Sió Interview
Sió’s voice is one that many of us have enjoyed far longer than we perhaps knew her name or story. Born and raised in the heart of Ennerdale, Sió (Siobhan Lulama King) found music as an expression outlet and one that she could lose herself within. A poet, soulful vocalist, former goal keeper and model make Sió a fascinating force in music right now, so I’m delighted to be able to ask her a little more about her story.
I’ve sang through out my childhood, but didn’t think much of my voice as I grew up around people who valued power! So people who had big voices and who could sing like Adele, Beyonce and Mariah Carey were often praised and given leads over me. I have a small, unique, distinct voice, that I’ve grown to love.
I don’t really have. I listen to what was playing in the house, or the taxi, or car on long distance journeys, but I can’t say that I am a devotee of any specific art. There’s no one I studied. I get a compared to Erykah Badu a lot and thats a massive compliment, but i can’t say i can sing one of her songs from start to finish. Mom played Sade, Luther Vandros, The BeeGees, Roberta Flak, Kenny Gee, Phuzekhemisi, Lady Smith Black Mambazo, Juluka, Brenda Fassie, Andreas Vollenweider. My Uncle Played, Keith Sweat, Mariah Carey, Boys to men, Kcee and Jojo, Toni Braxton, Brandy, Aaliah. When my father was around he played Dolly Parton and Kenny Roger. I discovered, Lincoln Park, Jamiroquai, Blue Six, Tkzee, Cold Play, 340ml, Simphiwe Dana and a lot of house music.
A friend of mine who can sing knew that I wrote songs and a couple of guys she had worked with wanted to make music and were looking for a songwriter and vocals. One, had a beat, the other and a mic and I had the words. Two more members were added to create Project5. Peng Africa got wind of our debut ep, called “Short Encounters,” and he liked it and signed.
Charles heard a song I did with my good friend Luka called ‘Next to You,’ and a stunning remix of it. We still have a song or two to share.
I like Spiders and the Black widow is beautiful and respected, which I feel human women generally are not. I let go of the black widow because i got tired of people asking me if i am a man eater.
I am a storyteller, my song say so. I’m not really a house vocalist, I just happed to have sung a lot of house songs because it happened to be the most accessible to me. I’ve done HipHop and rnb/soul and I would love to explore many more.
I’m lucky that I have the right kind of genes to model and I can do it. I have to exercise intensely to keep in shape, which I don’t mind as I was athletic throughout school. My look is a fusion of choices. I am African and I’ve chosen my aesthetic to represent where I am, where I am from and where I’d like to go. I’m grateful that my work gained traction before my face was known because as a female and one who models theres an expectation and desire for me to be be Sexy and Glamorous which is something I don’t want to do at this time. I want focus on my work and not my body.
If I consider you a good and fair person and I like the kind of music you make I’ll work with you.
I’ll write something for the beat, depending on what the beat inspires.
Jullian Gomes and my music family all credited and fought for my name to be placed on an award the song had received, but that wasn’t done. we did make a lot of noise about and its changing slowly. Vocalists are starting to get credited more. It defiantly made me think more about putting myself first and I’m fortunate that my music family was 100% behind me and helped me do so.
I don’t have a writing process. if a melody comes when i’m listening to a beat, I’ll look for a story to give it shape. If the melody comes with words, I’ll run with them.
Laptop, Logic X, Monitors, Mic, mic stand with shield and head phones on a table in my room.
Theres too many!!!
‘sbtxts,’ is a capsule of a girl in love, where I decided to draw inspiration from myself and what I was feeling at the time. It’s the place where I shared my poetry and song and created a journey for the listener. I explored, the shades of romantic love from my experience and asked a couple of producers to jump on board. It’s been a blessing.
I didn’t want it to be house and I’m happy it isn’t. I want to do as much music as I can.
‘sbtxts,’ is a 17 track story about the things that go unsaid, the inner workings, the thoughts, and worries and feelings. It’s about the subtexts, which I find more interesting and meaningful, of encounters and I removed the vowels as clue about what its it about.
My music is licensed to STY TRU BTS, the sister label of STAY TRUE SOUNDS. Kid Fonque and Jullian Gomes pushed me to do my own work for me. A lot of people liked the idea of me doing an album, but didn’t know what to do with an album that was not house. I knew that he loves all kinds of music and represents them all the time, so i trusted him with that and he has done a life changing job for my music.
No other genre has the rhythm and mood as house music. Those who love it come from all walks of life and those people make room for it. House music is enjoyed at elite events in upper class venues and the remote villages and townships all over the country. It’s accessible to everyone and not every genre of music is.
Most of these ladies have been Producing, Singing, Djying for almost a decade if not more - Thandi Draai, Jackie Queens, Bonj, Gina Jeanz, dj Desiree, Lady Sake, Dj Buhle, Abby Nurock and Tenocens.
Both. I am learning and growing in both.
Definitely. There are so many songs I love and want to share and Djying is a nice place to do that.
Continue as I have been, do what I love and share.
Where can people follow you?
Sió Interview
Sió’s voice is one that many of us have enjoyed far longer than we perhaps knew her name or story. Born and raised in the heart of Ennerdale, Sió (Siobhan Lulama King) found music as an expression outlet and one that she could lose herself within. A poet, soulful vocalist, former goal keeper and model make Sió a fascinating force in music right now, so I’m delighted to be able to ask her a little more about her story.
I’ve sang through out my childhood, but didn’t think much of my voice as I grew up around people who valued power! So people who had big voices and who could sing like Adele, Beyonce and Mariah Carey were often praised and given leads over me. I have a small, unique, distinct voice, that I’ve grown to love.
I don’t really have. I listen to what was playing in the house, or the taxi, or car on long distance journeys, but I can’t say that I am a devotee of any specific art. There’s no one I studied. I get a compared to Erykah Badu a lot and thats a massive compliment, but i can’t say i can sing one of her songs from start to finish. Mom played Sade, Luther Vandros, The BeeGees, Roberta Flak, Kenny Gee, Phuzekhemisi, Lady Smith Black Mambazo, Juluka, Brenda Fassie, Andreas Vollenweider. My Uncle Played, Keith Sweat, Mariah Carey, Boys to men, Kcee and Jojo, Toni Braxton, Brandy, Aaliah. When my father was around he played Dolly Parton and Kenny Roger. I discovered, Lincoln Park, Jamiroquai, Blue Six, Tkzee, Cold Play, 340ml, Simphiwe Dana and a lot of house music.
A friend of mine who can sing knew that I wrote songs and a couple of guys she had worked with wanted to make music and were looking for a songwriter and vocals. One, had a beat, the other and a mic and I had the words. Two more members were added to create Project5. Peng Africa got wind of our debut ep, called “Short Encounters,” and he liked it and signed.
Charles heard a song I did with my good friend Luka called ‘Next to You,’ and a stunning remix of it. We still have a song or two to share.
I like Spiders and the Black widow is beautiful and respected, which I feel human women generally are not. I let go of the black widow because i got tired of people asking me if i am a man eater.
I am a storyteller, my song say so. I’m not really a house vocalist, I just happed to have sung a lot of house songs because it happened to be the most accessible to me. I’ve done HipHop and rnb/soul and I would love to explore many more.
I’m lucky that I have the right kind of genes to model and I can do it. I have to exercise intensely to keep in shape, which I don’t mind as I was athletic throughout school. My look is a fusion of choices. I am African and I’ve chosen my aesthetic to represent where I am, where I am from and where I’d like to go. I’m grateful that my work gained traction before my face was known because as a female and one who models theres an expectation and desire for me to be be Sexy and Glamorous which is something I don’t want to do at this time. I want focus on my work and not my body.
If I consider you a good and fair person and I like the kind of music you make I’ll work with you.
I’ll write something for the beat, depending on what the beat inspires.
Jullian Gomes and my music family all credited and fought for my name to be placed on an award the song had received, but that wasn’t done. we did make a lot of noise about and its changing slowly. Vocalists are starting to get credited more. It defiantly made me think more about putting myself first and I’m fortunate that my music family was 100% behind me and helped me do so.
I don’t have a writing process. if a melody comes when i’m listening to a beat, I’ll look for a story to give it shape. If the melody comes with words, I’ll run with them.
Laptop, Logic X, Monitors, Mic, mic stand with shield and head phones on a table in my room.
Theres too many!!!
‘sbtxts,’ is a capsule of a girl in love, where I decided to draw inspiration from myself and what I was feeling at the time. It’s the place where I shared my poetry and song and created a journey for the listener. I explored, the shades of romantic love from my experience and asked a couple of producers to jump on board. It’s been a blessing.
I didn’t want it to be house and I’m happy it isn’t. I want to do as much music as I can.
‘sbtxts,’ is a 17 track story about the things that go unsaid, the inner workings, the thoughts, and worries and feelings. It’s about the subtexts, which I find more interesting and meaningful, of encounters and I removed the vowels as clue about what its it about.
My music is licensed to STY TRU BTS, the sister label of STAY TRUE SOUNDS. Kid Fonque and Jullian Gomes pushed me to do my own work for me. A lot of people liked the idea of me doing an album, but didn’t know what to do with an album that was not house. I knew that he loves all kinds of music and represents them all the time, so i trusted him with that and he has done a life changing job for my music.
No other genre has the rhythm and mood as house music. Those who love it come from all walks of life and those people make room for it. House music is enjoyed at elite events in upper class venues and the remote villages and townships all over the country. It’s accessible to everyone and not every genre of music is.
Most of these ladies have been Producing, Singing, Djying for almost a decade if not more - Thandi Draai, Jackie Queens, Bonj, Gina Jeanz, dj Desiree, Lady Sake, Dj Buhle, Abby Nurock and Tenocens.
Both. I am learning and growing in both.
Definitely. There are so many songs I love and want to share and Djying is a nice place to do that.
Continue as I have been, do what I love and share.
Where can people follow you?