PREMIERE: Vancouver Musician Syd Warwick Debuts Her New Name With The Inspirational “Moon Kin”
The change of a name is a very symbolic affair – even if it is just your stage name. Vancouver-based alt-folk artist Syd Warwick, formerly known as Abraham, decided to change her artist moniker following a few tumultuous years of touring, heartbreak, mental illness, addiction, and rediscovery. For the first six years of her career, Syd felt a connection to her almost-birth name Abraham (had she been born a boy), but now, refocused, Syd Warwick has debuted her new name with the warmhearted single “Moon Kin”.
It’s an exceptionally fitting transition into the next chapter of her career, as “Moon Kin” explores the theme of being true to yourself and remaining self-accepting regardless of others. About the song, Syd explains, “The kindest thing as a young girl I was called was crazy and many things I would never repeat out loud. I wasn’t afraid to be myself, or to explore who I was and this made me a target. Being myself often meant I was either bullied, or isolated; for many years I felt incredibly alone”.
But the loneliness and negativity she experienced would eventually become a driving factor in her music and voice, and on “Moon Kin”, it proved to be the freeing spirit that brings a humanistic depth to the song. “Moon Kin” is about hoping for love and acceptance from those around you, but also about avoiding limitations and self-sabotaging expectations.
While that self-discovery may take years to unravel, Syd’s voice and lyrics act as a catalyst, bringing an inspiring warmth with her soothing voice and patient ukulele strumming, as she sings, “I’m a travellin’ wild woman of the wind / Wherever my heart blows that’s where I’ll be” as a chorus, providing reassurance for each self-doubting verse.
She hopes that her experience can help bring more to the lives of her listeners: “I hope that ’Moon Kin’ can inspire listeners to embrace all parts of themselves. To accept, feel, and let be any emotion that comes along with finding your place in the world. With tender hands, hold the pain that arises from not feeling seen (it’s natural, it’s okay). While at the exact same time, have the strength to unapologetically be who they are. Regardless of who might be unimpressed, or who it might upset”.
As a musician, Syd has a unique richness to her voice, channelling the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Feist, but with a soothing West Coast glow that is prominent to the Vancouver music scene. Her ability to write heartfelt hooks that bring out her vocal strengths are what will help Syd Warwick find success under her new name.
You can watch Syd Warwick perform her new music on a special live stream show in tandem with the single release, and stay tuned for more music this year.
