Today we’d like to introduce you to Sierra Blacc
Hi Sierra, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Toronto, ON, Canada on July 18, 1989. My family immigrated to Canada from Portugal before I was even born. Music has always been a part of my life. I was humming and started singing as a baby before I could even speak. I played different instruments throughout my childhood, such as the soprano recorder, flute, piano, viola, and guitar. I knew at a very early age that I wanted to pursue music. My first encounter with the music industry was in my early 20’s during a time where the music industry was really changing from physical to digital. I remember writing and recording my own songs, then burning them onto CD’s, designing the cover all by myself, then giving them out to friends and family or handing them out on the street wherever I could. I remember learning a lot about the business on the digital side of things that really did prepare me for the future without me even knowing it. I also remember learning a lot of hard first lessons that were quite heartbreaking for a young, bushy-tailed 23-year old, and at the time, I was in no place to continue trying to pursue music. So, I put it on the back burner knowing that when the time was right, I would go back.
Fast forward to 2019, I went through a traumatic loss of someone I loved and cared for and I blamed myself. A few months later, the pandemic hit. I was no longer able to distract or consume myself with work to avoid the pain of my loss. The quarantines from friends and family only added to my depression and made me feel like I was losing my entire life. That’s when I realized that “now” was the right time to pursue music again. Not only to keep me busy or distract me from what was going on in my world as well as the rest of the world, but to heal.
Early 2020 is when I started going to the studio. The studios were closed to the public but because a friend of mine was good friends with someone who owned a studio, a nice one too, I was able to secure 2 session slots every week, Monday and Tuesday nights 7pm-2am. Beginning of 2021, I parted ways from the team I was working and developing with after learning firsthand about their shady dealings with the artists they worked with. I decided I needed to go to Los Angeles to get away, clear my head and sober up. I came back to Toronto middle of 2021 to start over, build a team and put myself in a position to again, be in the studio twice a week every week and consistently put out a single every month with a visual alongside it in 2022 and 2023.
2023 was the year I started releasing cover songs to really show my vocal ability. I chose covers like Walk Away by Christina Aguilera because I knew they weren’t easy to pull off and I had a point to prove. I wanted people to respect me as a singer and vocalist. Up until that point, people didn’t think I actually knew how to sing. In the meantime, I was working with new sounds, exploring the genres of Dance and House music. I released a single every week in June, July and August of 2023 then decided to take a break from releasing music to continue my journey of healing through music by continuing to write and refine my skills as an artist.
By 2024, I started the plans for my EP (Dark Side of the Moonchild) and began shooting the music video for “Thxnk You”, releasing the video September, and EP in October of 2024. I had the pleasure of working with Austin’s very own George Pettus during my first visit to Austin. He was so great to work with, so professional! He recorded the vocals for “Mirrors”, which is the main single from Dark Side of the Moonchild, and that’s actually the song I’ve been nominated for Best Vocals for by Triple A Music Awards!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. The road has been full of unexpected bumps and detours. I’ve had producers/engineers hold my music or stems hostage even though they were paid in full. I’ve been given weird contracts titled “Licensing Agreement” by producers/engineers who were trying to claim full ownership of my music and force me to license my own music, even though, again, I had paid for my sessions in full. I’ve had producers/engineers try to come after me for a larger percentage than what they deserve, even though I was already being generous with the split. I’ve had people try to cross professional lines or try to take advantage of me simply because I’m a female. I’ve had artists steal concepts, ideas, cover art, even shooting the exact same video at the exact same location as I had, and then putting it out as if it was their own original vision.
The obstacles and challenges I’ve had that anyone can expect though, were projects delayed due to technical difficulties, poor logistics, poor communication, lack of organization, or lack of budget and resources. I’ve had projects I was planning to release that will never see the light of day because I wasn’t satisfied with the final outcome.
Regardless, whatever the challenge or obstacle was, I was always able to roll with the punches and figure it out. I had to!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a singer, songwriter, vocalist, content creator and Kick streamer. I’m most proud of how much I’ve grown as an artist in a short time. I’m known for pushing boundaries and not being afraid to try something new even if I fail.
The thing that sets me apart from others is that every time I release a song, you can guarantee it has a different feel, vibe and sound from anything I’ve released before. I love delivering the experience. I love experimenting with other genres and sounds and fusing them together to create the mood or environment of the song and its lyrics. Even my visuals are very different from one another, but they always set the tone of the song, it has to make sense to the listener as well as the viewer.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The thing I love most about Austin, is the people! Everyone is so nice, so kind, I absolutely love the southern hospitality.
What I like least would probably be the confusing roads and highways. I get lost all the time, even with my GPS!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sierrablacc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sierrablacc
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/sierrablaccmusic
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/sierrablacc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sierrablacc
- Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/sierrablacc
- Other: https://www.kick.com/sierrablacc
Image Credits
Photography by: Kevin Nguyen
