Spotlight – Sykamore | Hidden Beats

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Spotlight – Sykamore

Today’s Spotlight – Sykamore. No stranger to the Hidden Beats family, we caught up with the immensely talented Sykamore about her recent release and more. Check it out and show some love!

You said Through The Static aims to relate regardless of where someone is in their love story, could you elaborate more on the perspectives of a love story you share on this release?

As this EP came together, I realized there are two songs about romance beginning, and two songs about it ending. This made me think about all the different emotions one can feel along that journey, and how each stop on that journey is its own experience. I like to think every song on this EP mirrors the string of emotions you go through as you let your guard down, as you discover another person, and ultimately even as you let them go.

You’ve released the single “Emotional”, do you feel your fans relate to it in the way you envisioned?

I like to think so! That one is very much from the perspective of someone who is hoping their crush feels the same way, but they don’t have enough evidence to know for sure yet – which I feel like everyone has experienced at some time or another! So I think it’s a fairly universal feeling.

There have been lots of love stories told in country music’s history. What do you think is the key to giving a fresh perspective when you’re writing your own?

The neat thing about songwriting is even if you are singing about subject matter that’s already been covered, no one has heard YOUR take on it. So in that way, if you are true to your voice – you can write from a place that has never been revealed before, and in that way you keep things fresh. My aim, especially lately, is to sing about what I feel and try not to live up to anything other than whether or not I believe it.

How did you come to work with your producer Bobby Campbell?

Bobby and I were both writing for the same publishing company several years ago, and we were paired up to write by an executive who knew us both separately. I was immediately impressed by him and I knew I wanted to work with him again, so we started writing and building demos together until it became a regular thing. He helped me create what my sound is now, and he is a huge part of my creative process!

Campbell is known for his work on the Nashville TV series, are you a fan of the show?

I am! I know quite a few people who have worked on that show and I am happy that it sparked some worldwide interest in the country music business, and in Nashville itself. Country as a format can sometimes feel very niche but that show definitely brought it into the mainstream and I think we are still seeing the effects of that today.

If yes, did you hear something in the show's music that you thought you would like to incorporate in your own music’s production?

I used to cover “If I Didn’t Know Better” in my acoustic sets back in the day, so yes! I like the fresh angles and the depth of the songwriting – it’s definitely something I try to emulate in my own music.

Which track on the Through The Static do you feel describes where you currently are in your love story?

“Highway Towns” really hits home for me because I am still traveling so much, and I often see road signs for towns that represent people from my past and I can’t help but think about them – which is really what the song is all about!

Couple fun questions now, you’ve shared some photos of your parent’s in the rodeo on your social media, can you tell us about their careers in rodeo and why you’re obsessed with those photos of them?

My parents met each other through rodeo back in the 80s! My dad is a Canadian champion tie down roper/bareback rider/steer wrestler/team roper, and my mom is an FCA barrel racing champ, so we have binders full of pictures of them competing back at the farm. I love looking at those pictures because they give me a glimpse of my parents when they were my age, and I get to know who they were and the ambitions they had before they settled down and had kids. I’m also just proud of them both for having the drive and the discipline to achieve what they have in their lives.

We also want to know, what is your fascination with the Golden Girls?

I started watching Golden Girls when I was a tween, when they aired a lot of the syndicated re-runs on TV. I thought it was so funny and smart, so I showed it to my friends, and they all became obsessed with it just like me. So it ended up sort of weaving its way into the tapestry of my adolescence and now I just have such fond memories of it that it’s a comfort show for me. I have most of the episodes memorized at this point! I have so much respect for all four of those ladies – they defied a lot of pop culture expectations on that show. At the time of its airing, it was virtually unheard of to have a sitcom with no male lead, and no one in the main cast over 40. But people adored it, and it ran for 7 seasons. And it’s still wildly popular today!

What is your favourite episode?

I have so many. There is one where Dorothy’s old classmate comes to town for a visit, and it turns out she and Dorothy have a longstanding history of playing practical jokes on each other – so the entire episode is just an onslaught of pranks and the stakes keep getting higher and higher until the day of their high school reunion. It’s so great!

Finally, which Golden Girl do you think would enjoy your music the most and why?

I love this question. Although it’s really hard to answer! I think Blanche might like it the most, because she is from the south and her dad actually briefly pursues a career in country music on the show, so I think it’s likely she’s a country fan! But I could also see Dorothy liking it, because she is always very affected by music and art and literature. It’s a toss up!

Spotlight – Sykamore is a wrap! It was great getting to catch up with such a talented person!

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