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Dim Sum Down-low

Dim Sum Down-Low: SYA reveals her 5 inspirations for writing

“I am my own inspo. Nuff said. Whatever I am, whatever I do, my younger self would’ve been incredibly amazed and proud.”

LiFTED | SYA | 28 Sep 2021


What do you do besides music? LiFTED takes the long-loved afternoon talks at a dim sum joint in Asia to get the scoop of what artists enjoy besides making music in Dim Sum Down-low.

Writers have been pushing society forward since the dawn of civilization. While words hold impeccable power, they have also taken different forms, from ancient tales and poems to dissertations and speeches, and now of course, raps. In this edition of Dim Sum Down Low, we feature SYA, an emerging female rapper from Malaysia who stunned the world with her freestyle video ‘Kika’ in January of 2019, grabbing the attention of fellow rappers like Joe Flizzow, SonaOne, and NJWA. Naturally, SYA got signed by Def Jam SEA and she focused her girl boss energy into taking over the SEA Hip hop scene as her debut single, ‘PrettyGirlBop’ featuring Yung Raja blew up on TikTok and YouTube. While we are patiently awaiting her next release, SYA gave LiFTED a peek into her mind by telling us her five writing inspirations.

Being musical since she was young, SYA has always been knee-deep in poems and writing songs. She insists her writing has to be reflective of her personal experiences, as she believes authenticity is key to songwriting.

“I am my own inspo. Nuff said. Whatever I am, whatever I do, my young self would’ve been incredibly amazed and proud.”

Let SYA give us a look at her five writing inspirations.

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MY WRITINGS ARE MANIFESTATIONS

I self-journal a lot, and I found it not only therapeutic, but it also subconsciously lets me fantasize about my desires and my dreams. Sometimes, I’m so convinced that whatever I put in a song, whether it’s about me having breakfast on a balcony in Tuscany, or driving a Ferrari, I know when I write that, I’m convinced I live in that fantasy already.

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MY LIFE EXPERIENCES

As open as I seem to strangers or some of my friends, I say a lot but I reveal very little. I like keeping things to myself. Whatever I’m going through, especially those vulnerable moments, putting it in my songs feels more comforting than telling it to someone. I feel closer to my inner self and have more control over how I feel about it. In a way, if you really want to know about me deeply, you can find it in my songs. But heads up though, a lot of what I write is metaphoric. For example, to you it’s a break-up song, to me, it’s about my relationship with myself.

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MY MOM

I’ve mentioned this in previous interviews but I’ll always give my mom credit for inspiring my writings as well as the songs I make. She guided me to be the woman I am today. I’d like to one day write something that pays tribute to her in the most meaningful and beautiful way. I guess it’s all just in the game of timing.

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MY DREAMS AND FANTASIES

Unlike writing based on my manifestations, I like writing stories. I love writing strictly from my fantasies or scenarios that I built inside my head. I think it’s fun because it feels like I’m able to be any character I want in a world I live in at any moment. I think this aspect of writing brings out the kid in me the most. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be serious all the time.

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Me

I am my own inspo. Nuff said. Whatever I am, whatever I do, my young self would’ve been incredibly amazed and proud.