The alternative music landscape has always been a sanctuary for those looking to transmute deep-seated pain into captivating art, but few independent acts are doing it with as much raw vulnerability as Siren of Cups. Hailing from Northern Virginia, this self-taught visual storyteller and alternative artist is preparing to release her profoundly intimate debut EP, ‘Funeral For My Youth’. Rooted heavily in the complexities of grief, healing, identity, and spirituality, her music serves as a sonic mirror to a childhood navigating the heavy intersection of an ultra-evangelical upbringing, fractured family dynamics, and intense emotional isolation.
Written during a period of profound personal upheaval between 2022 and 2023, ‘Funeral For My Youth’ acts as an emotional time capsule and an open letter to the artist’s younger self. From a symbolic 30th birthday photoshoot in a graveyard to tracking vocals in a friend's home studio, the project chronicles a journey of shedding old skin, establishing hard-fought boundaries, and surviving one-sided relationships. We sat down with Siren of Cups to dive deep into her musical roots, the cathartic creation of her new EP, and how she managed to step completely into her own voice.
Thank you so much for joining us! To kick things off, when did you first start making music, where did it all begin, and what inspired you?
“Music has always been part of my life. I started writing songs at the age of 11 and I am self-taught. Growing up in a very religious household, I attended church every Sunday, including Sunday school, and I was involved in church choir throughout elementary school and high school. I also loved performing in school talent shows and school choir, so music and performing were always around me from a young age.”
“At the same time, I was heavily influenced by American pop culture. I grew up loving artists like Britney Spears, but things really expanded musically for me when I lived in the Philippines for over a year. My cousins and my uncle Stev introduced me to rock and rap music like Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, and Eminem. I honestly wasn’t allowed to listen to that kind of music growing up, so being exposed to it through them opened up an entirely different world for me creatively. I would say my cousin Patrick and my uncle Stev were some of my biggest inspirations because they were both involved in rock bands in the Philippines and showed me music outside of what I was raised around.”
“When I came back to the States, I started going through my goth and alternative phase, shopping at Hot Topic and discovering musicians like Avril Lavigne, Evanescence, The Rasmus, Rozz Williams, and The Birthday Massacre. Those artists became major inspirations for me because their music felt emotional, theatrical, dark, and honest in a way that deeply connected with me and eventually influenced the kind of artist I wanted to become.”
Congratulations on the release of your new EP! Can you tell us a bit about ‘Funeral for My Youth’ and what this debut means to you?
“My upcoming release, ‘Funeral for My Youth’, is my debut EP and one of the most personal projects I have ever created. It represents a turning point in my life and as an artist. The project is about reclaiming my power and learning how to let go of the parts of my past that shaped me through pain, confusion, and survival.”
“For me, this EP is a letter to my younger self. It reflects on childhood experiences, emotional wounds, and the process of growing up in environments that were both loving and difficult in different ways. It also speaks to my journey of learning boundaries, self-worth, and no longer repeating patterns of one-sided relationships where I gave more than I received.”
“’Funeral for My Youth’ means closure and transformation. It’s about acknowledging what I’ve been through without letting it define who I am becoming. As an artist, it’s the first time I’ve fully stepped into my voice without holding anything back, and it represents both an ending and a new beginning for me.”
Were there any specific real-life experiences, low points, or musical artists that heavily influenced you whilst writing this project?
“I wrote this EP during 2022–2023, which was one of the lowest and most emotionally challenging periods of my life. During that time, I was navigating friendships that were no longer in alignment with me, a difficult and unhealthy work environment, and a painful romantic experience involving emotional and verbal mistreatment. It became a period of deep reflection and isolation, where I had to confront a lot of emotions I had previously ignored.”
“I ended up writing most of the project in my friend’s home using Google Docs, often processing everything in real time as I wrote. I would search for instrumentals on platforms like BeatStars and build ideas from whatever connected with what I was feeling in the moment. Music became both an escape and a form of release for me during that time. I recorded the songs at my friend Desmond’s home, who is a rapper and producer known as Yung D. After that, my friend André from Brazil mixed and mastered the project, helping bring everything together sonically in a way that felt true to the emotional tone of the EP.”
“In terms of artistic influence during the writing process, I was listening to a lot of different sounds that matched my emotional state, including artists like, Dana Dentata and Royal and The Serpent. Overall, the project came from a very raw place in my life, where I was trying to understand myself, my boundaries, and what I needed to let go of in order to move forward.”
What did your songwriting and production process look like for the EP, and how did it all come together?
“The songwriting process for this EP was very emotional and natural. I didn’t go into it with a strict structure or concept at the beginning. Most of the songs started as honest thoughts or journal-like writing based on what I was going through at the time, and I would build melodies and lyrics around those feelings. A lot of the writing happened in my friend’s home, where I would sit with instrumentals I found on BeatStars and write on Google Docs. It was a very instinctive process and less about trying to create something perfect, and more about processing emotions and making sense of my experiences in real time.”
“As the project developed, I started to notice that even though the songs were written at different moments, they were all connected thematically. They naturally came together around ideas of grief, self-reflection, boundaries, and letting go of past versions of myself. I didn’t fully realise the bigger story until I stepped back from it. In the end, the EP came together through emotion first and structure second. The production and recording process helped bring everything into a cohesive body of work that reflects a specific chapter of my life and the growth that came from it.”
How would you describe the unique sonic identity of this release?
“I would describe my sound as emotional, cinematic alternative music with a dark, introspective edge. My music blends vulnerability with atmosphere, often sitting in a space between alternative pop and experimental storytelling. I’m drawn to sounds that feel immersive and reflective, where the production carries just as much emotion as the lyrics.”
“A lot of my work is centred around storytelling, so I focus on creating music that feels like a visual or a memory. I want listeners to feel like they’re stepping into a world rather than just hearing a song. The sound is often melancholic but also transformative, exploring themes of grief, healing, identity, and personal growth. At its core, my sound is about emotional honesty. I don’t try to fit into one genre. Instead, I use different influences and textures to express whatever I’m feeling in that moment, whether that leans softer and more vulnerable or darker and more intense.”
Is there a central theme you want listeners to take away, and is there a particular moment on the EP that captures that message?
“Yes, the central message of my EP, ‘Funeral for My Youth’, is about reclaiming my power through honesty, grief, and self-reflection. The project is rooted in the idea of letting go of who I used to be in order to grow into who I am becoming. It’s about acknowledging the pain, confusion, and patterns from my past without allowing them to define my future.”
“A lot of the EP captures the emotional moment of realisation when you start to see your life clearly and understand the ways you’ve outgrown people, environments, and versions of yourself. It holds both grief and acceptance at the same time. There’s sadness in letting go, but also strength in choosing to move forward. More than anything, I wanted to capture that turning point where survival begins to turn into healing. It’s the moment where you stop just enduring your past and start actively releasing it. That emotional shift is at the core of the entire project.”
Looking ahead, what are your ultimate aspirations as an artist, both creatively and personally?
“Looking ahead, my main aspiration as an artist is to continue growing into someone who creates music that is honest, emotional, and meaningful. I want to keep developing my sound and storytelling while exploring more cinematic and experimental directions but still staying rooted in authenticity and lived experience. My goal is to make work that connects with people who are navigating healing, growth, and self-discovery in their own lives.”
“Personally, I see myself continuing to build a life that feels more grounded and aligned with who I am becoming. A lot of my journey has been about healing, unlearning, and learning how to move forward in a healthier and more intentional way, both creatively and personally. And on a lighter note, I do have a playful side to it too, I’d love to one day be married, have a family, and share my music with my future kids as part of my story. It’s a way of saying I want to build not just a career I’m proud of, but also a life that feels full, loving, and meaningful.”
Now that the EP is ready, what is next on the horizon for you in terms of new music or live shows?
“Definitely new singles that I’ve written this year that I plan on recording soon. I’m also already starting to work on my second album, which is taking me in a slightly darker and more evolved direction sonically compared to my first EP. This next phase feels more intentional, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with other artists I know to expand the sound and bring in new creative energy.”
“As for live shows, that’s something I’m open to exploring as I continue building my catalogue and performance experience. On a more immediate note, I also have merch coming out on May 29th, which feels like an exciting next step in bringing this era of ‘Funeral for My Youth’ into something more tangible.”
What has the initial reception to the new material been like, and have there been any stand-out moments?
“The reception to my latest release has been really meaningful and honestly a bit emotional for me. I’ve had people reach out saying they connected deeply with the themes and visuals, especially the more vulnerable aspects of the project. It’s been surreal seeing something I created in such a personal and difficult season of my life resonate with others in their own ways.”
“One of the most special moments has been hearing how people interpret the visuals and connect them to their own experiences of growth, loss, and transformation. Even small messages or comments from listeners have meant a lot because this project was never just about releasing music for me and it was about processing real emotions and telling my story honestly. Overall, the response has made me feel like the project is being understood in the way I intended, which is something I’m really grateful for.”
Lastly, do you have a message for our audience, and what is the best way for them to support your journey?
“First, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has listened, shared, and connected with my music. It truly means a lot, especially as an independent and early-stage artist. I create from a very personal place, so seeing people resonate with my story makes the whole process feel worth it.”
“The best way to support me right now is honestly through listening, sharing my music with others, and engaging with it on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and social media. Every stream, save, comment, and share helps me continue building this as an independent artist. Supporting my upcoming merch on May 29th is also another meaningful way to be part of this era and help me continue funding future projects. More than anything, I just appreciate people taking the time to listen and connect. I’m still growing, still learning, and I’m grateful for anyone who is here with me at the beginning of this journey.”
It’s easy to see that Siren of Cups is operating from a place of pure, unfiltered truth, forging a path towards healing whilst hand-delivering a lifeline to listeners facing their own battles with upbringing, faith, and identity. ‘Funeral For My Youth’ marks the powerful beginning of an essential new alternative voice, proving that while our pasts shape us, they never truly have the final say in who we become.
Be sure to follow Siren of Cups on Instagram, TikTok, and X to keep up with her latest updates, single releases, and brand-new merchandise here.
