“Life, as corny as it might sound, is about enjoying all the little things… and a lot of those tiny joys are still there to be found in dark times.” Life isn’t always sunshine and roses, and for Sadye, that included a battle with cancer. But even in the darkest times, she’s found a way to cherish the little moments of joy.
Her story is one of resilience, and music became her refuge, a place to escape the storm and confront it head-on at the same time. Sadye’s music is a blend of dark-pop anthems and lyrics that delve deep, reflecting the complexities of her past and her ongoing journey of self-discovery and healing. “It’s my music, my voice,” she admits, “and the reality is whatever I choose to make it in those 2-3 minutes.”
In our interview, we delve into the importance of finding joy in the little things, the role of music in societal conversations about mental health and healing, and the journey of embracing one’s scars, both literal and figurative.
photography by SJ Spreng
In ‘Pretty Traumatized,’ you’ve described using an ‘escapism approach to music.’ Can you tell us more about how this method influences your songwriting?
A lot of my songs are about past experiences, so when I revisit bad things that have happened, I put myself in the driver’s seat, or I express a lot more power than I felt while actually going through those times in my life. It’s my music and my voice, and the reality is whatever I choose to make it in those 2-3 minutes. I realized in previous years that writing sad songs wasn’t therapeutic at all; it was making me focus on and relive unpleasant experiences. For a while, I decided I just wasn’t going to speak on certain things for that reason in my lyrics. But then I wrote Pretty Traumatized, and it came out as this funny, sarcastic song, and that kind of changed for me.
You’ve mentioned that ‘Pretty Traumatized’ serves as your origin story. How has articulating this story in music helped you in your personal journey of recovery and self-discovery?
Like I said, I had been avoiding certain topics in my songs. That wasn’t really working because my writing comes from such a personal place, so there was just this whole part of my life missing. I have this huge fear that I’ll manifest things back into my life if I speak on them, so releasing songs about my medical past, and having to talk about it, was actually a huge and scary decision for me. I want to be able to connect with people but I don’t want those experiences to become who I am. No matter what I do, it’s a part of me though, so giving myself permission to make those records was important.
Your lyrics also reflect a journey to loving your scars, both literal and figurative. Could you share a bit about the process of learning to embrace these aspects of yourself?
I’m still in the process. There are good days and bad days. But in the last couple of years, I’ve shown my physical scars a lot more because I was just honestly really tired of living with the insecurity and hiding my body. It still feels crushing sometimes, and then that bravery disappears, but every day I just try to tell myself it doesn’t matter. It’s my body and I’m alive. I’m a very lucky and blessed person.
Facing a battle with cancer is profoundly challenging. How has your perspective on life changed since your diagnosis?
Facing your mortality at a young age will just stick with you. It’s hard to articulate, and I don’t want to glamorize it because I would erase it all if I could. People say you shouldn’t want that because you are who you are because of hard times, but honestly, I would just erase it if I could. It has of course shifted my perspective, and I’m willing to fight for a life I love because I don’t want to waste the life I have, but it haunts me a lot as well.
“Facing your mortality at a young age will just stick with you… I’m willing to fight for a life I love because I don’t want to waste the life I have.”
What advice would you give to others dealing with similar battles, especially in finding strength and hope?
Life, as corny as it might sound, is about enjoying all the little things, like laughing or listening to music you love, and a lot of those tiny joys are still there to be found in dark times. I clung to those. Let yourself grieve what you’ve lost and seek therapy even if you don’t think you need it.
How do you keep up with the ever-changing music industry, especially with your unique style and the way you question traditional ideas of fame?
I’ve always had a strong sense of self. I might not always know exactly what to do, but I know what I like. In LA, there are so many voices and opinions, and I feel like you need to be able to quiet them somehow and listen to yourself, your instincts, your taste. My taste is my artistry, so if I lose that, I feel like I lose my artistry.
Songs like ‘Pretty Traumatized’ touch on deep themes of trauma and recovery. In your view, what role does music play in societal conversations about mental health and healing?
I think there’s still a huge stigma, and maybe a fear of saying the wrong thing in the wrong way. I think the paradox of a pop song with dark lyrics could come off insensitive. But I also think that if you’ve ever been depressed, you know the feeling of desperately wanting to just get the weight of it off of you. I think we can do that with music, and when we do, we realize these are shared experiences and it doesn’t feel so scary to be like, “yeah same.”
“When I got specific about what I want and how I actually feel, all of my relationships became easier.”
Given your experience with toxic relationships, what insights have you gained on setting boundaries and maintaining self-worth in both the personal and professional world?
As a woman, I feel like I was taught from a young age by the world that my discomfort is expected, men will behave badly, and I should be accommodating. As I navigated different relationships, I realized that if I took away that accommodation to men’s feelings and desires, I was left with my own, and it was like—what do I want? How do I actually feel? When I got specific about that, all of my relationships became easier. I feel like society allows men to be more decisive; it just seems more accepted or something, and sharpening that skill for myself changed a lot for me.
I’ve noticed you always wear white clothes. Is this a deliberate choice you intend to maintain, and could you share the story behind it?
It is deliberate. I wanted a blank slate. Wearing white and carrying that into my personal space helped clear a lot of noise. It’s still serving that purpose and allowing me to figure myself out.
It’s often not until we face our own health challenges that we truly understand the value of health. Besides health and music, what else holds significant importance in your life?
A: I think relationships are the point of life—friendships and romantic. The people you spend your time with and experience things with. I’m lucky to be in love and have good friends, and my family is really supportive.
Congrats on winning the Optimism’s “We <3 The Art” Contest, can you tell the readers what this means to you?
It was such a shock. I really counted myself out. I entered, and then as the contest grew, I just figured I had no chance. When I won, I had this huge realization of how often I do that, count myself out. I’m brand new in these web3 spaces, and so much of the time I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, so it was just a really amazing feeling to be recognized so kindly in a new community.
Follow Sadye for more:
www.instagram.com/sadyexx
twitter.com/cultsadye
