Meet Sedona Spencer

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sedona Spencer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sedona, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

I have dealt with mental health issues for the majority of my life. I experienced early traumatic events in my childhood that equated to signs and symptoms of PTSD. For many years, I struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, but didn’t quite understand where they came from or how to cope with them. When I was 13 years old, I was diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening eating disorder along with severe anxiety and depression. I was so sick at such a young age that I was in and out of rehabilitation centers for years trying to get my physical and mental health back to a normal place. I spent a lot time during my adolescent years fighting for my life, living in hospitals, constantly going to doctor appointments, and attending countless hours of therapy. Although it was extremely challenging and utterly traumatizing to undergo such life-changing hardships at just 13, those years I spent working on myself allowed me to become the strong, independent, kind, and empathetic person I am today. In a way, I am thankful to have learned so much about how to cope with the stress in my life because I am now able to fully commit to chasing my dreams, while being able to recognize the signs of a burnout and/or mental flare-up before it fully happens. I have been in recovery from my eating disorder for 10 years now, but still struggle with anxiety, depression, social anxiety, and social pressure. Having a great support system of people who I can talk to is one of the biggest factors that has helped me overcome personal challenges. Along with having a great support system, I believe it is essential to have a healthy work/life/music balance in order to keep me feeling content, creative, and motivated. Listening to my body and allowing myself to rest when I’m in need of downtime and self-care is also crucial to my productivity. Whenever I’m having writer’s block or a creative block due to mental health issues, I love to go outside and be in nature because it really grounds me and reminds me of why I started pursuing this path in the first place. I try to do everything with intention and remind myself that having a clear vision leads to manifestation. Outlining my future goals, writing down affirmations, creating vision boards, making lists, and using a planner daily are practices I still utilize to set myself up for long-term success.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am an Arizona-based, electronic musician who produces, DJ’s, sings, and writes under the stage name, SED’S VORTEX. My professional future is focused on having an artistic career that involves storytelling through the art of singing and producing electronic music. My goal is to create my own unique, immersive world that I can share with my fanbase, who I refer to as “Tribe,” through custom visuals, mixed media, and signature sounds. Being able to share my perspective with the world has been the most vulnerable, yet freeing experience that I have absolutely fallen in love with. I’ve always considered myself an alchemist of some sort due to my ability to turn the pain from my past into something beautiful. I want to make music that people can listen to, relate to, and understand the universal phenomenon that most of us all struggle with similar challenges, just in different ways. My mission as a musician is to inspire, create, heal, resonate, and connect with people through the universal language of music. I hope to one day facilitate and create positive changes in the music industry by being an independent, female artist in the heavily, male-dominated world of EDM. I want to break the boundaries of what we are currently seeing and set new standards of inclusivity and representation for everyone truly based on their talent and art. I just released a Guest Mix for FLORESCENCE on Audius that debuted on 9/13/24. I have another Guest Mix that will debut towards the end of 2024, so stay tuned for that announcement, coming soon! I also just finished working on my first big vocal collaboration with one of my favorite artists, so that has been a super surreal, yet really exciting process. The song is called, “LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE,” and will hopefully be released at the end 2024 or the beginning of 2025, so also keep a look out for that single! Finally, I will be releasing my first EP at the beginning of 2025, called “Origin Story.” There will be 5 tracks on the EP that represent my journey before I started pursuing music. From leaving nursing school (Track 1: “GENESIS”), to feeling lost and not knowing what my purpose in life was (Track 2: “RUMINATION”), to pursuing a career in audio engineering (Track 3: “CYMATICS”), to succeeding in studio engineering but wanting more (Track 4: “EPIPHANY”), to finally, listening to my gut instinct to follow my true passion of pursuing my own career as a singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ (Track 5: “THE LEAP”). Much love, and I can’t wait to share all of the exciting, new things I’ve been working on behind the scenes. More to come very soon, Tribe!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three qualities that have been the most impactful to me throughout my musical journey are Courageousness, Authenticity, and Resilience. Putting yourself in the public eye while sharing the most vulnerable pieces of yourself is an extremely terrifying process and definitely takes courageousness to do. Bravely performing those very vulnerable songs in front of massive crowds of people who don’t know who you are as they are unintentionally judging you can be extremely intense and overwhelmingly intimidating. But over time, it becomes therapeutic and somewhat freeing the more you do it. Writing about the experiences I’ve lived through and turning my trauma into something beautiful that I can share with the world is the most rewarding part of being a musician to me. I hope when people listen to my music that they can resonate with the experience within the lyrics and know that they are not alone. Authenticity is a key component in the process of becoming a public figure because I have been pulled in several different directions as an artist, and it’s important to decipher which path is going to be right for me. Being true to myself is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned along the way. There is definitely a quicker way to success, but my journey is more focused on being genuine, integral, and legitimate. I put my whole heart and soul into almost everything I do, so knowing what will be worth my time and energy in order to align me with where I’m trying to go is vital. Remembering that I have my best interest at heart allows my art to be 110% me, and I intend to keep it that way. Having a strong sense of self can often be off-putting to a lot of people in the music industry, mostly because they are not able to mold you into something that benefits them. That’s where Resilience comes into play. You’ll hear a hundred “no’s” for every single “yes” you get along the way. The toughest part about this is to not allow the rejection of public scrutiny to diminish your confidence, skills, and abilities that will in turn affect your artistry. Being a perfectionist, this is something I still struggle with to this day, but learning from the experience, practicing gratitude, focusing on my strengths, and allowing myself grace has really helped me bounce back from constant criticism/rejection.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed, I try to take a step back from whatever I’m doing in that moment, breathe deeply, and slow down. If that doesn’t help me in the situation, I will completely stop whatever I’m doing, and exercise some grounding techniques like going outside for a walk, doing some yoga, practicing meditation, or doing some self-care. My method is to distract myself from what is causing me stress in the first place and channel that energy into something productive for my mental health. To reduce the physical forms of stress, I’ve found that working out is one of the best remedies for me. Running is my favorite form of exercise and is something that has helped me get my nervous/anxious energy out. When the weather is nice, I love to go hiking or spend time being active in nature. To reduce the mental forms of stress, I try to declutter my mind by getting things out, writing things down, and making lists of personal goals. I try to get into the mental space of letting go of fear and pressures, and just going for it and doing it. Sometimes, it’s easier said than done so during those tougher times, I allow myself enough time and space for healing. I remind myself that taking a break doesn’t equal giving up, and if you don’t give up, you can never fail. Everyone’s path is unique and we’re all on different timelines, so avoid artistic comparison at all costs! It completely kills creativity.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Personal Photo:
Luis Colato

Additional Photos:
1. Wyatt Harvey
2. Ezra Gregory
3. Spencer Taylor
4. Olu Rock
5. Olu Rock
6. Olu Rock
7. Olu Rock
8. Olu Rock

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