Syd Hartha. Image: Courtesy of Sony Music Philippines
Sonia del Rosario, who made a name for herself as Syd Hartha, enjoys looking back at her journals. Every page contains her deepest thoughts and hidden feelings until they became one of her anchors in music, including her recent single “damdamin!”
“‘Damdamin!’ means to feel something and nabuo lang siya [mula] sa entries ko sa journal. Mahilig akong mag-look back d’un (‘damdamin!’ means to feel something, and it was formed through my journal entries. I love looking back at them),” she told INQUIRER.net with a bright smile during a Zoom interview that took place in a sunny afternoon.
If not for her bright demeanor, it would have been easy to conclude that Syd Hartha’s music simply talks about joy. Yet her songs—which fall in the acoustic genre—always revolved around the singer-songwriter getting in touch with her feelings. This doesn’t mean she never released a cheerful song throughout her career. She simply wanted “damdamin!” to be a reminder to let go of the darkness.
“I chose it to be part of my releases kasi gusto kong iintroduce sa new era sa music ko. Dati, sobrang mabigat at dark [ang mga] ni-release ko. Parang ang daming pain na hindi ko pa kayang i-let go,” she admitted. “Ngayon, slowly, I’m getting there. It’s a transition song sa new era ko.”
(I chose it to be part of my releases because I want to introduce a new era in my music. The songs I released back then were heavy and dark. It held a lot of pain that I struggled to let go of. Now, slowly, I’m getting there. It’s a transition song in my new era.)
Accepting happiness
While “damdamin!” follows a romantic undertone, Syd Hartha clarified that it doesn’t solely talk about young love. It is a message to her listeners that there is nothing wrong with being honest about their feelings. “Ang main intention ko in writing this song ay ipaalala sa mga [paano to get in touch] with what they feel. Hindi naman necessarily romantic,” she said of its purpose, noting how savoring happiness and other positive feelings helps in one’s well-being.
“Hindi naman necessarily romantic. Pwede rin ito tungkol sa mga achievements kung sobrang saya mo, something like that,” she continued. “Parang sana namnamin ang feelings na ‘yun, and sana hindi lumipas. Let it stay with you as long as possible. Super natural lang siya lumabas.”
(My main intention in writing this song is to remind listeners how to get in touch with what they feel. It doesn’t necessarily cover romance. It also talks about enjoying achievements that make you very happy. I hope you will be reminded to savor these feelings and not allow them to pass. Let it stay with you as long as possible.)
Syd Hartha confessed that she experienced a lot of moments where she felt truly happy. While it was hard for her to give specific examples, she feels the happiest whenever she performs at a gig or records new music in a studio.
On her music
While Syd Hartha’s music focuses on the acoustic genre, her love for music started early with her mother’s fondness of listening to Paramore. It was far from her present identity but it sparked the beginning of her career.
Syd Hartha. Image: Instagram/@syd.hartha
“Hindi talaga ako nagsimulang acoustic and chill noong bata. Pinapakinggan ng Mama ko ay Paramore. I guess, d’un nakuha ang love for instruments. Eventually, natuto akong mag-guitar and magsulat ng mga kanta,” she shared. “Mula noon, na-inspire rin ako sa OPM artists. Malaki sa influence sa ’kin ng Spongecola, Parokya ni Edgar, ’yung mga pogi rock.”
(I didn’t start with the acoustic and chill genre when I was young. My mother loved listening to Paramore. I guess that’s where my love for instruments came from. I eventually learned how to play the guitar and write songs. Since then, I have been inspired by OPM artists. Spongecola and Parokya ni Edgar, or pogi rock, had a huge influence on me.)
Being exposed to different artists allowed Syd Hartha to figure out her own style, as well as opting to focus on releasing singles instead of an album. This doesn’t mean she has plans to put out an album in the future. She noted that it is based on her “personal preference” since she wants her songs to “marinate.”
“Gusto ko na lahat ng mga kanta ko ay mabigyan ng focus. Kapag album, posibleng matagalan siya [mag-marinate], so sayang naman. That’s my way of pushing myself sa mga kanta, like gusto ko mapakinggan muna nila [ang certain na kanta] before moving to the next one,” she said.
(I want all of my songs to be given attention to. Releasing an album might take some time to marinate, so it might be a waste. That’s my way of pushing myself with my songs. I want them to be heard before moving on to the next one.)
One of the elements that Syd Hartha pays attention to is her lyrics. “Gusto kong pakinggan nila ang mga sinasabi ko. Introspective ako as a person and lumalabas ‘yun sa mga kanta ko (I want them to listen to what I’m saying. I’m an introspective person and it reflects on my songs),” she said while explaining her style. She also shared that wearing her heart on her sleeve also shows in the kind of songs she creates.
This, according to the singer-songwriter, is one of the reasons why she wants to be honest with herself. She is aware of how trends constantly change in music and the pressure it entails. Despite this, she reiterated that she doesn’t want to play into them.
“Naisip ko na kapag ginawa ‘yun, mawawala ’yung soul. Parang pinatay ko ‘yung sarili kong kanta. Ang promise ko sa sarili ko na kahit ano mang mangyari, sana maging totoo ako sa sarili ko. Sana kahit ‘yung part ng music ay [mag-go through change], may matitira na something para sa’kin,” she said.
(I thought to myself that if I gave in, I would lose the soul of my music. It’s like I killed my own songs. I promised myself that no matter what happens, I hope I’ll be true to myself. Even though my music will go through change at some point, there will be something I can keep for myself.)
Syd Hartha. Image: Instagram/@syd.hartha
With this in mind, Syd Hartha hopes to be a singer-songwriter who reminds her listeners about the beauty of being honest with their feelings.