Sykamore

Jordan Ostrom, known professionally as Sykamore, is a country singer-songwriter from Carseland, Alberta, Canada.[1] She released her first EP, Self + Medicine, in January 2018. In 2015 she was nominated for the Canadian Country Music Association Discovery Award.[2]

Sykamore
Birth nameJordan Ostrom
BornCarseland, Alberta, Canada
GenresCountry, Country Pop, Folk-pop
Occupation(s)Musician, singer, songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, piano, ukelele
Years active2013–present
LabelsMusic Knox Records/Broken Bow Records/BMG
Associated actsRhett Akins, Thomas Rhett, Ryan Kinder
Websitehttp://www.sykamoremusic.com

Biography

Raised on her family's ranch outside Calgary, Ostrom grew up listening to country artists such as George Strait, The Dixie Chicks, and Alan Jackson.[3]

At the onset of her musical career, she made the decision to perform under a stage name. "My real name is not a secret but I decided to take on another name mostly because I feel that my real name is not that memorable...I started thinking about titles that would reflect my music and I was thinking about how I would describe it and it was all very rootsy and tenacious and organic and it all lent itself to this sort of tree flavour and I thought, well maybe there's a tree name that would help us with titling this thing. And, honestly, sycamore was one of the first that I looked at and thought it was cool."[4]

Sykamore received first prize in the ATB Financial All-Albertan Songwriting contest, with her original song, "Heaven in the Pines."[5] Her song I Can Make You Happy was featured on Season 8 of the Canadian television series Heartland.

In 2015 she was nominated for the Canadian Country Music Association Discovery Award.[2]

In 2017, Sykamore signed with Home Team Publishing in Nashville after being discovered on Twitter by Rhett Akins, one of the company's co-founders (along with son Thomas Rhett. Reflecting on how he discovered Sykamore, Akins was quoted as saying, "I read her name, I was curious...I saw her face, I was intrigued...I heard her voice, I was done."[5]

On 19 June 2019 it was announced that Sykamore had signed a record deal with Music Knox Records, a joint venture between producer Michael Knox and Broken Bow Records/BMG. Sykamore was the first artist to sign with the label partnership. In an article in Music Row Magazine, Knox was quoted as saying, "We couldn’t be prouder to have her as our first signing. When I first heard Sykamore, her voice grabbed my attention immediately. Being a song guy, when I found out that she was a writer on everything I was hearing, it was a no brainer for me."[6]

On 3 April 2020 Sykamore released California King on Music Knox Records/Wheelhouse Records/BMG. Writing in American Songwriter, journalist Joe Vitagliano described the EP as "a five song breeze which is as relatable and funny as it is intimate and personal."[7] Parade Magazine published an article about the first track on the collection, "Record High," where Laura B. Whitmore wrote, "Free-spirited and dance-inducing, “Record High," the new single by Nashville artist Sykamore, is a tune to lift your mood and prepare you to take on the world. With a twangy twist of country and pop, "Record High" is a soaring, morning shower sing-along anthem to take on the day."[8] In various interviews promoting the release, including one with her hometown paper the Calgary Herald, Sykamore has hinted a full length album, that will include the songs from the EP, is on the horizon.[9]

On 2 May 2020, Sykamore contributed an article to Variety about the effect the COVID-19 pandemic had on her career and personal life. "I decided to release new music during this weird time — though it was a scary decision to make. Trying to promote a five-song EP during the biggest economic upset in 100 years is uncharted territory. In some respects, the term 'the show must go on' has taken on a whole new meaning. We are living in a 'new normal' — one that involves a lot of 'making the best of it.'" She continued, "I’ve uncovered a surprising truth: the world is smaller. This virus has forced us as a planet to completely unite...I used to see life in five-year plans. Nowadays, it’s in days — even hours. I go for walks, I promote my ‘California King’ EP on Instagram live, and I make turkey chili. I find things I CAN do in a sea of things I have no control over."[10]

Sykamore wrote and sang with Ryan Kinder on "Doing Fine" from his forthcoming collaborations album called Ontology. The track was released digitally on 16 October 2020. Critic Robert Oermann wrote in Music Row Magazine, "This is a fiery male-female duet performance that builds in intensity as it unspools. One person can’t move on if the other person doesn’t hurt as badly. I have always liked this guy’s singing, and he’s just as potent with a harmony partner. Sykamore was discovered and brought to Nashville by Rhett Akins. She’s a winner, and this is definitely worth your spins."[11] A music video for the song premiered on CMT 1 December 2020.[12]

On 4 December 2020 Sykamore released her version of the holiday classic "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve."[13]

Discography

Extended Plays
Title Details Peak chart positions
CAN CAN
Country		 US US Country
Self + Medicine
  • Release date: 5 January 2018
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: CD, Digital Download, Streaming
 ––––
California King ––––

Promotional Singles
Title Details Peak chart positions
CAN CAN
Country		 US US Country
"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" ––––
"Cheap Thrills" ––––
Title Details Peak chart positions
CAN CAN
Country		 US US Country
"Doing Fine"
(Ryan Kinder featuring Sykamore)
  • Release date: 16 October 2020
  • Label: Crimson Garden Records
  • Format: Digital Download, Streaming
 ––––

References
  1. Hollabaugh, Lorie. "Canadian Artist SYKAMORE Signs With Home Team Publishing". MusicRow Magazine. MusicRow. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  2. Bickell, Dutch. "Review – SYKAMORE". CandianBeats. Canadian Beats Media. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  3. "Meet Alberta-born country singer Sykamore (Q&A)". Queens of Country. Queens of Country. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  4. Barber, Jim. "Calgary's Sykamore Releases Self + Medicine EP". MusicLifeMagazine.net. MusicLifeMagazine.net. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  5. "SYKAMORE BIO". Project Wild. Project Wild. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  6. Nicholson, Jessica. "Music Knox Records Makes Initial Artist Signing With Sykamore". Music Row Magazine. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  7. Vitagliano, Joe. "Sykamore: Canadian Songwriter, Meets Nashville Royalty, and Creates a 'California King'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. Whitmore, Laura B. "Need an Uplifting Song to Sing in the Shower? Sykamore's 'Record High' Could Be It!". Parade Magazine. AMG/Parade. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  9. Volmers, Eric. "Alberta expat Sykamore makes waves in Nashville with major-label debut, California King". Calgary Herald. Postmedia. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. Ostrom, Jordan. "Corona Chronicles: Arianna Huffington Raises Money for First Responders, Stars Use TV and Movies as Escapism and Other Personal Stories". Variety.com. Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  11. Oermann, Robert K. "DISClaimer Singles Reviews: Lee Brice, Miranda Lambert, Jaden Hamilton, And More". MusicRow.com. Music Row Magazine. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  12. CMT.com Staff. "Ryan Kinder and Sykamore Are "Doing Fine," Unless…". CMT.com. CMT. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  13. Remz, Jeffrey B. "Sykamore wonders "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?"". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
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