Weâve had the pleasure of interviewing CALYN, a rising artist, young talent, and a California native! CALYN is known for her solo songs, including her most recent âTrickyâ, âFallingâ and several other singles. CALYN creates stunning pieces in alternative R&B, quickly becoming a prodigy and an inspiration for other young people. Read the interview below.
Let’s talk about your musical influences. Who inspires you and how does your music reflect those influences?
One of my biggest musical influences for sure has to be JhenĂ© Aiko. I think everything ranging from her lyricism to her melodies is so admirable so she is most definitely somebody that I look up to in the field of music. Iâm not even sure I could say any of my music reflects her influence to the ear, but more so my mentality during the creative process. Our styles are very different but something about the way she moves in the industry has always inspired and motivated me to keep it pushing.
Top three collabs?
This is always a tough question to answer but the first one would probably have to be JhenĂ© for all the reasons I listed and more. I think for me, I would definitely consider myself stubborn when it comes to my craft, mostly meaning that if I donât think somethingâs at its full potential, Iâm not going to do anything with it. Therefore, I feel like working with an artist that influences me so much, like JhenĂ©, could really teach me to be a better overall artist, vocalist, writer, etc. Another artist I think would be dope to collab with would for sure be SZA. Sheâs another one of my bigger influences and I love her visuals and ideas that go toward the whole creative process so it would for sure be dope to work with her. thereâs so many options to choose from, but I think for the last one Iâm gonna have to say Trippie Redd. Iâve loved Tripp since I was in middle school and I feel like the combination of my style and his R&B stuff would be hard. I also think it would be really cool to step outside the box and work with somebody that is in a completely different field of the industry.
You’ve grown up working a lot with your sister Dyli who is also an artist. Describe the dynamics between the two of you. What is it like working with your sister in the same industry?
Writing with my sister is probably one of the greatest things about the creative process. Dyli has always been a strong writer and melodies are more my strength so working together not only speeds up the process, but makes it so much more enjoyable. Iâll always enjoy the creation, but genuinely I donât know where I would be without her. I would definitely consider us a dynamic duo because she needs me as much as I need her whether itâs regarding the work or the mentality that comes with it.
Tell us about your debut. What was your very first official single and what was it like having it released at a young age?
My first original release was a song called âMake Me Cryâ. I was in the sixth grade at the time, so it was definitely a lot in the best way possible. I feel so lucky to be the younger sibling because I got to kind of ease my way into the industry. I started watching my sister navigate the studio, the business, the writing etc., when I was only eight years old, so that definitely played a big role in my debut.
Which one of your pieces so far is the most personal or meaningful to you and why?
My most meaningful piece so far would definitely have to be my most recent single âTrickyâ because this was the first song that I wrote almost entirely by myself. Like I mentioned before, my strengths normally lie in the melody side of things so Iâm used to doubting my writing abilities. I wrote the majority of the song all on my own, which for me was a huge accomplishment. Some artists are blessed with the abilities to write, thatâs just not something I was given, so this song will forever be personal to me.
Where do you see your career in music in the future? What are some ambitious goals you’d like to achieve?
It’s hard to tell, but I hope to see myself doing big things in the future and making a positive change in the world, big or small. At this stage in my career itâs really hard to pinpoint a specific goal, when the main thing Iâm trying to do is get to a point where I can continue doing what I love while also being comfortable with the fact that I can do this for the rest of my life. I think itâs everyoneâs job to play their role and leave a mark on the world in one way or another, so itâs important to me that not only do I do so, but I do it in the way that I know best. Something I always tell people is that if one job in the music industry doesnât work out, Iâll move onto the next, but I am 100% sure that this is the field of work I belong in.
