SIENA TALKS SOBER

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

‘Sober’ reflects on a friend’s struggle with depression. Do you think having music as an outlet helps you process emotions and support your mental health in a way everyone might not be able to?

Yes. Mental health is definitely something I so deeply care about. Saying that I’ve been through depression myself is an overstatement, but I’ve seen so many people around me, family and friends, go through mental health struggles and it breaks my heart to know that so many lives are lost because the problem was ignored, unseen by people for whatever reason. I take music almost as my own form of therapy I think. Ever since I was maybe twelve, I started writing music during math class, probably not a good idea, and started connecting with kids online who had the same interest as me. We would record songs just for fun, and the community helped me go through a lot of lonely moments as a teenager. We sort of grew up together, my “fans” are my childhood friends, they’re my family that I care so much about, so putting this record out is like telling people I love that they’re not going through it alone.

Is that what you hope for with your music, that it helps people through their own experiences?

Of course I do. I hope they find 'Sober' empowering, and comforting. Even if they don’t understand the Chinese lyrics (laughs).

Is there a difference between speaking these words and turning them into song lyrics. Is it easier to express certain feelings through music?

Absolutely. I am an introvert, so definitely the quiet one in the room. I don’t like talking, in general, because I never feel like I can convey my emotions through words accurately enough. The way I write is very melody and production driven, so I need to put myself in a vibe first whether it be having a melody, or having a sick production element to start with. So it’s definitely easier for me to write the music first, to kind of flesh out the whole concept in written words. Do I get nervous? Sometimes. Never to seem pretentious or anything, but I’ve been writing songs for a long time, and I just grew to be confident about my craft I guess. Also because I think people appreciate honesty and rawness these days.

Why do you think music is an effective healer?

Because it did it for me! (Laughs) Seriously though, music helped me shape who I am as a person. As an only child growing up, it’s my bestest friend like no other, so it definitely holds a special place in my heart.

Do you write everyday?

Nope. I tried doing that, didn’t work for me. But I would say every two days at least.

Of course, there are also pressures and uncertainties uniquely tied to creative industries. How do you see that link?

It depends on what kind of “link” you’re asking here, to be honest I just don’t think it’s something that needs to get better. It’s something we can understand better and get closer to for sure. And of course, if the industry becomes a place with more empathy and love, there definitely won’t be that much depression going on because of what we do. But at the end of the day whatever industry we’re in, whatever climate, and whatever culture we’re showered with, we just need to be kinder and empathize more for that “link” to slowly blur out.

Do you ever struggle with not being fully heard?

Oh yeah. It has definitely gotten to me a fair amount of times that my music is not “there” yet. But nowadays I just see that as a gradual curve to climb. All we can do is to work harder on our music, on strategy, on keeping up with the trend.

Has signing with a major label like Universal Music eased that pressure at all?

Signing with Universal definitely made it easier, because it is a filter for your mind in some ways, but I’ve learned in the past year that knowing who you are as an artist is still far more important, and those questions still need to be answered by ourselves, not by the labels.

Being naturally introverted and often the quiet one, what’s it like for you in situations where speaking up isn't so easy?

Ultimately I think working with a team of people who you mutually trust and respect would be my favorite way of creating. But definitely need space to flesh out my own thoughts during sessions in order to communicate better, and that’s why I love nice studios because it’s just so many empty rooms. I love both.

Would you title yourself a perfectionist?

To a certain degree yes.

If I were twenty-two, bouncing between Shanghai, Boston, and New York, I’d probably be too caught up in everything around me to find space for creativity. How do you manage to keep it up while traveling?

You see I love traveling so much that I find it very inspiring, but I haven’t been able to go around places due to the pandemic. Certainly miss it. I love writing on the train, on the plane, in cars, probably my favorite places to write in are moving vehicles. Now I’m actually based in Beijing, where all the places are at least a forty-minute drive, which is perfect for me! I guess what I’m trying to say is that, I don’t need that pure me-time to write, I’m more like an ambience person, I love writing amongst the noises. If I’m in a quiet room I’d rather let it be quiet and take a bath, that would be my me-time.

It sounded earlier like you started writing music bit out of nowhere?

Like any other Asian kid, I grew up learning to play classical piano. Until middle school, at aorund twelve, I started writing my own songs because I started to get obsessed with Taylor Swift. I was uploading cover songs already, so I thought why not write my own.

What other music did you love early on?

I always loved listening to music after school, before bed on my MP3 player and it helped that my dad has a massive CD collection with artists like Celine Dion, Bob Marley, Shakira, Michael Jackson and so on, all of these legends, thanks to dad.

What accomplishments are you most proud of so far?

Either during college when I made my own vocal effect box, or 'Sober' because I did everything myself in my own mother tongue, from the initial writing to producing, to mixing and mastering.