We recently connected with Squydd and have shared our conversation below.

Squydd, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I always heard the advice: “You should do what you love. And If you are not happy with what you’re doing, then life is meaningless.” While I grew up aspiring to live by that, no one tells you about one little detail: That it’s a RISK. Doing music comes with a good amount of being out of your comfort zone and pressured, while oftentimes having to hide it in front of a few people to hundreds of people. I came from being a shy, closetted musician, to preparing for shows every week and playing with musicians I looked up to in the span of a few weeks. And I’m not gonna lie, I felt like the little fish in a big pond. I didn’t believe I knew my true potential that others saw in me and the great opportunities I’d get, I felt more stressed than I should have been or less worthy than I really was. Each opportunity that seemed terrifying and impossible, I had a choice. To be comfortable or to take the RISK. And with every yes I committed to. I grew. I proved myself wrong with all the doubts I had and proved myself right that a little part of me was curious if I could actually do it. And I did. A lot of risks came with sacrifices. While I struggled for my art, doing something I loved made the sacrifices sting less and life more worth living. All the risks I took growing my music, I became a little more confident, a little more grounded and more certain about what made me happy. I never wanted to pass the opportunity fantasizing what it would have been like to say yes. I wanted to experience it. And now I am at a point where I can reflect and tell my story to others.

Squydd, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Squydd, I am a local musician in Phoenix and I share my art through playing the piano and singing. I started the piano when I was 4 and began singing at 10. I grew up playing praise and worship music with my Dad at different churches, prayer meetings and conferences for the Diocese of Phoenix starting in middle school. I received great feedback to sing again, so I branched out to other places on the West Valley and was a signed artist on Sessions Live, an online platform for artists to earn money through virtual shows. In 2021 I met Paris, a local DJ and music curator in Phoenix, who introduced me to the music community and opened endless doors for me to show my talents to bigger crowds in Downtown Phoenix. People know me for my contemporary R&B and Neo-Soul sound. I have played at various farmer’s markets, bars, First Fridays, private events and live music venues. Now I am currently working in the studio to release my new song ‘SITUATION’ and grateful to expand my sound further than the city.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

In music, my mission is to “Set me free, empower others (especially women) and grow.” I grew up struggling with mental health issues like PTSD, Anxiety and Trichotillomania. Everyday I fight for myself, and music has been a sort of “map” to set myself free. Seeing what I’ve accomplished through music, shows me that my “story” and experiences are not who I am. I want to get to a point where I can be fully confident in saying that I was the one that got myself here, not “luck” or “chance”. I want to play music forever, and share my art in the process for who ever wants to listen.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being a musician and a creative is a blessing in itself. This is what sets humans apart from all creation. That we can make art for the sake of it. Art symbolizes the cycle of being human. For most creatives, we use art to express our feelings whether happy or sad and either way it creates something beautiful. In a lot of ways, I think life flows in that way, that we go through blessings and suffering and in the end it produces something more beautiful than the last. Participating in that is the most rewarding thing, and also having others be able to enjoy the art and find their own expression through it. I also love meeting the amazing creatives out here in Phoenix. It is mind blowing how creative these people are and I constantly look up to them.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squydd/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Pe3sxbcWDE3wRfdgnExiA
• Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/squydd

Image Credits
Credit to: Timmy B & Montoya Space Lion Pictures