Photo by Francesca Ludikar

For nearly a decade Skye Sweetnam was a bonafide Canadian pop star. She released two solo albums and had fans all over the world. But in 2011 she surprised more than a few of them when she debuted her new band Sumo Cyco, a blend of modern metal, punk, and ska. After years of having major label support, Sweetnam’s career is now purely DIY. The band has built their fan base from the ground up, independently recording their debut album Lost in Cyco City (2014) and filming a series of ridiculous music videos. I caught up with Sweetnam  before a recent performance in Toronto to talk about how fronting the band stacks up to her former mainstream success, why playing perfectly isn’t always the key to a great show, and how a certain Canadian pop icon should perhaps also follow their heart into heavier music.

Sumo Cyco will be co-headlining a NXNE showcase with metallers Diemonds this Saturday June 18th at the Bovine Sex Club in Toronto, and they’ll be playing with Ill Scarlett on Canada Day July 1st in Hamilton at Club Absinthe. They’ve also got some U.K. dates lined up for the fall. You can check out the crowdfunding campaign for their next album here, and watch their video for “Crowd Control” below.