Exclusive Interview with SYDNE STRAUSS

Taiwanese-American singer, songwriter, and producer Sydne Strauss. Strauss was raised in the rural suburbs of Peculiar, Missouri, a small town, but her aspirations had always been much bigger. Strauss began performing in musicals at the age of 7, and she continued to do so throughout high school, but she never quite had the same passion for performing her own songs as she did for singing others’. When Strauss graduated from high school at the age of 18, she immediately boarded a plane at LAX with the intention of pursuing a career in music. She has learned more about her true sound as she has released more music. You can follow her journey from here.
She holds great affection for ‘Upstairs’ because it was this song that inspired her to pursue “soft hyper-pop.” The instrumentals begin quietly before evolving into a dance song with more of an 808 feel. She had a lot of fun writing something that can make listeners happy because occasionally, that’s what people need to hear. In order to connect with her family and other Chinese people, she also included Chinese at the end of the hook. She makes the song more personal to her as an artist by incorporating elements of her culture. Check out the song and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

SYDNE STRAUSS: My name is Sydne Strauss. I am 19 years old and from Peculiar, Missouri. I started singing and writing songs at a very young age. Music has always been a very important part of my life because it gave me the outlet to express myself in a way words never could. I always knew I wanted to move to Los Angeles to pursue my music career and so when I turned 18 I came out here and began my journey. I had written so many songs over the years but I did not have any connections to the music industry at the time so I did not really know where to start. That was when I decided to do it all on my own. I spent hours teaching myself how to use Logic Pro and during that time I ended up producing the track to one of my songs based on the idea I had in my head. I then booked a nearby recording studio and released my debut single PARASITE in August 2021, about one month after moving to LA.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

SYDNE STRAUSS: I was a classically trained singer for about 5 years and I am a self taught producer.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘SYDNE STRAUSS’?

SYDNE STRAUSS: Since I grew up listening to a lot of early 2000’s music, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Rihanna, P!nk and Katy Perry were my first and still are my top influences. My real name is Sydney Strauss and I was always told by others that it was naturally a great artist name because of the double S’s. I decided to drop the “y” at the end because I thought it looked more edgier when spelt out.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

SYDNE STRAUSS: I think what stands out the most in my music is the unique combination of my voice and the production behind it. My voice is definitely the main instrument I use when making any song. My voice can be very powerful if needed, for example, during the climax of a song. It can also be

very soft and angelic. My vocal range is very wide so I can sing super high notes that make great effects and also low for fuller harmonies. My voice combined with electronic style production, creates a sound that is unique, fun, and easy to listen to.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as EDM?

SYDNE STRAUSS:

It took me very long to find my style of music. I definitely am still on that journey of figuring that out but I can see what I have been sticking with. Originally I wanted to go the pop-punk route because at the time it was trending with artists like Machine Gun Kelly and Olivia Rodgrigo, but I started to realize it was not for me. After a while of trying different things I started to think back on my original influences, the ones that inspired me to become a singer in the first place. The electronic/hyper/dance pop genre was always what made me feel good and I always told myself that was the kind of music I wanted to make.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

SYDNE STRAUSS:

I am not opposed to adding themes such as politics, society, or religion in music. Personally I have not made any music related to those themes, they are more about my personal narrative and entertainment.

7. 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, or different in the future?

SYDNE STRAUSS:

I get 100% the amount of fulfillment when I put in the work. When I was younger and just writing songs in a notebook, I would sing them outloud in the shower or driving around wishing I could just play it off of something. Being able to go to my profile on spotify and play all my songs is something I could only dream of back then. It is a great feeling seeing how far I have come from that and what more to expect in the future.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

SYDNE STRAUSS:

My recent creative process starts out with me having an idea in my head. If not I will start producing the beat then lay out melodies and fill it in with lyrics. I have a home studio now where I will record the demo version and then take it to my producer, who will mix it and make it sound even better.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

SYDNE STRAUSS:

The hardest thing I had to endure was being bullied in school. I always knew I had talent and was not afraid to show it which caused others to tease and isolate me. Their words did hurt me alot but I still never let them dim my light. I was very lonely which I got used to and I think it shaped me into the person I am today. I am okay with being alone and having a small circle.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

SYDNE STRAUSS: Definitely the day I released my first single. I was so excited to be able to play it on Spotify. My friends and family were also very proud of me which made me really happy.