Cybah Love: Syd On Astrology, Musical Soulmates, and How to Mend a Broken Heart
Avoiding heartbreak is inevitable.
However, Syd’s most recent release, Broken Hearts Club, is the perfect remedy to mend those emotions.
The 13-track love story is her most vulnerable offering as she takes the audience through a past relationship that started out smoothly and ended with a goodbye. From standout tracks like “CYBAH,” “Fast Car,” and “Out Loud” featuring Kehlani — the roller coaster you will take from the beginning to the end of the album will be all the closure you may need to move on from your own love situation.
For Pride and Black Music Month, BET.com spoke with The Internet member who chatted with us about astrology, lessons she learned from heartbreak, and her “pretty cool” relationship with Beyoncé.
BET.com: For people who have gotten heartbroken, what would you recommend for them to do to mend their hearts as they enter the Broken Hearts Club?
Syd: I would suggest practicing presence and patience because that is what got me through my heartbreak. And not living in the past, not living in the future, but just living in the now. That’s my main piece of advice. That’s what got me through it all. Oh, and listen to some happy music as well [laughs].
BET.com: What are two song recommendations, besides your own songs, that should be on their heartbreak playlist?
Syd: “Halftime” by Amy Winehouse and “Till it’s Done” by D’Angelo.
BET.com: What are some lessons you've learned from heartbreak that show up in Broken Hearts Club?
Syd: I think the biggest lesson that I learned was to not spoil the good memories with, you know, whatever happened [that brought the relationship to an end]. It was hard. Like, it sucks because the relationship that the album talks about was such a good and healthy relationship while it lasted. But I think I was living in the future the whole time I was in that relationship. So when it ended, it was like all my memories were spoiled. And it sucks because we had such great memories. I'm in a new relationship now, and I went into it saying to myself and to her, ‘If this doesn’t last forever — which I hope it does — let’s cherish these memories.’
BET.com: How are you going into this new relationship you have different than the previous one?
Syd: [I’m going into this] a lot more present, and I’m being more fearless. You have to be fearless to fall in love. We love to say, never do love without a good thing, but you will know. You just gotta rock with it. Keep in mind that happiness usually outweighs the sadness. If you’re practicing healthy relationships, which I like to think that I do, then the good times outweigh the bad. Even with that heartbreak — I was heartbroken for a few months — but we had a great relationship for two years.
BET.com: You and Kehlani always have great collaborations. Would you consider her your “musical soulmate?”
Syd: Yeah, sure. I mean, I'm such a fan. Our birthdays are a day apart, and I think maybe that has something to do with it. We also share the same Venus sign and stuff like that. So I think writing love songs together always works out because we love the same.
BET.com: Do you know your moon, sun, and rising signs as well?
Syd: [Laughs] My sun is a Taurus, with a Scorpio rising, and my moon sits in Capricorn.
BET.com: And you also like structure, which comes from your Capricorn side?
Syd: Exactly. Capricorns are very [structured] — this goes in this box, and this goes in this box. I’m not dealing with this right now because it’s not in my box [laughs].
BET.com: Have you ever broken someone’s heart before?
Syd: I’m sure I have. But as far as serious relationships go, I have not actively ever broken a heart. I was always the one getting dumped. Before the relationship that this album was based upon, and the relationship before that, I got left. She left me, and I just didn't put up a fight. ‘Do you need an Uber? I’ll call you an Uber,’ was how I approached it. We were still cordial. I think she actually hit me up on my birthday a couple of weeks ago.
I don't know how she feels about it or how her heart is, but I didn’t break her heart. If anything, if she was heartbroken, she broke her own heart. She left me! Before that, I was the one who would do the breaking up. Since then, we have spoken about it, and she told me, ‘I understand. I get it.’ I ended up with somebody who treated me how I treated them when I was in that past relationship, so I respect her just for being mature enough to talk to me.
BET.com: The production on Broken Hearts Club is crazy. From the different instruments to the outros used on certain records, you’re really doing your thing. What was the vibe you were hoping fans felt from this project?
Syd: To be honest — I just wanted to paint a picture. I didn't really go into it wanting people to feel any kind of way. I just wanted to create a snapshot of my life up to that point from the last project to this one. I fell in love in that on and fell out of love on this one. On Broken Hearts Club, this is how it all went down and shout out to whomever can relate. If anything — maybe with the relationship over — I’d hope that listeners could find some solace in things coming to an end.
BET.com: "Fast Car" sounds so carefree, and you’re so immersed in the one you love where you block out anything else. What fuels your appetite for love when you're getting close to someone?
Syd: It’s the universe and divine spirits. The older I become, the more I get specific with where I put my love. It goes to whomever deserves it, yes, but I’m also very quick to leave it alone. Shout out to my sun, moon, and rising [laughs]. It takes a certain type of mindset to be able to separate boxes in situations.
BET.com: You have so many heartfelt records in your catalog, Syd. And while not everything can be included in your final body of work — are there any records made during Broken Hearts Club that didn’t make the album but you wish you kept?
Syd: How can I say this? Whatever didn’t make the album, but was worthy to, will still come out! I don’t really hoard music. It’s in my back pocket [laughs]. I did a really cool song with Ty Dolla $ign that didn’t quite fit on the album. I also did a song with the homie Devin Morrison that didn’t match up either.
BET.com: We need that Ty Dolla $ign record to drop!
Syd: The world needs that one [laughs]. That one’s kind of nasty.
BET.com: Are there any songs that you’ve written that you’ve given to other artists?
Syd: I’m really blessed to have written for a few artists in my career. Currently, the only other artist that I’m writing for is Beyoncé. I’ve also been lucky enough to write a song for Kelly Rowland, and I’m just trying to keep that momentum going!
BET.com: Does this mean that new music from Bey or Kelly could be dropping soon that includes that signature Syd sound?
Syd: I’m not sure. I won’t know until it comes out. I don't know when anything is coming out [laughs]. But I've been sending songs to Bey for the past few years now. Thankfully, we have a pretty cool relationship.
BET.com: More queer artists are celebrated for creating great work, pushing boundaries, and breaking into the mainstream. Is there anything that didn’t happen when you first came out that you’d like to see others enjoy upon their introduction?
Syd: I think we have the right pioneers now, and it’s happening. Lil Nas X is one of the biggest artists in the world now. He's opening a lot of doors and doing it by being himself. It doesn’t look like he’s compromising anything, and I just love it. I'm happy. It feels more like a free world. I don’t know about you, but I feel like there’s space [to grow]. People feel like we have space now. Like they have the space to be themselves a little bit. Granted, I live in L.A., and this is a fairytale land, but [times are] definitely better than it’s ever been.
BET.com: With The Internet's upcoming album coming at some point in the future, reflecting back, how did you and the group know now was the time to move on?
Syd: So it’s not our last album; it’s our final album on our contract with Columbia. We have plans and whatever it is, it will be for the betterment of young Black people [laughs].
BET.com: Is there anything you want to experiment with for The Internet’s next album?
Syd: There are definitely some people I would like to work with that we never worked with before. As of right now, it’s all in the air. We're kind of just waiting for the stars to align. Thankfully, we're all pretty confident and sure that it's gonna happen when it's supposed to. I don't know. We're all in this really great place right now individually as a group. Whatever it is, it's gonna be fire.
Ty Cole is a New York-based entertainment reporter and writer for BET.com who covers pop culture, music, and lifestyle. Follow his latest musings on Twitter @IamTyCole.
