Being true to yourself is key to being a better artist, says Seneca@York musician

Sushannah Smith | Contributor

Featured image by Alexia Lawson

With musical talent flowing through her blood, Natasha Stephens grew up surrounded by 90s R&B and pop music, courtesy of her father who was a DJ. Stephens, a 20-year-old Seneca@York student who grew up in Toronto, is a true musical force to be reckoned with.
“My dad would say it was when I was 2, I sang the entirety of ‘I Can Believe I Can Fly,’ and at that point he knew I was going to be a musician.”
Stephens is not only a talented vocal artist and DJ, but also a well-rounded musician. She plays a wide array of instruments including the piano, drums, guitar and steel pan, some of which were self-taught.
For Stephens, music is a release and a way to connect with her listeners, showing them that she understands their struggles, especially concerning heartbreak.
“Life events and experiences play a major part in my music,” notes Stephens. “I’ve always treated my song-writing as an emotional release – a therapeutic way for me to analyze my own thoughts and also connect to my listeners.”
Stephens recognizes Brian McKnight and Aaliyah as important influences in her vocal work, and her father for her passion for DJing. “I developed a passion for music from before I could remember,” says Stephens.
Like every artist, Stephens has gone through her own journey of struggles and feels that finding her sense of self as an artist and remaining true to herself has made her music better than it has ever been.
“Be true to yourself,” Stephens advises aspiring artists. “There will always be people who want you to sound a certain way or do certain things in the industry, and it is important to take the time to understand yourself. There is always something to learn, even when you feel you are at your best.”
You can listen to Stephens on Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/classybutdaring and follow her on Facebook at Natasha Stephens. She will be dropping an EP later this summer titled Lust & Indifference.