|
Skye Sweetnam: Music Warrior
By Rina L
  
Skye Sweetnam |
Skye Alexandra Sweetnam is a rock chick with a twist, a self proclaimed "Music Warrior". Skye began singing at the tender age of five and wrote her first song at nine. Born in the town of Bolton, Ontario, Canada on the fifth of May 1988, Skye and her family led a quite life; she studied singing and dancing from a young age and there was never any doubt in her mind as to what she wanted to do with her life.
For Skye songwriting is all a part and parcel of being a singer "To me songwriting is so therapeutic, its just a part of my life and I can't go through the day without having some kind of song idea pop into my head where I have to write with a sharpie all over my arm trying to remember the song idea".
Pic#3 - Performing at the Pantene Pro Voice Concert |
When Skye was twelve her mother accidentally signed her up for a "Popstars Camp" that allowed young potential singers to learn the singing and dancing techniques they would need to help them break into the industry. It also helped each group to record a song. Skye's version of Britney Spears's song "Stronger" was a hit with everyone. It helped to give her that extra boost she needed. Nothing could change her mind about her future career: "I grew up knowing that I was going to do something in the arts, for me music is always going to be there for me, even if I'm not going to be a huge star".
Skye's Debut album cover |
Determined to get her start in the music industry, Skye recorded her first demo when she was only twelve. A local Bolton Music School helped out with the process. Her big break came in a most unexpected way. One day, while visiting a hairdresser’s she was asked to perform on the spot. Afterwards the lady she had been singing for took her demo CD to her brother who happened to be a lawyer for the manager of a young producer named James Robertson. He loved what he heard and worked with Skye to write the songs for her debut album "Noise From The Basement" which was released in 2004. Her album went to number two on the charts but Skye remains down to earth when it comes to fame, "If things blow up that's awesome and if thing's don't I can still live a normal life and be able to go to the grocery store without people following me".
Photo shoot for her latest album "Sound Soilder" |
Skye's debut album included three of her biggest hit song's "Tangled up in me", "Number One" and "Billy S". Skye got further recognition when she recorded the theme song for the television shows "Radio Free Roscoe", "The Buzz on Maggie" and "Wayside". In July of 2003 her single "Billy S" Was used in the hit teen movie "How to Deal". Skye's star continued to rise; she embarked on her first tour as the opening act for Britney Spears on her Onyx Hotel tour. Skye soaked up the attention; "Performing for me is like oxygen, performing for me is like the only thing constant in my life, because you're in all these different places doing these different things, but when I get up on stage, that's where I know exactly what to do, that's where I own it.
Skye at the Toronto International Film Festival |
Skye doesn't seem to stop constantly writing and recording new songs. She has taken part in four different Disney compilation albums and in 2006 she acted as the singing voice for the much loved Barbie in "The Barbie Diaries". That same year she was nominated for a Juno award for "New Artist of The Year". Skye is often compared to fellow Canadian singer Avril Lavigne although she disagrees and often jokes about it. In her song "Hypocrite" she jokes that she is "Avril lite". "Our bio's are sort of similar, but guys in rock bands all wear T-shirts and jeans
and nobody ever say's they're all the same". In October of 2007 she burst back into the music scene with her second album "Sound Soldier" which she describes as Nine Inch Nails meets Britney Spears. It seems like the self proclaimed "Little monster with a candy coated smile" is going to be around bursting through our air waves for a long time to come.
Fun Facts
Picture from an article on Skye in "Teen Magazine" in the spring of 2005 |
Her first album was recorded in her producer James Robertson's parents basement.
Skye love's to create stop animation films.
She directed, filmed and created the video to her single "Imaginary Superstar" using PlayMobile Dolls.
She has often called herself a music warrior - defending noise in the fight against silence.
She was just nine years old when she wrote her first song called "Friends Forever" She never recorded it.
She recorded a cover of "Heart of Glass" By Blondie on her debut album.
Blondie is one of her favorite bands.
Her parents named her after The Isle of Skye in Scotland.
Before making it big Skye was a full-time student at Mayfield Art's School in Brampton, Ontario where she majored in drama.
|
