Cambodian-American Artist SATICA Returns With Retro-Dance Single ‘Show Up’, A New Drop After A 2-Year Hiatus
SATICA’s music serves as a profound reflection of her life’s journey and emotions.
With a portfolio boasting multimillion plays across all streaming platforms, her music resonates deeply with audiences worldwide.
SATICA’s musical journey has been enriched with remarkable achievements with her compositions having been featured in commercials and prominent TV shows, such as Victoria’s Secret, Degrassi: Next Class, Virgin River, Wu Assassins, Grownish, Coachella, Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Basketball Wives, Stumptown, Light as a Feather, The OA, You Get Me, and many more. Additionally, SATICA has performed for the Los Angeles Rams and has also contributed songwriting talents to notable projects, including Tiffany Young from Girls’ Generation. Her collaborative spirit has extended to songwriting camps for illustrious acts like 88Rising, BlackPink, Normani, and Far East Movement.
Alongside being recognized on major music platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, and Amazon Music, her contributions to the music industry have led to her inclusion in the BMI Indie Spotlight with acclaim from multiple publications.
Her musical odyssey continues to evolve as she continues creating music that resonates with hearts worldwide — all while building a legacy of her own. Her latest single, “Show Up,” with Luc de la Croixx dropped on October 20th, 2023. After taking a 2-year hiatus from releases, SATICA wants you to put on your dancing shoes. Take a listen.
Here, we chat with Cambodian-American female artist SATICA about her Khmer roots, her journey as an emerging artist, and her biggest inspirations.
Tell us a little bit about you. Where is home?
I’m a Singer-Songwriter with Cambodian-American roots, hailing from the vibrant East Side of Long Beach, California. With nearly a decade of experience in the music industry, I’m not only continuing to evolve but also creating music that reflects my personal growth journey.
Home to me is anywhere I can rest my head and be at peace, but Long Beach will always be my forever home. My upbringing influenced my emotions and music has always been the ultimate outlet for me. Being near the water and cruising through PCH has always given me this relaxed soundscape that I naturally gravitate towards. Long Beach has always provided me with so much vibrant culture which I have always tried to showcase in my music.
What was the defining moment you realized you wanted to do music? Has music always been your career plan?
I have always known that I wanted to do music, I just wasn’t really sure how far I could get but I was always hopeful. It wasn’t until I met Far East Movement that I felt like,
“Wow, my dreams can actually be a reality”.
To have mentors who broke barriers in the music industry was really inspiring and it made me feel like I was bigger than the girl who grew up in a tiny apartment in Long Beach. At that moment, nothing felt out of reach.
The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, what or who inspires you the most?
Honestly, life inspires me the most. As an emotional and empathetic human, my art is my expression to help me get through life. Before the music itself, I always identify with being a writer first. So, just like how people journal, I do the same but incorporate music. Life is ever-changing, and inconsistent, and can feel light and heavy all at the same time. I make music to follow my moods, the time period, and the environment I’m in.
How much has your musical style changed since you started doing music?
I’ve definitely gone through phases of my sound, for sure. When I first began my journey as Satica, I was doing a lot more pop/electronic with light R&B influence and now, I will say my tone sounds a little warmer and more mature. I still ‘flip-flop’ genres but you can hear the maturity in my voice from my earlier projects to my most recent ones.
What’s the best part of being a musician?
The best part of being a musician is being able to make something out of nothing and to timestamp phases of my life sonically is a pretty magical feeling. When I listen to a record I’ve made, I immediately bring myself back to the moment I made it along with the feeling behind it.
How do you feel artists stay relevant locally, nationally, or even globally, especially with so many creators and artists in the space?
I truly believe the best thing we can do as artists is to not think about other artists in this space and just continue to create and share with the world instead of hoarding the music.
“Feeling the pressure of trying to stay relevant can get really discouraging, so just staying authentic and sharing the art is key as well as connecting with your audience.”
What do you think sets you apart from other artists?
I used to try really hard to distinguish my uniqueness through my art but in truth, every person is different, and therefore their art will be translated in a unique way. I can only set myself apart through the stories I have to tell that are unique to me, but I prefer to create authentically and let people decide whether or not they like it, as opposed to intentionally trying to stand out.
What would you say are some of the challenges you face as an emerging artist today?
I’ve been doing music for nearly a decade so I’ve seen a lot of changes not only on the industry side but as well as how people consume music these days. With technology growing exponentially, the connection between the artist and the fan has changed. There’s a lot of pressure as an artist in 2023 to always be plugged in and connected at all times.
I feel things trend a lot more and die out quickly, so there’s an immense expectation to keep up, which is challenging. The attention span is changing, so it’s not just constantly showcasing the music but also the personality behind the music — which adds an extra layer.
Any favorite artist collaborations?
My favorite collaboration that I’ve done so far is my project with MIKNNA. I’m really proud of how natural that collaboration came about.
Music is all about expression, what kind of messages do you like expressing through your art?
The spectrum of feeling and being human. The good, the bad, and the imperfections. I try to make music that caters to a mood. Whether it’s being in love, needing to be kinder to yourself, facing inner demons, or not wanting to think at all. As I said previously, I make music that compliments life.
What motto, quote, or words-to-live do you use to stay motivated when you aren’t feeling inspired?
Something is better than nothing.
Just have fun and don’t overthink.
Don’t think about it, be about it.
Name a few artists you would love to do a song with and why.
My dream collaboration is Pharrell, if I could be blessed enough to collaborate, I think we could make absolute magic as all things he does.
I also feel like it would be pretty rad to do something with Ty Dolla $ign, there’s a joke in the industry that he just automatically makes everything sound good so I think our voices could sound really cool and angelic together.
Another would be Brent Faiyaz, I think we can make a toxic duet together that would be fun (haha).
What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I have a whole profession outside of music. Most of the music I made, I was also simultaneously balancing a full-time career. As a first-generation Cambodian American, my goal was to be successful, in general. I love being multifaceted and when you love something, you just make it work somehow.
What’s your best advice for aspiring musicians?
Trust your instincts and don’t doubt yourself. You should be your own biggest cheerleader and don’t let anyone else dictate your art. Also, keep in mind that the goal is not to chase perfection, but progress.
“Give yourself the grace of getting better and just put the damn music out.”
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