Life & Work with Teresa Suydam

Teresa, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For a majority of my life I was scared of my own voice. The story of how I became a musician and songwriter is a series of conquering self-placed hurdles, gaining confidence, and carving my own path. I didn’t start to take music seriously until I was in college. Before then, I sang in choirs, performed in a couple of musicals, and took voice lessons nonchalantly. All of those things brought me immense joy and fulfillment, but in the back of my head I heard all of the voices that told me “singing is a hobby”, or “you can’t make money or a living in music”. My amazing partner and spouse encouraged me to follow my passions. I switched my major from pre-pharmacy to vocal performance, and I haven’t looked back. CU Denver is where I got a taste of the Denver music scene. There was so much natural talent and energy. Even though I made up my mind to do music, everything and everyone seemed intimidating. I decided to take it class by class, ensemble by ensemble; and in that, I found a way for myself in music. I learned that music is not all about natural talent. Music is about hard work, dedication to your craft, versatility, resilience, and genuine connections. I have been lucky enough to be part of amazing groups such as Lark, Emma Mayes & the HIP, and have very recently launched my solo project: Teresa Suydam.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Music is everything but smooth, but I think there is a lot of beauty in that. I had to overcome so much self-doubt. There were moments I wanted to quit because I didn’t think my voice was good enough. There were songs that I wrote and never shared because I didn’t think people would like them. There were days when I was so tired from pushing and wanted to stop because I wasn’t getting the results I wanted. Building a strong community of people and musicians is what got me through the uncertainty. I also learned a lot about humility and patience on my journey.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk about your music. What should we know about your work?
2020 is the year that I launched my solo music project: Teresa Suydam. The music that I have released so far, and will continue to release, are explorations and the synthesis of all the musical experiences that have made me the musician I am today. One of my most favorite things I have released this year is my music video for my single, “Take Me To the Water”. The music video includes ASL translations for the deaf and hard of hearing communities, presented by a person who uses ASL. I am excited to keep growing and changing as an artist. Denver is a beautiful place to be because I feel like I can be as creative as I want without having to label or put myself in a box.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I am 1000% open to any and all collaborations! I have an immensely talented group of musicians that I get to call friends, and so far, I’ve only collaborated with them. Lately, whenever I think I need something, or one of my songs needs something, somebody pops into my life with that exact ability. For now, I’m following my career in this way.

 

Contact Info:

• Email: teresasuydam@gmail.com
• Website: https://teresasuydam.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresasuydam/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresasuydam
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaW_QX7OMYUnynB6vFINGrg