s music program, but also read that you were once failed to get accepted there. Failure is something we all have to face in life, as success is never a constant upward journey. If you speak to some of the most successful artists, they’ll tell you about the struggle to stay positive even in the face of rejection. What advice can you give to up and coming artists through your own experiences about overcoming negative feedback or opinions on your craft?
You’re right, I was denied acceptance to DePaul University’s music program and decided that I would go to the business school at DePaul University instead. Thus, I graduated this past June with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems. I could have auditioned for other music schools, but for whatever reason, I was just turned off by the idea. While I do believe a formal education in music is incredibly valuable and beneficial, I always shied away from it (often feeling like an outsider throughout my high school music education, as well). For me, music was always just about the way I was feeling, and that type of learning I was more comfortable exploring by myself.
The advice I would give to aspiring artists facing negative feedback is to never lose that little voice in your mind telling you that you have something special, never let that voice fade away—send love to it every night, say out loud, “I’ve got you, you’ve got me, we’ve got each other, we can do this, and we will!” Speaking yourself into existence is so important! I do it all the time, every night and often when I’m walking alone (kind of like how DJ Khaled strokes his plants and says, “I love you,” it’s the same sentiment).
We respect that your music comes from a place of true individuality. We see the doors opening for you in the jazz and pop realm as you continue to draw inspiration from how you feel and express your point of view. What are some of the things in your life that you draw the most inspiration from?
Honestly, I draw most of my inspiration from extreme emotions I experience. I write my best when I’m extremely happy, extremely sad, extremely angry, or extremely in love—I have a hard time writing something I enjoy when I’m at an emotional equilibrium. It’s a curse almost, and I say that because when I am feeling calm, I have a habit of searching my brain like “Ok, what can I freak out about today…(my love life? No…that’s all good. My best friend? No. School, no…LOL!).
We read that you’re playing a show in LA this Friday July 1 with Khai at Bardot in Los Angeles. Do you enjoy the live aspect of performing? Do you think it’s hard to balance touring with creating music?
I did play a show on July 1 with KHAI. It was amazing. I look up to him as a human being and as an artist.
It is definitely hard to play shows while also trying to write, but it is such an important part of your artistry—you’ve got to learn to enjoy it, for yourself and for your fans!
When can we expect to hear the new EP? Do you have an idea of what you want it to be about?
I really do not have a definite answer for this! I will say that I would love to see it out before next June (if it’s not, even I will be pissed!)—but cross your heart and make a wish: I hope it comes out even sooner.
Thanks so much guys, love ya xox
Listen to more of CYN’s music here.
The Launch 