Calgary Native Country-Pop Singer Sykamore Releases New Single “He’s Mine”
Calgary native country-pop artist Sykamore returns with her emotional new single “He’s Mine,” a heartfelt ballad inspired by the often-overlooked mother-son bond at weddings. Following the success of her debut album Pinto, the rising Canadian artist continues to showcase her storytelling strength with a song that is already resonating deeply with fans and audiences worldwide.
What have you been up to since we last spoke?
I’ve been writing new songs, playing festivals on new continents, and playing hockey!
“He’s Mine” highlights a perspective we don’t often hear in wedding songs—the mother–son relationship. What was that moment like for you at the wedding that sparked the idea, and how quickly did the song come together after?
The idea was certainly planted at a wedding. I don’t think I wrote it until a few months after the fact. It dawned on me while at the wedding of a family member that there really wasn’t a song for the mother/son dance portion of the reception. And I thought, someone should write that. Later on, I was writing by myself, and I wasn’t landing on any ideas that I loved. And then I remembered the mental note I had made that summer at the wedding, and decided I’d try to write something for moms with boys.
This song has already connected with audiences during your live shows. What has the reaction been like from fans—especially mothers—and has anyone shared a story that stuck with you?
I’m always honoured when moms come up to me after shows and tell me their personal story of why they resonate with the song. I’ve heard so many different lived experiences – new moms, weddings coming up, births, graduations – all the big moments when that dynamic between parents and children shifts a little; I feel like people reach for a song like this in those times. One that comes to mind is the mother of an old classmate of mine – she reached out even though we haven’t spoken since I was probably 12! She wanted to tell me her other son (classmate’s brother) is getting married, and they are going to use this song for their dance. That was really lovely to hear.
You’ve built a reputation for blending heartfelt storytelling with a modern country-pop sound. How did you approach balancing emotion and melody on “He’s Mine” to make it feel both intimate and widely relatable?
I’ve found that I don’t have to think too much about making a song relatable, because it tends to be relatable when I am just honest with myself. I’ve learned over the years that we as humans have so much in common emotionally, and can usually see ourselves in any human who is just being vulnerable. So I always try to just be vulnerable and earnest in my writing, and the bridge gets built that way. As for the melody, I think I just let this one fly wherever it wanted to go – I went with what felt nice for my voice. There’s actually a weird timing issue in the second verse – it doesn’t land on an even set of bars. But it always felt right to go to the chorus where it does, so I never changed it!
Working with Bobby Campbell on this track, what did he bring to the production that helped elevate the emotional core of the song?
Bobby is very good at making tasteful additions to a song. He understands “less is more” better than anyone – and I think that’s key in a song like this. We would never want to throw something into the mix that doesn’t need to be there, since the lyrics are so forthright and featured. Everything that’s in the song is intentionally placed there, at an intentional level. I think in this case, simplicity keeps the song pure.
Looking at your journey from Pinto to now, how do you feel your songwriting has evolved, and what can fans expect from this upcoming collection of songs?
I think I’ve learned that I don’t have to try to sound like someone else for a song to be good. For a long time, I felt that if a song sounded too much like ‘me,’ that made it inherently amateur. I’m learning to shed that insecurity as time goes by, and trusting that I don’t have to abandon myself to make quality music. This next batch of songs is deeply personal, dare I say autobiographical. I hope people are excited about that!