Meet 24-year-old Cyndel, whose soulful voice you have probably heard at live music venues all around the island. For this week’s Hot Seat, the passionate singer tells us all about her musical journey, her inspiration and her favourite songs.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Cyndel. I arrived in St. Maarten in November 2021 from France. I have been singing since I was small – I don’t even remember when I got started. Singing is a part of my life and my personality. I have always been a discreet girl and it has always been the best way to express myself; my emotions.
When I sing, I don’t just sing any random song that everybody knows. Of course, if someone requests that I sing a popular song that makes him/her happy, I will sing it. But when I sing, my objective is to share a vibe and an ambiance with the people around me. It’s a mix between the emotions I feel and the intuition that I have – the kind of energy I get from the people around me to create the perfect match.
How did you get into the music industry?
At the end of high school, I was divided between studying science and singing. I always liked taking care of people; I wanted to become a nurse. But singing was ingrained in me, and singing also takes care of people. Music is what colours our day; who does not listen to music seriously?
That’s what I chose – to take care of people’s emotions and sing songs that make us feel joy. I also sing melancholy songs, because we are not happy a hundred percent every day – and music touches us on all levels; it is human and it feels good. A song is also a memory of our past years – the best moments of our lives sometimes – that’s what I like to remember!
How long have you been singing?
Since I was around 10 years old, I started to play a little bit of piano by ear, without knowing anything about music. Then by the time I turned 13, I started to learn guitar in a little music school in my village in France, and I had a band. After this, I took private classes from another teacher and from there, I started playing my guitar and singing solo until I eventually had my first solo concert. I was so SCARED, but at the same time, I felt so comfortable to express myself in this way.
So after high school, I went to university and studied jazz musicology, and alongside that, I took courses of actual music at the conservatory in Toulouse. Then Covid-19 arrived, and everything closed and I wanted to move away from where I lived. I came to St. Maarten on vacation and loved the island. I started to search for venues where I could sing, and I landed a gig at Pizzeria Club at Princess Casino. A few months later, I moved to the island.
What is your favourite thing about your profession?
My favourite thing about singing is to feel the same sensations with the people in front of me. And I like the challenge of singing hard and powerful songs.
Where do you find inspiration?
My main inspiration is American soul music, but I like to vary with other styles like pop, electro, Brazilian vibes and French variety.
What can we expect from you this year?
As I learn more and more songs every day, my goal is to sing the songs that people love by adding a touch of my personality, but also to make them discover other less-known ones and party with them in the four corners of St. Maarten.
What is your favourite song of all time to perform?
My favourite songs change frequently, but I would say that the song that gives me the most sensation is Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”. It is the first vocal I ever sang as a child, and every time I sing it in public, I love to observe people’s reaction to it. It is a powerful song.
At which venues do you currently play?
I play at Tortuga every Tuesday from 6:00pm to 9:00pm and at The Morgan every Thursday from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. To find out where I will be performing in the upcoming high season, you can follow me on social media.
What would you advise your younger self; or other people looking to get into a similar profession?
I would tell my younger self that I am proud of her and what she is, and would remind her that she pursued her dreams little by little to regret nothing. To myself and others, who wish or are already in the music field, I would say: Feed your creativity and continue to love, create and play live music. Live music is one of the things that really keep the island alive.
