by pankhuri bhutani
photo courtesy of hedara
With around 3,000 active monthly listeners on her Spotify channel, this alt-pop artist recently dropped her latest new track, “Sad Girl Syndrome.” Having some phenomenal tracks like “You,” “Numb,” “Frozen,” “Suddenly Strangers,” and “Skin Deep,” Hedara made her debut as a music artist through her track, “Slow.”
Having been in the industry for just 14 months, Hedara has already released many successful songs and is gaining fans from all around the world every day. To talk about her music journey, Hedara took out some of her time for a really fun interview with Unclear!
Hi Hedara. Thank you for joining us at Unclear! For the people who are yet to be introduced to your music, kindly tell us something about yourself!
Hedara: “I’m Hedara, an alt-pop singer-songwriter with a mass of curly hair who writes candid songs about the highs, the lows, and everything in-between.”
Was there anything you planned out to do before setting out in the music industry?
H: “I had planned to be an actor when I was younger because I loved becoming someone else and placing truthful emotions into different characters and scenarios. Failing that I always wanted to do something within criminology. When I started out in the music industry, I had plans and goals that I wanted to achieve, and one of the main one was hearing my music played on national radio, and amazingly that’s happened.”
You recently released your new track “Sad Girl Syndrome.” Congratulations on that! What was the inspiration behind the track?
H: “Thank you! I was actually the inspiration behind ‘Sad Girl Syndrome.’ This came about as a sort of love letter to myself — I was having a moment of anxiety and uncertainty and I realized that I didn’t have to put as much pressure on myself. We all make mistakes, we can all doubt ourselves and our achievements — but as long as we learn and grow, we’re smashing it, and that’s a strong reason to always love yourself and embrace your flaws.”
What was the creative process like and did you face any challenges during the making of the song?
H: “The creative process was really chill. I wrote it with a guy called Oscar Bell, it was actually our first time meeting each other, but it felt like he was someone I’d know forever, so it all poured out. Writing for me is very therapeutic, and the song just came to us really. I really wanted to get the production right on this track so that took a little time to figure out.”
Out of all the tracks you have created, which one is your favorite at the moment?
H: “Ah! That’s a super hard question. I love all of the work I’ve put out for all different reasons. I think, though, it’s either Sad Girl Syndrome, or a track that’s coming out later this year called ‘Til Times Up’ because they are both songs that put a spin on a negative scenario, and we all need some positivity right now, and to see the glass half full and not half empty.”
If you could choose one word to describe your music, what would it be?
H: “Genuine — because I’m a very honest and open writer, and I don’t hold back, and that’s what people connect with and appreciate. I also try and be the best version of myself, because everyone else is taken.”
Who are your musical influences?
H: “That’s tricky as well! I’d say current artists would be — Jessie Ware, she really inspires my writing and production. I love the sound she creates, and vocally I find her very special. Halsey is just a bad ass woman, breaking down barriers, again writing from such an honest place, and she’s not afraid to stand out or start a conversation with her music. I also love Dermot Kennedy because he’s very gifted, almost poetic writer, and, especially for my more acoustic material, I find his production and melodic ideas really inspiring. I think they all create and tell really interesting stories through their music.”
If you could have the chance to collaborate with any one artist/band of your liking, who might they be and why?
H: “I’d actually love to collaborate with The 1975. They are constantly evolving but always stay true to their roots. I’d love to just sit, write and absorb as much of Matt Healy’s greatness as I could.”
Lastly, is there any message that you would like to convey to your fans?
H: “I would like the message of hope to come across to my fans. I’m not afraid to be brutally honest and share the backstory of my music, and I always try to have some sort of light at the end of the tunnel within my lyrics. The industry I’m in and the world we live in can sometimes be brutal and knock you down, but we should always hold on to hope.”