A Warm Welcome at Stanford Hall
The late summer sun bathed Stanford Hall in gold as festival-goers wandered the grounds, the hum of distant stages blending with laughter and chatter. It was here, amid the vibrant energy of the festival, that I caught up with Sykamore, whose warmth and approachability are as inviting as the storytelling in her music.
Sykamore @ The Long Road Festival 2025
UK Audiences and the Power of Listening
Performing at a UK country and Americana festival is a different experience for Sykamore compared to shows back home in the US or Canada. She reflects on the distinctiveness of British crowds.
“I always hear this compared from the States and the UK is the UK crowds are like, I they will preface this and say, Don’t be alarmed. If the crowd is a little bit quiet, it’s them being polite. It doesn’t mean that they’re not into it. It’s because they’re listening and they’re very, it’s quite nice, because they’re very intentional about listening to your lyrics, whereas in the US, I feel crowds are a little more intent on getting maybe a little bit rowdy. And just because that doesn’t happen here doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing, because I feel like it actually makes a lot of room, especially for newer artists like me, who are, you know, trying to convey their story and trying to really lyrically, kind of push the narrative and get people to get to know them. It’s actually helpful in that way.”
Storytelling at the Heart of the Music
Her music is steeped in storytelling, often drawing on her own experiences. Sykamore likes to introduce songs and explain their background, particularly in intimate or acoustic settings.
“I think I like to do it, especially when it is yesterday. Was an acoustic setting, right? And so I feel like I especially with most of the audience, I would assume don’t know me and didn’t know me before yesterday. And so I do like to, in those instances, take the time to kind of tell a little more of my story, because I think that’s how people find their way in to getting to know you. I suppose how they connect to you exactly. They, if you tell your story, they can attach their own story, or they can maybe see themselves in the stories that you tell. And that’s what I try to do as a songwriter. But I also between songs, I like to talk about my life, and I like to make sense of the songs that are coming up, because they’re all very autobiographical, and they’re very important, sort of setting the table for, of course, my, I don’t like to use the word brand, but for lack of a better word, just I guess what you’re getting yourself into, what you’re signing up for when you listen.”
Sykamore @ The Long Road Festival 2025
Relatable Songs and Growing Sound
One standout track, California King, captures her gift for relatable storytelling.
“Yeah. I mean, that song, it’s funny. It’s actually not about anyone in particular, like, it’s pretty salty, but it’s actually more just about the colloquial, the collective person in our lives that we all know, who’s maybe, who thinks of himself a little too much. So it’s a good one for people to relate to, because I know we all have somebody like that in our lives.”
Her sound has evolved over time, becoming more polished and refined.
“I think it may not be deliberate, but I think it is just the way of things. The more you do it, the more streamlined your process becomes, and then the more time you save which you can invest in perfecting certain things and, you know, tweaking certain things. And also, I think as a young artist, you sort of don’t like to, at least for me anyway, when I was in the early days of working with producers and stuff, I wasn’t always confident speaking my mind, you know, like and as time has gone by, and as I’ve gotten a little more confident in how I want to say things, and I’ve worked with the same people over and over again, I can be a little more candid about what it is I want, and you also kind of get better at just envisioning exactly how something sounds. And I think that all whether deliberate or not, I think it ends up just coming out the longer you do it, because you’re just around it all the time. You’re honing your craft as well.”
Sykamore @ The Long Road Festival 2025
Collaboration and Inspiration
Collaboration has also played a key role in Sykamore’s growth. She has written with some of her heroes, including Liz Rose, who was instrumental in Taylor Swift’s early career.
“I, as far as collaborating as songwriters, I mean, I have written with one of my big heroes, Liz Rose, who was very instrumental in Taylor Swift’s early career. I got to do that within first couple years of moving to Nashville. So that was pretty amazing. As far as duets and stuff, I feel like, I don’t know, like, I’m a big fan of Drake Milligan, and you know, he’s here. He played last night, and I saw some, I wasn’t here, but I saw some clips of the set, and it was great. And so I don’t know, maybe that, maybe that’s something. Who knows?”
Sykamore @ The Long Road Festival 2025
UK Audiences and Homegrown Roots
Despite only visiting the UK twice, Sykamore has felt embraced by audiences.
“Yeah, it was great to see. I think this is only my second time here in the UK, but I do feel very embraced every time I’ve come. And last time I was here, we played a bit of a showcase in London, and I was truly blown away at how many people actually came, and how many media outlets came and were eager to talk after the show. And like it just seemed there was a very kind of palpable buzz. And it got me really fired up to come back. And it took me two years, but I figured out how to come back, and I quite like it. I think the reception has been lovely, and I also think that just my sound is kind of complimentary to what people over here might want to hear. And so I think it’s a really great match, in a way. And so I’m happy to keep coming back and just cultivating the fan base and hopefully giving people what they want.”
Nashville Shaping the Songwriter
Her time in Nashville has clearly shaped her as a songwriter.
“I think it made me a better songwriter. I came to Nashville, really as, and this is the story of so many people, is you come to Nashville as a solo writer, and then you get signed to a publishing deal like I did, and then you get put through a ringer of just writing with a whole bunch of different people and really getting over any anxiety you might have or embarrassment you might have about having a bad idea in front of someone else. And I think that it really is something, even if you eventually go back to writing solo, it’s something everyone should do, because I think it just helps you look at things from a different perspective, or it helps you get inspired. If you have no inspiration on the day and somebody else is singing something you would never think to sing, it’s just a really useful tool. And so I encourage people to do it, and I feel like it’s really helped me, even though I do still write solo. In fact, the song that just came out as a solo, right? And Country Kid, which came out in February, is also a solo, right? So, like, I still do it quite a bit, but I’m happy to say that I’m not afraid to bring someone in if I feel like I need that. And also, maybe not as precious about the lyrics.”
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Sykamore has a busy year planned with festival appearances in Australia, a trip to the Canadian Country Music Awards, and potentially another single before the year closes out.
At Stanford Hall, with the sun setting and stages humming in the distance, Sykamore’s presence is calm yet vibrant. Her music, full of stories and honesty, resonates just as much off-stage as it does in front of an audience.
Sykamore @ The Long Road Festival 2025
Interview with Sykamore @ The Long Road Festival 2025, Leicestershire, by Henry Finnegan on 22nd August 2025. Instagram: @finneganfoto | Facebook: @finneganfoto
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