Sho Mag Afro House Magazine
ShoMag: You have had countless ‘chart topping releases’ which also include your debut EP ‘Under the Winter’. Where does ‘Sió’ draw inspiration for her ‘unique sound’?
Sió: Uniqueness comes from owning yourself and taking the pains to discover and rediscover yourself. ‘I often find inspiration for a song in the music itself’. The stories are drawn from life, my own and those who walk with me and those who walk beside me.
I try very hard to deviate from what I’ve done before. ‘When I feel a song is beginning to sound like something else’s I’ve done, or heard, I stop working on it’. I also don’t listen to music when I’m writing songs, so I don’t bite flows or lyrics that I didn’t come up with. For me it has to be new and come from me and the music. ‘And I read, A LOT!!!’
ShoMag: If I may say ‘last year was a memorable one’ for you in terms of releases, features and live performances. Is there any ‘particular highlight’ worth mentioning from that year?
Sió: ‘What a wow for me, there are a lot!!!!’ I have always dreamt of working with legends such as Atjazz and Osúnlade, and to have them work with my voice on the spectacular 1000 memories Dream remix package along with Fred Everything and Karisma is a dream come true for me , and I didn’t even know that was the plan! Then to have Osúnlade smack me upside the head with the ‘Words Remix’ made my year! It was also great to have 1000 Memories win record of the year of the 1st House Music Awards last year and I am thankful for being part of that.
ShoMag: On that ‘last year tip’, ‘traxsource’ announced you as their ‘Number 9 Vocalist For 2017’ and that is across the ‘Globe’. How did that feel seeing that you really did ‘put in some work’?
Sió: I was STUNNED!!!! What an honour!!! I didn’t even know people were listening. Just to be among all the amazing vocalists and storytellers on the globe. ‘Me, the girl from Ennerdale, the place people drive pass and pay no mind to, is Number 9 in the whole world’? It makes me very happy that people are listening.
ShoMag: ‘Big up’ on your recent chart topping collaboration titled ‘A Dream Away’ with ‘UPZ’. How did the collaboration come about?
Sió: The wonderful, talented and amazing Cueber had recorded me for a few songs on the rkls album and he also produced 800 minutes. He liked what I did and suggested me to UPZ.
ShoMag: What is instore for us this year from ‘Sió’, are there any musical projects you are currently working on for 2018?
Sió: There are collaborations with Rkls, Revolution, Magic Number, Charles Webster, Dwson, Fred Everything coming out this year. I am also working on a couple of projects with Luka, Daev Martian and Jullian Gomes in the future.
ShoMag: Any last words from ‘Sió’ and is there any message from you to your fans out there?
Sió: There are truths we all share, that should bring us closer to love, kindness, compassion and understanding. Our differences shouldn’t have as much power as they do. We all love music and no matter where you come from that’s a language we all understand. ‘In music, let us love’. Love ourselves enough to be true to who we are, love each other without judging what is different Be yourself, enthusiastically, authentically and recognise that ‘those who judge your difference, don’t have your courage’.
‘I stand on the shoulders of giants’! And I thank everyone who has seen something in me, who has guided, taught, recorded, directed, pushed me, written and composed with me in mind and in song. ‘I appreciate you more than I can express’.
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