We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sebastian Siren. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sebastian below.
Sebastian, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
Growing up, I was always an alternative kid, immersed in SoCal’s Y2K skate and beach culture, punk and ska scenes, with the proximity to Hollywood, which eventually called me north to LA, where I spent the majority of my 20s and early 30s. At the time, I felt trapped by the monotony of Orange County’s suburbs, but looking back, I think that’s exactly what inspired me to seek out creative scenes and ways to express myself more vibrantly–it just took me a while to understand that I could turn those things into my career.
Flash forward, I found myself now living in New York City. I had moved across the country, chasing a version of success that didn’t quite fit anymore, but who would pass up an opportunity to move to NYC? Not me! One night, I found myself at an underground techno rave in Brooklyn–nothing flashy, just raw, sweaty, full of life and community. As I watched the DJ, they weren’t just playing tracks–it was as if they were in a trance state (no pun intended), as if something bigger was flowing through them, weaving not just sound, but emotion that filled the space and wove its way through our bodies as we danced. In a primal sense, it felt as though we were all One, lost in the same experience. I felt tears running down my face and a swell of energy in my heart…and it clicked – that’s me, that’s me on stage.
I knew in that moment, there was no other thing that brought me as much joy as electronic music–not just the music, but the experience that DJs create–the collective experience of community, lost in emotion, guided by a master of sound, emotion, and movement.
Music wasn’t just something I loved–it was something I needed to express–a creative energy within my soul desperate for release. Music has always been how I connected to the world, to others, and to myself. That night flipped a switch. I stopped waiting for the perfect conditions and just started building–from perfecting the craft, learning sound design, to creative direction to curating spaces that felt sacred, cinematic, and alive.
That was the moment I said yes. Fully. Professionally. Personally. Spiritually. And never looked back. And the best part? It has all felt like play ever since.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I go by SSIREN—a techno artist, creative director, and sound storyteller. My creations live at the intersection of ritual, rhythm, and emotional resonance. I’m based in New York City, identify as a global citizen, but my Southern California roots are strong and alive—both places shape me. SoCal gave me warmth and a deep connection to its subcultures, the ocean, sunshine, and that appreciation for natural beauty. NYC expanded my creative and entrepreneurial spirit.
The stereotype is true, NYC fills you with an ‘anything is possible’ attitude, one that instills a go-getter mindset that helped bring my creative passions to life and recognize the power in radiating my authentic unique perspective, not trying to imitate others. I’m now in this beautiful place where I’m bridging bi-coastal energies, expanding my footprint back into LA, and building creative collaborations that pull from the best that both regions embody.
What I offer is more than a DJ set. It’s an experience. I build sonic journeys that move beyond singular genres, spanning techno, indie dance, trance, and ambient—designed to bring people into their bodies and out of their heads. I call it Techno Temple Ritual—sound as a ceremony. Music as medicine. The goal is to create a space where people can release, reconnect, and remember who they are beneath all the noise.
When you leave a SSIREN experience, I want you to fall asleep either joyfully smiling ear to ear, eyes filled with tears, or having amazing sex – or all three! That means my art has unlocked something in you. Something primal. Emotion that was craving release.
Beyond performance, I consult on creative direction for events, visual identities, immersive experiences, and mixed media. I’m passionate about merging music, movement, and design into cohesive, intentional narratives.
What sets me apart? I’m not here to follow trends—I’m here to build culture. I’m most proud of the moments when someone comes up to me after a set and says, “I felt like I left my body” or “That helped me process something I didn’t even realize I was holding.” That’s the highest compliment to me.
At the heart of it all is presence – vulnerability, integrity, and joy. My mission is to remind people—and myself—that we can still find beauty and meaning in a chaotic world. That art can heal. That we’re not alone. That’s what SSIREN is about. I call the SSIREN tribe ‘sunshine people’, because that’s what they feel like – warm, vibrant, radiant – people who live true to themselves and embody an essence of vitality in all they do.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Yes—and I say this with compassion. I think a lot of people still see the creative path as indulgent, unstable, or somehow less “serious” than traditional work. What they don’t always see is that being a creative means constantly navigating uncertainty, self-doubt, and the pressure to make meaning out of everything—while still showing up for others through your work.
I think society defaults to a mindset that tells us ‘that’s not possible’ or ‘be realistic’. A mindset fueled by doubt and fear.
But to a Creative, this path is realistic. It’s the reality that feels most true to them. A truth that lives at the core of their being. Once you realize this inner truth, there’s no going back. It will continue calling you until you follow its thread.
The hardest part of being a Creative isn’t making money from your passions, it’s taking that leap of faith into the unknown and believing in yourself with such unwavering faith that the path will unfold on its own…you just have to keep going.
I believe this is true of any path in life. In work, in love, and all the choices we make. The real shift happens when you embrace the positive side of ‘what if’ and start believing anything is possible. Because it is.
One of the biggest shifts in my life was realizing that part of my purpose in being a Creative is by default also being a ‘Way-Shower’—someone who shows others that it is possible to follow their dreams. That it is possible to live loud, take risks, and embody what it looks like to pursue a life that aligns with your truth.
That’s not easy. It requires deep inner work, resilience, faith in yourself, and a willingness to be endlessly misunderstood.
The truth is: creativity isn’t a luxury. It’s how we survive. It’s how we process the world. It’s how we transform pain into beauty, chaos into harmony. I’ve had to walk through my own shadows, hold myself accountable to my dreams, to begin anew—not just in my career, but my entire sense of self. That’s the real work.
And if I can offer any insight, it’s this: being a Creative isn’t about being perfect. It’s about conviction. It’s about finally saying yes to what lights you up – no matter what. Saying yes to a calling that inevitably makes you undeniably radiant because you will be living your highest truth.
“Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” –Howard Thurman
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Ever since unlocking the singular truth of my purpose in life, it has been my guiding North Star as an artist and as a person. In its most simple form, I am a creator of joy.
This pivotal moment for me came when working with a career coach during the pandemic. I was in a thriving advertising career, but felt deeply unfulfilled–I enjoyed what I did, but there was always this sense of emptiness that I just couldn’t seem to fill. I knew my values, I knew what was important to me, I felt like I lived life true to myself, but that clear knowing of ‘what I was here to do’ was causing me some haze in where I was meant to go in life.
My coach led me to realize my purpose is ‘to create joy’. “What the hell does that even mean?”, I remember exclaiming to her. I wanted answers, not more cryptic signs from the Universe. To decode this discovery, I followed the teachings of many entrepreneur/creative/spiritual thought leaders that stressed following your greatest joys…those little sparks eventually turned into a revelation that led to my path as a creative entrepreneur.
If you ask people who are clear on their mission or purpose, it’s often much simpler than we’re expecting to hear. That’s what’s so powerful about them. In their simplicity, they influence all areas of our lives, not just our ‘work’, but in the way we move through the world.
I’ve always been someone who lives life to the fullest, with a belief that we are all on a never-ending journey of self-expansion, and that all experiences can be lived joyfully, even in our darkest moments – it’s all about perspective.
And let’s be real, at the end of the day…what is a party, a rave, or any gathering all about? It’s about joy. Joy in experience, joy in connection, joy in community.
Life is meant to be lived joyfully. And I’m here to create more of it in this world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ssiren.sounds?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=70238eb0-f734-43d5-8478-6bf1ffc6ae34
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ssiren.sounds
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ssiren.sounds
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ssirensounds
Image Credits
@SSIREN.SOUNDS