Sydney Bennett, known as Syd, opens up about her new album 'Beard,' the anticipated return of her band the Internet, and her challenging time with Odd Future. The 34-year-old singer-rapper-producer-engineer reflects on her journey from being a member of the influential rap collective to finding her own voice as a solo artist.
From Odd Future to Solo Stardom
Bennett was a key member of Odd Future, the anarchic Los Angeles rap collective that included Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean, and Earl Sweatshirt. In 2011, she co-founded the Internet with her best friend Matt Martians. Since then, she has released two acclaimed solo albums, collaborated with Beyoncé and Kehlani, and earned a Grammy nomination with the Internet.
Despite her success, Bennett felt the need for external validation around the time of her last album, 'Broken Hearts Club' (2022). However, buying a house on the same street she grew up on in Mid-City, LA, changed her perspective. 'I bought a house – a nice spot on the same street I grew up on in Mid-City, LA – and now I'm happy,' she says. When asked if it was that simple, she laughs: 'I'm afraid it was.'
The Making of 'Beard'
Bennett describes 'Beard' as her 'first really me album.' Unlike her debut 'Fin' (2017), which was a showcase of her songwriting, or 'Broken Hearts Club,' a therapeutic breakup record, 'Beard' is focused on self-discovery. The title celebrates the peach fuzz on her upper lip, and the album features her own production on 10 tracks, a significant increase from three on 'Fin' and five on 'Broken Hearts Club.'
'I produced three songs on the first album, five songs on my second album, and on this one there's 10,' she notes. The album includes songs like '2 Many Days,' where she celebrates her success. She worked on some tracks at Raphael Saadiq's North Hollywood studio, calling the R&B great 'the idol you want to meet' and 'a mentor.'
Odd Future: A Complicated Legacy
Odd Future celebrates its 20th anniversary next year, but Bennett's memories are mixed. She recalls calling two of the group's only three meetings. 'I remember saying: 'You guys can still record here,' and one of them said, 'We're not even friends like that,'' she says. She struggled with depression on tour, feeling unsupported by the group. 'Nobody in Odd Future would do that, and I don't blame any of them for that. But that's what made it really hard for me once we started touring,' she explains.
Despite the difficulties, she remains grateful for the experience. 'Ultimately, it's a beautiful thing,' she says, noting that Tyler, the Creator still spends holidays at her house. 'He still spends every Christmas and Thanksgiving at my house.'
The Internet's Return and Future Plans
Alongside 'Beard,' Bennett is working on the fifth Internet album, their first since 2018's 'Hive Mind.' Martians, now based in rural Georgia, is taking the lead on the project. 'It sounds nothing like my album, which is also intentional,' she says. 'Something I've been thinking about is how to really separate me from the group sonically, because I hate when people conflate us.'
Contentment and Creative Freedom
Bennett feels fully content creatively, spiritually, and personally. 'I'm really proud of myself, and I feel really accomplished. I'm at a point now, I think, where I'm not really chasing anything,' she says. 'I bought my house, and my royalties cover my mortgage and more. I'm like, great! This is the first time I've released an album and not wanted for anything. I have everything I want.'
'Beard' is set for release on 17 July via Free Lunch/Warners. Syd will perform in Manchester on 31 August and London on 1 September.
