She’s a bubbly burst of energy who recently entered the local music scene – SUYEN sprinkles in her feminine punk-rock energy to blast the inner fervor of today’s youth with relatable yet catchy lyrics talking about the crazy experience it is to have so much going on as a young creative.
In this CLAVEL feature, we take a step back and talk to her on the path she’s currently on and how she navigates through it.
Music in Her Blood
SUYEN was destined for music ever since growing up as a little Marikina girl, being enclosed in a home surrounded with music courtesy of her dad. She was headstrong and laser focused in pursuing music, learning guitar at the age of 10, and by the end of high school, had already learned how to record music – sometimes acting as an opener for her dad’s gigs.
Fueled by passion and crediting the local indie scene for her spark, she cites Clara Benin as one of the first artists she fell in love with. Another artist she found herself enamored with was Veruca Salt, an American alternative rock band from the 90’s fronted by a pair of rock-laced women in Louise Post and Nina Gordon, in which listening to them fully realized SUYEN’s idea of making a splash in the male dominated genre here in the country.
Vibe Check
When writing songs, it’s all about the vibe. She curates a specific playlist to get a certain feel for what sounds she would want to make, and then escapes into the playlist for hours until the jolt of creative energy would strike for the magic to happen.
“It’s very important to show up. It doesn’t matter if maganda or panget, kasi di mo alam kung kailan ibibigay ni universe yung magic.”
Mirroring her sound’s visual aesthetic, she presents herself in a way that matches it based on influences and personal taste.
Her debut EP features tracks that are sown together with a carefree, jumpy vibe – exploring not just her life’s experiences but different genres as well. Bente and Teka Lang offer a galore of guitar riffs and catchy choruses that lets her organize the randomness of her thoughts into 3 minute tunes.
Meanwhile, Isang Linggong Maghihintay and Something ‘bout U bring the same amount of leaning towards her vulnerabilities in her lyrics, but more on the love aspect of the emotional spectrum while mellowing it down a bit to help convey the sincereness of her feelings.
These tracks offer a look at the feminine rockstar’s world of rushing into uncertainties all while under the process of discovering herself.
Under Pressure
Not everything’s all fun and figured out when you’re 21, especially with rising expectations from your audience and even yourself – the would’ves and should’ves all closing in at the same time. SUYEN has been open to dealing with these kinds of colorful riots in her head but she still continues to deliver music that’s real to her, still finding enjoyment in living the dreams that she has worked hard for.
The inner distress and rumbling thoughts inside her psyche led her to channel these into her songs, bringing an angsty energy that resonates with the youth of today that face similar problems, and even those of an older generation – tapping into the relatability of bellowing out hazy ideas into clarity-filled songs.
Still filled with a raging creative mind, SUYEN has only just begun to break the ceiling of what she can offer as a rising rockstar in today’s scene.
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