With a heartfelt storytelling style and a modern country-pop sound, Calgary native Sykamore continues to make waves in the genre. Following the success of her debut album Pinto, which has accumulated more than 10 million streams and earned a nomination at the Country Music Alberta Awards, the rising artist returns with her emotional new single, “He’s Mine.” Inspired by a touching moment at a family wedding, the song shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked emotions surrounding the mother–son dance. With the track already becoming a fan favourite at her live shows, we caught up with Sykamore to talk about the inspiration behind the song, her journey in country music, and what lies ahead.
Q) Your new single “He’s Mine” is already connecting deeply with fans. What emotions were you hoping to capture when you wrote the song?
A) I think I wanted to write a song that talks about the dynamic between parents and kids, and how it changes as life goes on. At first, you need your parents for everything – but slowly, they have to find a way to make space for you to grow, and eventually have a family of your own. I wanted to touch on that in the song – the nostalgic ache a parent or a kid can feel as people grow and change, while simultaneously being excited for the next chapter.
Q) You’ve said the song was inspired by attending a family member’s wedding. Can you tell us about the moment that sparked the idea for it?
A) I believe it was during the mother/son dance at the reception – it dawned on me that I’d never heard a song written for that portion of the evening. There are a lot of lovely songs people wind up using, but none specifically about that moment. So I thought I might give it a try and see if people might want to use it at weddings in the future. I’m happy to report that people have used it! So that’s nice to know.
Q) Weddings often highlight the father–daughter moment, but your song focuses on the mother–son relationship. Why did that perspective feel important for you to explore?
A) I don’t have any kids myself, but a lot of my friends are young mothers now. And a lot of them have sons – I hear them talk about the responsibility they feel to raise a good man, who will have a family of his own someday. And although they might be a little afraid to let their kid out into the world, what they want more than anything is for him to find happiness and safety in a new partner or a family. I wanted to try to put that sentiment in the song – the delicate process of letting your kid grow into someone who doesn’t need you as much as they used to. While it might come with some hard moments of standing back and letting go, it is ultimately what the young moms in my orbit have expressed as their hope for their children.
Q) The lyrics are full of intimate details and memories. Did your own family experiences influence the way you approached the storytelling?
A) Yes, definitely – one of my own personal experiences inspired the first verse. I very unexpectedly met my boyfriend’s mom one night, standing on the porch of his house. She was very sweet and didn’t give me the speech that happens in the chorus, but I like to think she might’ve thought something along those lines.
Q) The track was produced by Bobby Campbell, known for his work on the TV series Nashville. What was it like collaborating with him and shaping the sound of this ballad together?
A) Bobby and I have been collaborators for a long time, and I knew he would be a great producer for this project because he’s very tasteful. He never puts something in the track that doesn’t need to be there, and that was very important to the treatment of this song because it’s very simple and pure. It didn’t need much, so we had to really make it count when we put things in. He’s also really good at coaching good vocal performances out of me, which isn’t something you always get from a producer. So I’m very grateful for him.
Q) Your debut album Pinto has surpassed 10 million streams and earned significant recognition. How did the success of that project impact your confidence and creative direction moving forward?
A) Being in Nashville for a few years has definitely made me a more confident writer, because I’ve had the privilege of learning from the best writers in the world. And the Pinto record was the first batch of songs I wrote and felt good about after moving to Music City. So it’s great to have that experience under my belt now, and I like to think I’ve taken a lot of the tips and tricks other writers have imparted onto me and used them in my future work. I’ve also learned to settle into my own voice a little better, instead of being eager to emulate someone else’s sound.
Q) You were discovered in 2017 by veteran songwriter Rhett Akins. Looking back now, how pivotal was that moment in launching your career?
A) It’s really the launchpad of the whole story, if you ask me. I was doing my best to make a name for myself in Canada, with big dreams of moving to Nashville. But I had no idea how I would get myself there. Very randomly and divinely one day, I followed Rhett on Twitter – and to my surprise, he followed me back. We started chatting about my career, and from there, he ended up signing me to a publishing deal, and it all just kind of unfolded from there. I appreciate how special that story is, and I’m so grateful to have crossed paths with one of this town’s biggest writing giants, who took a second one random day to check out a young artist from Canada. It’s opened quite a few doors for me.
Q) Your music blends classic singer-songwriter storytelling with a fresh country-pop sound. How do you strike that balance while staying authentic to yourself as an artist?
A) I think I just try to write about what inspires me, and that tends to keep me sounding authentic. I have a hard time singing anything if I don’t feel strongly about it, so I try to just write what I feel convicted to write. Pretty much every day of my life, I’m listening to either pop or country, so I feel like the output is going to match the input if I’m aligned with my inspirations!
Q) You toured with the Eli Young Band in 2024. What was the most memorable part of that experience, and what did you learn from being on the road with them?
A) The most memorable part was my last stop with them in Lake Jackson, TX. We played a beautiful theatre that was packed to the rafters, and I debuted my song “Country Kid” for the first time and actually teared up at the chorus. I had never written a song about my childhood before, and there was something so special about singing it for these people who didn’t know me – it felt like I was introducing them to my inner child, who always dreamed of singing for an audience just like the one in front of me. I don’t know, there was just something so cool about that feeling. I learned that even though a tour might look like Groundhog Day from the outside, every show is different, and you’ll come away from every crowd with a unique story!
Q) “He’s Mine” offers a glimpse into your upcoming collection of songs. What can fans expect from the next chapter of music you’re preparing to release?
A) The next batch of songs is deeply personal, based on my life, and so far, I’ve written them alone, which I haven’t done for a very long time. I’m excited to see what comes out of this next creative chapter!
