Athena Skye is breaking rules with her genre-bending melodies. A lyricist at heart- she spent her childhood honing her craft. Undeniably honest with her words, Skye has an ability to put all your thoughts and feelings into a song, and make you want to play it over and over again.
In November 2020, the singer-songwriter released her debut single from her East London apartment. Growing up in Atlanta, which is a music capital in its own right, she had always dreamed of moving to the UK to pursue her passion. Two years after making the move, ‘Over & Over Again’ was released. The track was created in lockdown. Her lyrics, “But my hopes and dreams, so dark they seem” reflect a feeling common among creatives at this time. The song explores themes of confidence and feeling lost in an industry that’s future is looking bleak. When talking about the track, she gushed: “It’s a perfect representation of me, my songs are always an honest reflection of what I’m going through.” Like many others, Skye uses songwriting as therapy, as music has always remained a constant in her life and has helped her work through many a difficult situation.
Skye isn’t quite a newcomer to the scene, she has had some success on Soundcloud. Her most notable being a cover of ‘All The Stars’ by Kendrick Lamar and SZA that she released three years ago. The track has garnered 129k streams to date. However, moving to London is when she really came into her own artistically. Pre-pandemic, she spent a year or so gigging, which is where she met the like-minded individuals that helped shape her into the confident, business-minded artist she is today.
Although Skye is currently working as a self-funded and independent artist, she comes across as polished and professional both in-person and online. The self-proclaimed perfectionist released a visualiser for ‘Over & Over Again’ on YouTube that was expertly put together. The video marries to the track perfectly. It is bursting with colour and cut up by a retro style of editing that puts a modern twist on a singer that’s clearly inspired by the ’90s.
A possible Ariana Grande in the making, her music can best be described as pop meets old school R&B. The singer’s gentle tone is reminiscent of a 2012 Frank Ocean. Skye wants to keep the ball rolling now she has material out in the world. She teased plenty of new music, working with the same producer, that’s ready to go. Skye was connected with New Zealand-based Joey C in perhaps the most Gen-Z way possible, via Instagram.
When asked about the direction in which she wishes to take her sound in the future, the talented singer states: “I don’t care to be put in a box, I don’t care to be bound by a specific genre.” She is open to life and everything it has to offer with her music adapting to the ever-changing journey. Her next track is coming out later this year and we can’t wait to see what she gives us next. Athena Skye is definitely one to watch – this won’t be the last time you see her in GEM.
Written by: Vanessa Valentine // Photo credit: Eric Aydin-Barberini
GEM Magazine 