Meet Sydney Wright

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sydney Wright. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sydney below.

Sydney, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I don’t actually think that I have entirely overcome it, but this question fired up my noggin, and I have some things to say: For me, quelling imposter syndrome feels like more of a practice than a battle that I might one day win. My first steps were naming it and recognizing when it rears its mean old head.
I find it to be loudest when I’m feeling emotionally or physically weak, and my unchecked negative thoughts spread like gangrene over my reality. It’s an amalgamation of feelings of inadequacy, toxic perfectionism, and fear. It’s the voice of my insecurities, and I tend to want to give it the space and merit of a valid critique.
It helps me to delineate the truth by asking myself if anyone else in my life is saying those things to me. If not, the call is probably coming from inside the house. It’s time to get my mind right. It’s time to validate myself. I’m going to yoga. I’m taking hot girl walk in the sun. I’m remembering my accomplishments. I’m mindfully coping.
Externally, who I’m surrounded by can make or break me. I feel safe with friends who can affirm what is valid and have no qualms invalidating what’s not.
All that to say, when imposter syndrome is throwing me, self and external validation is my best defense to regain equilibrium, and it’s crucial to dose myself with both.
Bc not everything you think about yourself is true.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m an artist, songwriter, and live sound engineer here in Austin, Texas. I write and play pop songs with live loops and Ableton. I grew up in Snyder, a tiny town in the west Texas panhandle. Before I was old enough to go to school, my mom had my three sisters and me signed up for piano lessons. All the ladies on Mommy’s side can play. I remember the joy of finally being able to stretch my fingers to play a full octave, and my discovery of the elegant sustain pedal once my legs were long enough to reach. I learned to sing harmony from singing along with Mom at church. Dad played guitar and was most content in moments when we would all sing together. His favorites were bluegrass, hymns, and the Marshall Tucker Band. Music’s been all over my life since the start.

I got to finish high school and study Ethnomusicology at North Texas University. After that, I moved to Austin, the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’. My work is creating, performing, and amplifying art as a solo artist and performer, sometimes DJ, and freelance audio engineer, mixing behind the sound board for my friends.

I released my first album, Seiche, in 2018, and followed it up with several singles and collaborations. I’ve recently put out ‘Was It you’ and ‘Fool’s Gold’, the first songs for an EP that I’ll have fully released this year.

I’m really excited about releasing some new songs I’ve written with my good friend Jimi Fish. One that’s almost down the production pipeline is called ‘Studio54’. It’s a disco track that references the time Bianca Jagger rode a horse through Studio 54 on her birthday in 1977 (google it, it’s ICONIC). There’s another called ‘Insatiable’ about consumerism, and another called John Cena that is about only green flags. I cannot wait to share these with the world. They are so deserving and I feel so lucky to work with my sweet Jimi. He is genius level clever. Stay tuned so y’all don’t miss out:)

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Saying no – be selective in who you choose to partner or collaborate with. Set your price and say no to anyone offering less. Know your level and protect your worth.

Go to therapy – you need it. I need it. We all need self love and mindfulness and alternative coping strategies and to give our inner children a hug. It’ll make us better at moving forward.

Diligence – I struggle with consistency. That’s how I know this is one’s important:)

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
They loved me unconditionally. No matter what I did or said or decided or broke or lost or brought home, I have never had to question whether or not I am loved. I will always have a seat at the table. I am so fortunate to know that.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
White Light Exposure – Letitia Smith

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