Syd, the 34-year-old singer-rapper-producer-engineer, has released her third solo album 'Beard', which she calls her 'first really me album'. The album, named after the peach fuzz on her upper lip, showcases her production skills with 10 tracks produced by herself, a significant increase from three on her debut 'Fin' and five on 'Broken Hearts Club'. Syd, born Sydney Bennett, was a member of Odd Future and co-founded the Internet with Matt Martians. She has collaborated with Beyoncé and Kehlani and earned a Grammy nomination with the Internet.
From Odd Future to Solo Success
Bennett joined Odd Future in 2007 alongside her brother Travis (Taco). Initially, the group recorded in her parents' guesthouse studio. However, as the collective grew, she felt isolated. 'We probably had three meetings as a group ever, and I called two of them,' she recalls. When she called a meeting to discuss recording, one member said, 'We're not even friends like that.' She struggled with depression, which 'no one else in the group could understand.' Matt Martians was a support, but 'nobody in Odd Future would do that.' She acknowledges the group set her up for success, and Tyler, the Creator still spends holidays at her house.
Finding Her Voice as a Producer
Bennett initially wanted to be a producer but lacked confidence. 'I was intimidated by all the men I was around,' she says, as the only woman in Odd Future. After the group became inactive, she set production aside. But after 'Broken Hearts Club', she started making beats for fun. 'One day, I looked up and I had a lot of beats, and then the next day I looked up and I didn't like anybody else's beats.' Martians was the first to compliment her production. She produced most of 'Beard' herself, working partly at Raphael Saadiq's studio. Saadiq, who worked on D'Angelo's 'Voodoo' and Beyoncé's 'Renaissance', became a mentor: 'I feel like I can call him a mentor.'
The Internet's Return and Artistic Separation
Alongside 'Beard', Bennett is working on the Internet's fifth album, their first since 2018's 'Hive Mind'. Martians is leading the project, and Bennett is focused on distinguishing her solo work from the band. 'It sounds nothing like my album, which is also intentional,' she says. 'I hate when people conflate us.' The Internet's album is anticipated by fans.
Contentment and Future Plans
Bennett bought a house on the same street she grew up on in Mid-City, LA. 'My royalties cover my mortgage and more,' she says. 'This is the first time I've released an album and not wanted for anything. I have everything I want.' She no longer chases awards or recognition. 'Beard's inevitable success? That'll just be gravy.' The album is out 17 July via Free Lunch/Warners. She plays Manchester on 31 August and London on 1 September.
