#MusicExchange: Connecting with international soul diva Sybil Lynch

Sybil Lynch. Source: Supplied

All tickets purchased for the original date that was postponed due to Covid-19 remain valid for the 2022 show date.

Sybil Lynch is a soul diva who hails from Paterson, New Jersey. She adopted the name Sybil early on and has been affectionately called that for her entire career.

The singer will be performing all the hits fans have come to know and love, including 'Falling In love', 'My Love is Guaranteed', 'Don’t Make Me Over', 'Walk On By', 'The Love I Lost' and 'When I’m Good And Ready'.

Not to be boxed in, Sybil has explored a cross-section of musical genres, enabling her to bring an originality and distinction to her music that fans are sure to lap up on the night.

I chatted to Sybil last week ahead of her trip to Cape Town.

What is your job description?

I am a singer/educator, who seeks to share her creative self with the world through music and song.

What does music mean to you?

Music is everything to me, as it has been part of my life through my parents since I was a child. It’s where I go for fun, peace, joy, happiness and love, rhythmically allowing me to go to places free of any negativity.

My music is about…

Positivity, connection, celebration, peace, fun and love!

What is your motto?

My favorite quote comes from David Thoreau, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears the sound of a different drummer. Let him keep pace with the music he hears, however measured or far away.” This says to me, “live and let live.”

Fame is about…

Being recognised for doing something that others find entertaining, of value, and important to them or their world. I choose to embrace it as something that occurs to those who decide to share their gifts and talents with those who don’t have to accept but for some reason do, and make it a factor in their life.

Retirement will happen when…

God says so. Until that time, I will keep continue sharing the gifts he has given me with the world.

I don't do…

Messy, dramatic, negative, racist and homophobic people at all!

I would love to co-write with…

I believe writing with Lizzo would be amazing, as well as Black Coffee - his music does indeed 'Rock My World'. They both speak to me for different reasons.

Where do you go for inspiration to create?

I am inspired by so many things, and don’t relegate my inspirational moments to spaces, and places, but more to moments in time that unction in feelings of creativity.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?

Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and sharing my gifts with people who accept me and all that I am without judgement adds to my life in beautiful ways. I have met beautiful and amazing people through my work who I now call friends. That is a blessing!

The song you must do during every show?

It depends on the country, so I will say in the USA it would be 'Don’t Make Me Over'; in the UK it would be 'The Love I Lost' and in South Africa, it would be 'Make it Easy on Me'.

My heroes are…

My parents and family as they represent strength, power, faith, support, and love!

My style icon is…

I am not sure I have one. As a Gemini, I tend to adorn myself based on the mood I am in, and not determined by the stylings of others. There are people whose style I admire, but I can’t pin down one specifically.

Which living person do you admire most and why?

I absolutely think the world of my parents, who are both in their 80s and still a big part of my life. I have seen them fight through difficulties only to come out on the other side still thriving and living their lives on their terms. They mean the world to me and I am determined to continue making them proud of me as their daughter and not “Sybil” the singer.

What is your most treasured possession?

Time.

It's your round; what are you drinking?

Shot of peach whiskey.

Dream gig to do?

Carnegie Hall.

What makes you stand out?

Me just being me.

Any nicknames?

Syb, Scrib, Songbird.

If you were not a musician, what would you do?

I’d be living out my other dream of being an educator.

Pick five words to describe yourself?

Loyal, creative, loving, empathetic and present.

What are you streaming?

I don’t really stream a lot, but on occasion I like to watch some Netflix programmes.

Greatest movie ever made?

Imitation of life.

What book are you reading?

Just beginning The 1619 Project.

What song changed your life?

I am Singing by Stevie Wonder.

Who do you love?

God, because he loves me unconditionally.

What is your favorite word?

Peace.

Top of your bucket list?

Being independently wealthy.

Your greatest achievement?

Completing an advanced degree with highest honours, while being the caretaker to my dad. And most recently receiving two awards this year, the President’s Leadership Award (college award) and the Martin Luther King Jr Service Leadership Award (presented from the Multi-Cultural and Inclusion Committee) from the college where I serve as a director.

What do you complain about most often?

Bigotry, inequality and injustice.

What is your biggest fear?

Not being able to take care of those I love.

Happiness is…

Living out loud and on my own terms.

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On stage I tend to…

Experience a level of euphoria that can’t be duplicated. Each show is dependent on who is in the room/audience.

The best life lesson you have learned?

Authenticity is everything and truth in your convictions will always carry you through.

What has been your favorite journey so far?

The ability to sing on stages in countries for amazing audiences and people who just wrap their love around you, just because a song you sang resonated with them at some point in their lives.

Do you do charity work, and if so – what do you do?

The nature of my other life is all about charity. I oversee a programme that connects marginalised populations with resources for their survival and empowerment. I am also a supporter of two institutions that provide scholarships to students in need.

Wishes and dreams?

To be happy and show love even when it is not easy.

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