SÉNA comes from Turkish heritage and was adopted at the age of six months by a family in western Germany who always encouraged her to pursue her passion for music. She has been interested in music and arts since a young age and has learned to play multiple instruments, including the cello, guitar and piano.
Although classical music heavily influenced her upbringing, she later found inspiration in Jazz, Pop, and Neo soul. Her music reflects her Turkish roots, with the scales of Turkish folk music subtly influencing her sound and melodies. “Without music and art, the world would be pretty black and white, and I genuinely believe that it has healing powers; it holds hope for you when you are ready to be hopeful again. One of my biggest dreams is to create that one song for someone that makes them feel heard and helps them heal.”
Music has been crucial in shaping her identity. She explains that her style is constantly changing, depending on her current life phase, emotions, and sources of inspiration – “This is what I adore about music – it grants me the freedom to express myself in any way I choose.“
Who inspired you to make music?
I have always had a natural attraction to music, especially instruments and melodies. Whenever I heard a song, I connected with, I felt compelled to learn it on the piano. My parents exposed me to a lot of music, though – my mom introduced me to classical music like BACH. My dad played his favourite songs on the record player in the living room, more stuff like Keith Jarrett, Elton John, Pink Floyd etc.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
The internet allows everyone to share their art and passion, which is fantastic. Still, it also makes it harder to gain recognition and appreciation because there are so many amazing undiscovered artists out there, and many of them have the same goal: To make a living out of their art.
There’s a lot of competition out there, and it used to scare me a little bit, but someone reminded me of how unique everyone is. Everyone is their own individual and has their unique traits and sound. I think if we’d all support one another, there would be more love, more joy and less anxiety and egos that get in the way.
Have you got a ritual of sorts when making music?
I just sit down on my piano or guitar and let it happen. I play chords that inspire me, start jamming with myself, and everything else happens naturally!
How would you describe your music?
Honest, sometimes dark, emotional, dramatic, sexy but subtle.
What’s next for you?
My plan for this year is to release more music, create an EP, perform at gigs, collaborate with various artists, grow my audience and write more music
What are your top two favourite songs of all time? Why those songs?
Oh, that’s a tough one! I actually have a lot of favourite songs, but if I had to choose, I’d say “Yesterday” by The Beatles and “Country” by Keith Jarrett. My dad introduced me to these songs when I was a child, and they always bring back fond memories and make me feel peaceful and nostalgic when I listen to them.
What was the last series you watched on TV?
H2O just add water LOL
What do you think the greatest invention has been?
The recording device: We can record sounds and listen back to them. This truly amazes me.
Do you have any lucky items, objects, or traditions?
I journal every day. It makes me feel grounded and settled.
If you could ask your future self one question, what would it be?
Did you enjoy the journey so far?
If you had to describe yourself as a flavour, what would it be?
Vanilla, caramel, coconut, cherry…can´t decide
SÉNA shares her debut single ‘Love It Or Leave It’, out everywhere now.
Naming artists like Amy Winehouse, Lianne La Havas and Doja Cat as her main influences, SÉNA thrives off being able to experiment with the emotions and feelings she’s able to convey with her music. Produced by Solow The Astronaut and Lilo Blues, ‘Love It Or Leave It’ incorporates slick beats with SÉNA’s lusciously sultry vocal delivery, offering a message of empowerment, self-love and spreading positive female energy.
Speaking of the track, “I was seeing this guy who wanted me to treat him like a boyfriend but didn’t treat me like a girlfriend, an all too familiar tale for a lot of women out there. He was always treating me like a side chick, and it really messed with my head. I let my insecurities get the best of me, but then I had this moment where I looked in the mirror and saw a strong, independent woman staring back at me. It was like a switch flipped, and I realised I deserved better than that.
Every woman deserves to be loved and respected for who she is, no matter what. So, I wrote this song to empower women and spread some of that amazing female energy out there. I want every woman to know that she’s beautiful and worthy of love, and that she doesn’t have to settle for anything less than she deserves.
When people listen to my track, my hope is that they feel love and acceptance for themselves. As a young woman in my early twenties, I understand that even though I may seem confident, I still have moments of insecurity that I keep hidden from others. It’s easy to get lost in self-judgment and focus on our flaws when we’re alone. However, this song is a reminder to love ourselves, including our amazing curves and unique qualities. It’s important to remember that we have the power to make ourselves feel terrible, but we also have the power to fill ourselves with love and happiness.”