CALYN is an Alternative R&B artist from Stockton, California, known for her inventive melodies and evocative storytelling. Influenced by artists like SZA, she mixes R&B, pop, and urban sounds into a distinct, emotionally rich style. Growing up in a musically driven household, she developed her craft alongside her sister, DYLI, and continues to explore music as both an art form and a means of personal expression.
In her new EP Better Left Unsaid, rising artist Calyn delivers a deeply introspective body of work that navigates vulnerability, emotional growth, and creative self-discovery. We caught up with her to talk about the meaning behind the title, how the concept of grief unexpectedly shaped the project, and what she’s learned about herself throughout the process. From taking creative control to exploring new sonic directions, Calyn opens up about her journey with honesty and heart
What does the title Better Left Unsaid mean to you personally?
I came up with the title Better Left Unsaid with only two of the five songs complete, and it was one of the only assets that was set in stone for the project from the jump. I wanted it to be something that would hook my audience before the release, being that all of my promo would have the title plastered all over it. Not only that, but at the time, I had just seen Blxst on his “I’ll Always Come Find You” tour, the title of his tour, of course, being the title of his latest album.
Creatively, I appreciated that his title had a nice ring to it. As the artist in the driver’s seat, he made sure it was versatile enough to apply to more than just that set of songs. In turn, that inspired me to imagine my EP title not only as a representation of the project, but what could possibly come after: tours, interviews, blogs, etc..With that in mind, I’ve always said that my music is the only way I know how to express my feelings the right way. All things I wrote about in each and every track were most likely never going to be unpacked if I hadn’t created songs out of them.
The title goes hand in hand with the cover art, me as the patient in a therapy session, but the therapist I’m confiding in is me as well. Expressing my feelings and thoughts to anyone but myself has always been a struggle for me, and this EP is a direct representation of that. I’ve always told myself that all things I feel are “Better Left Unsaid”. Once I came up with that name, I fell in love with the number of ideas that it opened me up to. It felt right, being that I hold this project so close to me.
The title not only fit the concept of these five songs strung together, but it also checked the boxes of being versatile. If I were to be given the opportunity to shed more light on myself as an artist, I would be happy with this title being linked to my name.
How did the concept for the EP first come together?
Honestly, all I knew going into the creative process of the EP was that I wanted to release an EP. Nothing more, nothing less. I have had several songs in the vault over the years that I knew would eventually find their place in my catalog, but that’s about it. I guess it was more a matter of what songs I felt were good enough to represent this turning point in my career. The first song that was fully complete was “Eleven 03,” the opening song.
Around the time that I had finished that song, I was almost in a flow state. More songs and concepts just kept coming. No writer’s block, no stress; the ideas just flowed right out onto the paper. Once I had about three songs under my belt in such a short amount of time, I knew this was my opportunity to release a project more than just a single. The overall concept for Better Left Unsaid just kind of figured itself out from there.
You’ve said the songs reflect the five stages of grief—did that structure guide your songwriting from the start, or did it reveal itself later?
Truthfully, when I first made that comparison to the EP, I had no clue that that one sentence would have such an impact on how my audience would view my work. That’s probably because I had no intention in basing my writing concepts on that idea during the creative process. When I was nearing the end of gathering all of my assets, I came to realize that it was structured almost perfectly to fit that description. I found it to be a beautiful interpretation of this body of work, and I liked the fact that it was accidental.
I structured the song order based on what played through top to bottom most fluidly, and once that was decided, it just so happened to be exactly the five stages of grief in order. The way it played out so naturally was why I felt like it was worth mentioning in the first place. One of the most enjoyable things about the creative process in art and music for me is finding out more about my own work based on how it speaks to me post-creation; that’s really what this comparison was.
What was the most emotionally difficult track to complete, and why?
“Emotionally difficult” is a great way to describe my overall experience throughout the creative process of this EP, but I’m not sure there’s one song I could single out. I’ve found that the more emotional the concept is, the easier it is for me to finish.
As I said before, my music is my own personal therapy, so the more emotionally connected I am to the piece, the quicker the completion of the song is. For instance, the “Only Me Interlude” is by far the most vulnerable song I’ve released, and I chose the very first vocal pass after writing it to be the one on the project. Emotional difficulty usually only comes into play when it comes time to release the sad songs. It’s like opening your diary for everyone to read—scary, but useful.
In what ways does Better Left Unsaid mark a departure from your earlier work?
I would say the main way Better Left Unsaid marked a departure from my earlier work was my delivery. In comparison to my earlier releases, my confidence in my own lyrics carries this project. I’ve always struggled with lyrical confidence. I had the melodies and the concepts, but I couldn’t quite find the words to paint a picture the way I wanted them to. From the first song to the fifth, I knew I had found a different side of myself as an artist with this body of work, and that is not something I could say about my previous releases.
What did you learn about yourself during the making of this project?
This is a great question because I almost feel like I’ve grown so much during the making of this project that I couldn’t properly answer it. Better Left Unsaid put me in a position to take creative control over every single detail that would represent this EP. So I guess I could say the main thing I learned is that I’m capable of taking the control I’ve been given and making it into something that I’m proud of. By no means am I able to do what I do alone, but this time around, the reins were placed in my hands, and I succeeded at bringing my ideas to life.
That alone taught me that I am resilient enough to continue doing what I love. I think the creative industry at any scale can become a lot, but it all seems worth it when you are able to successfully and efficiently combine a million good ideas into one project you can call your own.
How does it feel to finally release something beyond a single after two years of buildup?
You’d think, after so long of saying, “I want to release an EP,” by the time I had done it, it would feel like my life’s best work. But honestly, it was more of a peaceful feeling than anything. Like I’d mentioned before, the project came to life on its own. It felt like it was finally time for me to put together something like this for myself and for my audience.
It wasn’t a relief or a box checked off, but more of a sign of reassurance. It’s truly a blessing to be able to do what I love, and this EP was a clear reminder of why I continue to do it. It’s easy to lose yourself and get burnt out as an artist with little publicity, but the amount of support I was shown after the release was a clear sign of life in my music career. I have so much more to do, so many more goals to complete, and finally releasing a project beyond a single one simply fueled the fire to continue on this path.
How do you handle feedback—both praise and criticism—from fans and the press?
Being in the state that I am as a newer artist, feedback is everything to me. I am fully aware that I have so much to learn, so I would much rather open my mind to what people have to say than to turn my cheek because I think it’s “good enough.” My goal as an artist is to be great, and in my eyes, there’s no better way to grow than to take into consideration how other people interpret my work.
Like most artists would say about themselves, I’m my biggest critic, so I’ve always made it a point to hear what other people have to say. I’m never sure if I hate or love something I’ve made because that’s actually how it sounds, or just because that’s how I hear it. So I find myself asking for outside opinions in the midst of my creative process because I enjoy the guidance, whether it’s from fellow artists or just people who enjoy music from a listener’s perspective.
What’s next for you after Better Left Unsaid?
What’s next for me after releasing this EP is what I hope to be several more turning points in my career. During the creation of Better Left Unsaid, I was almost positive I had found my sound. But since then, I’ve explored other genres and writing styles that may fit me even better. Ideally, I want to become a more well-versed artist, so in the near future, I hope to become more experimental with my releases to truly find what I enjoy the most.
Writing and singing are always going to be my favorite part of working, but who’s to say that experience can’t get better? So what’s next for me, I hope, is testing the waters with new styles, not only for my audience but for my personal experience.
Are there themes or sounds you’re excited to explore in your next body of work?
Yes, there are always more themes I am excited to explore with every new release. Recently, I’ve found myself falling in love with alternative/soulful R&B: Khamari, Cautious Clay, Daniel Caesar, etc. With my past releases, the route I’ve taken is more pop/R&B-driven, but I’m looking forward to creating more breathable, melody-based pieces. I think it’s such a beautiful thing when the vocal on a song carries the listener through the story being told, with bits and pieces of production that match that energy, almost giving the producer and the artist their own individual spaces to perform. That’s the current theme I have been enjoying working on, and I’m looking forward to experimenting in that field myself.
