Dublin-based singer, songwriter, and producer Sushee continues her ascent in Ireland’s alternative electronic music scene with the release of her captivating new single, “DECEIVE ME.” Fusing hypnotic house rhythms, deep percussion, amapiano-inspired drums, and haunting layered vocals, the track marks an exciting new chapter in her evolving sound and offers listeners an immersive, late-night dance experience.
1) Your music feels like a meeting point between different cultures and sounds. How have your personal experiences and the environments around you shaped the music you create?
Growing up in an ethnically mixed household definitely shaped the musical influences I try to blend in my own music. I grew up listening to a range of different genres such as rock, house, african rhumba, classical music and soul. I definitely like taking inspiration from all of these genres when I’m producing and taking the time to experiment with my selection of instruments and samples inspired by an array of genres to see what blends well together. Doing this definitely helps to curate my individual sound.
2)There is a strong emotional honesty running through your work. When writing songs, how do you balance revealing personal experiences while still creating something listeners can interpret through their own stories?
I try my best to push through my own experiences when writing lyrics. It’s a form of therapy and processing for me, for sure! However I’m also quite paranoid at times that my lyrics might be too personal and niche and I may accidentally be spilling my own secrets (LOL), so usually I’ll go back over my lyrics multiple times and play around with words until find a perfect balance between what’s authentic and genuine from me and how relay my own experiences in a way thats more relatable and healing maybe for others to connect to as well. However in the case of “DECEIVE ME” I didn’t feel the need to look over my lyrics as I felt like I hit that sweet spot in songwriting from the first go and I didn’t second guess myself nor my creative process, which was a nice feeling to have.
3) Electronic music has often been associated with escapism and nightlife, while songwriting is often associated with storytelling and intimacy. How do you bring these two worlds together in your own music?
I think some of the best dance music historically has some beautiful and profound lyrics. I try to make it a goal of mine to ensure that my music can be appreciated in both a night club/ rave setting as well as at home lying in your bed with your headphones on. I think in a dance setting the instrumental and rhythms and bass can be enjoyed and danced to, while in a more intimate setting perhaps my lyrics can be appreciated more. I definitely think creating electronic music for a variety of listening settings can be achieved and I hope to explore this duality more in future releases.
4) Your vocals often sit between softness and intensity, creating a sense of contrast within your tracks. How do you approach using your voice as both a storytelling tool and another instrument within the production?
I like to use my voice as a way of guiding the direction in which the song is going to go dynamically. It comes natural to me to carve my voice and melodies around the instrumental and emphasise certain parts of the songs dynamic with my choice of singing style. I also like to alternate my singing styles and techniques in a way that can energise the song or leave a more hypnotic and trance-like impression to the listeners. With singing I can choose to emphasize the meanings and lyrics which I want to take center-stage in the song as well as adding more musicality to a song without adding more instruments. Sometimes I like to play around with harmonising with the melody of the instruments in the track as well just to add more depth to the song. I also feel like my vocals really add a level of spiritual awakening and comfort to the listeners which in turn also pushes me to sing and experiment more vocally as well.
5) Artists today are increasingly breaking down genre boundaries. Do you think audiences are becoming more open to fluid sounds, and how important is experimentation to keeping music exciting?
I think we live in a world where people are looking for something they’ve never heard of before. I feel like a lot of people seek something different and maybe even something unpredictable that can give them some sort of escapism and excitement. I believe alot of music lovers are seeking a sound that can’t necessarily be divided into categories and I also think there’s a real openness for people to dive into and enjoy more experimental/ left-field music. I really struggled earlier on in my music career trying to define myself as a “one genre” artist and since I started blending genres and music styles together I have felt a lot more freedom creatively and and I feel significantly more excited to work on my craft. I feel like loads of artists can resonate with this as well and it also means I get to learn and appreciate music even more as I continue to create.
6) Your work has received support from Irish tastemakers, radio platforms, and international DJs. How does recognition from outside your immediate community affect your confidence and ambition as an independent artist?
I’m quite an extroverted introvert by nature, I think that the recognition has really built my self confidence in terms of music in a positive manner which I often struggled with in the beginning. And I feel like I have allowed myself to be perceived as Sushee and I’m growing into my musical alias as Sushee while my music is also growing as well. I definitely feel motivated to grow and express myself more and I feel very authentic and very grateful for everyone who has been really supportive of my craft! It’s truly a great feeling to know that people are enjoying and championing the stuff I’m putting out and I can’t wait to release more and stand behind my work like a proud parent hahaha.
7) With streaming and social media changing how people discover music, what do you think makes an artist truly connect with an audience today beyond just creating a good song?
I think despite the difficulties artists face with having to maintain a social media presence I think artists should take advantage of the capabilities of potentially reaching their target audience. For example, I think engaging with positive comments is a really important thing, it builds a good virtual relationship with your fans and it’s a chance to let them know how much their support means to you as an artist. I also think frequent updates about your creative process and some behind the scenes footage of music videos and BTS of production really helps to tear down the virtual, out of touch feeling that social media gives us and the audience can get to know you and your creative thought process on a more human level. I also think that energy should be carried in real life when people recognise you from your music, it’s a very positive experience that has allowed me to make friends and collaborators in the industry. I think it boils down to being and expressing you gratitude both on and off social media.
8) Your upcoming Afro-electronic EP suggests a deeper exploration of rhythm and global influences. What inspired you to explore these sounds, and what conversations do you hope the project creates?
I want this EP to truly showcase the versatility I have as an artist. I intend to have heavy bass and percussion sounds with hypnotic and raw , evocative vocals and lyrics to really start conversations about genre blending, spiritual enlightenment and divine feminine energy. I think sometimes these themes can be over polished and catered into a commercial package and I intend to strip all that away and give listeners a feeling of music that has been made through my experiences and my own personal and spiritual growth. i think the route of me making afro-electronic experimental dance music was inevitable as I’m so deeply entranced by dance music and heavy hypnotic drums myself. Having an African background and a musical background really allows me to pay homage to those who created music which inspired me growing up and and I get to blend both African and western influences into my own upcoming EP. I’m, quite frankly, very excited for this and I hope people can resonate and feel free and inclined to dance to my creations.
9) Many emerging artists struggle with finding their identity while also navigating the expectations of the music industry. What have you learned about staying authentic while building a career as an independent artist?
I certainly did struggle initially when I started making music as well. it’s so easy to become overwhelmed and to feel pressured to fit into a certain box and musical style. I think I almost had to experience my own version of an ego death to truly understand that my music isn’t for everyone. Once I became comfortable with that realisation then I started to make music which I would like to dance to and that helped me realise that the best music an artist can make is only made when they’re authentic to themselves. And I think the genuineness in myself is pushed into my music and is felt by listeners and my audience as well. I would Like them to understand that everything I make is coming from a place within me and is genuine. It’s also significantly more fun to create when you’re just being yourself and not comparing yourself to other artists. I believe it’s so important to just lock in on what talent you already have and not be concerned about trying to embody a persona that’s not you.
10) If someone discovered your music for the first time through DECEIVE ME, what would you want them to understand about your journey, your influences, and the world you are creating through your music?
I would want them to appreciate the duality of humans and the emotions we feel. DECEIVE ME is a track which centers around self doubt, yearning, deception and rude awakening. My experiences led me to create this song and I would like them to understand the emotional complexity which we all feel sometimes as humans. Secondly I would like them to truly appreciate the hypnotic and transcendance dance-music style which I achieved in this song. The rhythms and sound design was very intentional and pays homage to deep house and amapiano dance music and i feel like both sub genres deserve all the flowers in the world. Thirdly, I think it’s fun for listeners, if intrigued, to learn tha DECEIVE ME is completely self-produced and self-performed, showing my range as an artist in my craft. I also would like people to get the sense that I’m channelling my experiences and own resolutions through this song and I have gone through my own journey to get to this point. And finally I want people to know that this is only a small taste and prequel for the music that Sushee will be known for.
Find Sushee on: Instagram, TikTok, SoundCloud, Spotify
