Sydney Leigh is a 15-year-old pop sensation from Lake Orion, Michigan who recorded her first track at the tender age of 12. We got excited over her EP ‘Crazy Beautiful’ which dropped earlier this year, and caught up with her to find out what makes her tick. Read the interview below.
1) How old were you when you started singing? Do you write your own music?
I started singing when I was five years old. I was involved in musical theater and private singing lessons. When I was 10 I started to write my own music. I started to take my music very seriously and spent a lot of time writing. I loved the thought of being able to take my own feelings, lyrics, and ideas and portray them into a song.
2) How do you make time for school in between becoming an up and coming singing sensation? Or are you rock n roll enough to a have a tutor who follows you round?
School has always been an important part of my life. I take my grades very seriously and have been on honor roll and have had straight “A’s” my whole life. I’ve noticed that as my music gets busier it is harder to focus on school. I am getting better with planning my time so that I will continue to have success in school.
4) Can you talk us through the concept for the video of ‘Crazy Beautiful’? Looks like you’re having a hoot.
It was so much fun to shoot “Crazy Beautiful”! Everyone on set was so much fun and hard working! I wanted the lyrics in the song to really shine through in the video. When you listen to the song most people just dance to it and don’t listen to the message. The concept of the video was to show you how to be yourself and how people off all different “cliques” can come together. The video show’s teens at prom or homecoming that are initially separated by their social status and eventually come together as one.
5) Any time for boys? You must be fighting them off now that you’re a pop diva. Haha 🙂
I would say that I am definitely getting more attention sense my EP has come out, but between balancing my music career and school there is no time for boys 🙂
6) Who are your biggest musical influences?
My biggest musical influences are Katy Perry, and Christina Aguilera. Christina is one of the reasons I started singing, her album “Stripped” came out right when I started to sing. Her amazing vocals completely inspired me to sing! Katy Perry is an amazing artist who writes her own music and is an amazing performer! I love her style of music and her originality.
7) Have you decided what your next single is going to be?
I haven’t officially decided what my next single will be, but I will be recording in the near future!
8) When and where can I catch you live?
I play live all around Michigan, but hopefully I am going to start performing nationally! You can see me March 26th performing my own halftime show for NBA team The Detroit Pistons! I will be performing with the Piston’s Dancers at the Palace of Auburn Hills!
9) If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life … what would it be? (Mine’s In n Out animal style in case you are interested)
I am always up for sushi, I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! I would definitely eat sushi for the rest of my life!
10) Which 5 songs are playing on your iPod right now?
“Burn” by Ellie Goulding, “Neon Lights” by Demi Lovato, “All of Me” by John Legend, “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry, and “Pretty Hurts” by Beyonce are 5 songs playing on my iPod now that I could listen to over and over!