Musician of the Month: Sylvette
Do you know who Sylvette is? Neither did I, until I met Sylvette. Well, it was Charlie Sinclair from the art-rock band Sylvette who told me about Sylvette, what Sylvette is, and why Sylvette should be in my life.
I used Sylvette a lot in that paragraph…prepare for more.
The original ‘Sylvette’ was Picasso’s muse, Sylvette David, who inspired the band’s name and their album artwork. The now 83-year-old artist became friends with vocalist Charlie Sinclair after he discovered Picasso’s famous painting. He liked the name, contacted ‘the girl with the ponytail’, and she consented for them to use her as part of their identity.
Charlie Sinclair
I saw a Picasso painting of one of his famous muses Sylvette in Barcelona and really liked the sound of it. We all agreed on it fairly quickly, and it just felt right.
Hailing from Manchester, the original lineup met at the Royal Northern College of Music. Starting as a trio with Charlie Sinclair (vocals), Ashley Garrod (bass) and Pete Leaver (drums), the group fit instantly. After a couple of years, one of their fans, Dan McFarlane stepped up to play guitar and keyboard. Finally, the quintet was completed when Philippos Rousiamanis joined them on violin.
Likened to Jeff Buckley, Neutral Milk Hotel and Radiohead in their ability to create imaginative sounds. Sylvette use unconventional song structures taking their listeners on surreal journeys. In only three years, the group has moved from an emerging to an established unsigned act – yes, that’s a thing! They have supported The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, headlined the
To date, Sylvette has performed a UK tour with live acoustic sessions at the BBC in Bristol. In February 2019, they will embark on their second nationwide tour promoting a new single – ‘Memories (Falling)’.
To engage with Sylvette, check out their Facebook and official website. To find out more about their new single, read our interview with Charlie.
