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This 16-year-old Canadian is fast gaining popularity as one of music’s cool new rockers to watch out for. The Record presents an exclusive conversation with Skye Sweetnam.
The Record: In your song Hypocrite you’re being kind of psychic about the things that people would say about you when you were launched. Tell us more.
Skye Sweetnam: Yes, that song I wrote because I wanted to let everybody out there know that no matter what you’re going to say about me, I’m always going to do what I want, no matter what. And I kind of wanted to beat to the chase all the critics and the people that try to put you in a box, and say ‘I know you’re going to say mean things about me but I’m still going to do exactly what I want’.
TR: And what is Sharada about?
SS: That song is about a girl that grows up and has a song stuck in her head and maybe she has a dream stuck in her head that she can’t get out and she just drifts through everyday life and nobody really knows what she’s thinking about. And the word ‘sharada’, some people take it as a name, like it’s a name of a girl, for me it was just a sing-song word.
TR: How did you decide to do cover the Blondie song Heart Of Glass?
SS: I love that song and I just wanted to do my own version and show people that I love Deborah Harry’s work and I think that people when they compare me to other artists, it’s a jumping off point to say that I really admire this female rocker, she’s full of class and she really likes to rock. I also wanted for the younger generation who hasn’t heard a lot of these songs in the past to start getting into older music because it is really really great.
TR: You do get compared a lot to some artists. What is your approach to that?
SS: I always say that it doesn’t really affect me because I will let people say what they say and I know that everybody has their own opinions and there’s a lot of really great artists out there and it’s really flattering sometimes to be compared to them. But sometimes it does get a little frustrating when people don’t treat me like an individual. And my whole life I’ve really wanted to be an individual and find my own self and be a unique human being and some people won’t see that and that’s just the way there are. And you know what, I shouldn’t feel bad because there are some people that want to get to know me, and there are some people that can’t be bothered and just want to put you in a box and compare you to other people. I don’t worry about that too much, I just keep doing what I’m doing.
TR: You were touring with Britney Spears–how was that?
SS: A lot of fun. I got to play in front of thousands of people every single night! It was an amazing sound system and an amazing stage with one of the biggest pop icons of my time. It was great!
TR: Any interesting stories from that tour?
SS: I puked on a radio programmer. I was sick while touring and I had a radio interview and I just kind of vomited all over him. In Germany somewhere I think.
TR: You’ve been travelling to a lot of different places – have any of them specifically inspired new songs for you?
SS: A couple of instances where I’ve been inspired not just because I’ve been there but because I really wanted to go there. I wrote a song, it’s not on the album, but it’s called Tidal Wave. Actually I speak Japanese in it a little bit, and I talk about tsunamis and all that good stuff. It’s about being swallowed up by a tidal wave. It’s amazing. I really love Japan I love the style, the food, experiencing different cultures so for me it was a blast.
You can read the rest of our exclusive with Skye Sweetnam in the December 2004 issue of The Record Music Magazine available at your local newsagent.
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