Fresh Music Friday: Sia Amun - Single AF
...Superman come save me, baby, until then, I am Single AF!
Those are the lyrics by Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter, SIA AMUN, from her blazing new track "Single AF!"
Longtime songwriter for your favorite singers like Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz, and Lady Gaga, SIA is ready for her spotlight armed with the confidence, experience, and skills to back her up. Being that she is the daughter of 3-time Grammy award-winning songwriter/producer, Steven Russell-Harts (R&B Troop and Production team, The Underdogs), she learned valuable lessons about the art of making music that she practices to this day.
The lovely songstress took time out of her busy schedule to dish on how it is being single AF in LA, especially as an artist and what inspired her to be a musician.
MUSIK !D TV: Tell us the inspiration behind "Single AF" from concept to completed track?
SIA AMUN: I was in the studio working with Ryan Toby (City High, Usher "Caught Up") and my boy Ali who produced the track. Ryan asked me, "So, what's up, how's life" and the first thing that came out of my mouth was "Well...I'm SINGLE AS FUUUCCKKK," and everyone fell out laughing. We knew that was going to be the song immediately.
The truth is, I'm a sucker for love but I like my freedom. It's such an interesting place to be in, why not write about it? "Superman come and save me, until then I'm Single AF," I seriously feel that way and I'm not settling. I'm free to do what I want at any time, I can go anywhere with anybody but I don't want just anybody. It's easy to find a fling, or someone to kill time with, but I want something real when the time is right. I'm old school lol, I'm not with the weekend shit.
MIDTV: People are going crazy over this track, even calling it a new anthem. Why do you think fans relate to it so much?
SA: Yea, that's pretty cool. I wrote this record from a very sincere place. I wrote it the same way I write in my diary and that's what I think people connect to, the realness of it. Everyone has felt this way at some point in their life.
MIDTV: Let's get a little girl talk in really quick - we find it hard to believe that you are single! How is the Los Angeles dating scene like for an artist? Is it more complicated?
SA: It's definitely more complicated being an artist because not everyone understands the life, or the work it takes and so on. But honestly, I can't speak on the dating scene, I'm so focused on manifesting other things in my life, focused on loving me and being completely happy with me first before even getting somebody else involved with my craziness lol that I don't really put myself out there like that. I tried dating a little after my last relationship but it's just not my thing. I'm so weird when it comes to that kind of stuff.
MIDTV: There is a unifying theme of love in most music popular and otherwise, what does love mean to you?
SA: Love is everything. We have the experiences we have as humans (heartbreaks, finding a soulmate, losing friends, death, births, disappointments, etc) to learn how to love unconditionally. True love is peace and happiness, no judgement, acceptance and oneness. My ultimate goal is to love and be loved unconditionally, through my music and in life.
MIDTV: Being that Steven Russell-Harts is your father, you were introduced to the music scene very quickly. Describe the moment you realized that you wanted to be a singer/songwriter?
SA: I was introduced to the fact that living my dream was a real thing, and not just some intangible fantasy dream that only exist in my head, from my dad and watching him. But, as far as the spark that got me going, that came from my grandmother (My dad's mom). She was and is the greatest influence in my life, and the reason I am who I am today. When I was 4 years old she made me sing her a song. The reaction she gave, the excitement and the smile on her face afterwards gave me a feeling of completeness, I felt complete joy in that moment. I was too young to know what I was doing but to bring so much joy to her, I knew that day that I was going to spend my life making people feel the way I made her feel and vise versa. I still feel that feeling today as if it just happened. Rest in peace to my beautiful Angel. She introduced me to India Arie, Brandy, Fleetwood Mac, the Commodores and so many great artists that helped develop who I later became as a singer, from my tone to my content.
For a long time I had no clue that artists didn't write their own music. I was a dancer and singer and solely focused on that. It wasn't until my dad wrote "Gots Ta Be" and "Why I Love You" for B2K that I realized what was really going on. I thought he was the coolest guy on the planet lol. I started going to the studio with him when I was about 12/13, at that time he was apart of The Underdogs which consisted of Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas, James Fauntelroy, Tank, Tony Dixon, Eric Dawkins, etc. - some of the best to ever do it. I fell in love with songwriting watching them create. I sat in the corner of countless sessions for hours just watching and soaking it all in. It was and still is like magic to me. To start with absolutely nothing at the beginning of a session and end with a full record that was played on the radio every day was very Godly and I wanted to be apart of that. My dad knew that I wanted to be an artist but he encouraged me to focus on writing, so that's what I did. I made the transition from songwriter to artist after my grandmother passed in 2015.
MIDTV: What advice would you give your 10-year-old self about the music business and your experience in it thus far?
SA: I recorded my first song when I was 10, and believe it or not, I was very shy and very insecure as a vocalist despite how good I was. I would tell 10 year old SIA that confidence out weighs talent, not to be afraid of opportunity and fuck the opinions of other people.
MIDTV: You are sweet with the pen, writing great hits for yourself, Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz, and Lady Gaga. What is your secret to writing a good song?
SA: I can't take all the credit, I co-wrote a lot of the placements I have with some really amazing singer/songwriters. People like Eric Dawkins and Teddy Riley. I grew up studying and watching them as a child, so to have been blessed to work with them and be a part of their process was the reward for me more so than the placement itself.
But to answer the question, there are no secrets to writing good songs, anybody can write a "good" song. The key to writing a great song is studying great songs, great writers, and great music. Studying provides the knowing, you learn over time what moves you and how to connect to people. Some of the greatest songs ever were all about Love, wanting love or being loved and everybody on the planet can relate.
MIDTV: How do you balance making music you believe will make you successful and music that indeed moves you?
SA: Since I decided to solely focus on me and my music I only do what moves me but that doesn't pertain to one particular type of song, or concept. I have so many incomplete songs, and songs that are just feel-good songs but not really saying much. I just go with the flow of my energy and spirit now. My process has changed completely over the years.
MIDTV: Please share any current/upcoming projects and where can we find your work.
SA: A new project is coming this year for sure, there is no date to announce at this moment, but it is coming. I just joined an independent artist from Louisiana by the name of MistaRoe on his summer tour. We're going to 22 different states, 37 shows. The tour starts May 31st so I'm very excited about that! Stay tuned in for those dates. You can find my work via my site www.siaamun.com and on all social media platforms @siaamun on iTunes, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
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