In exclusive for Fucking Young!, photographer Ollie Allie captured Grammy-nominated R&B vocalist SiR, one of the hottest voices in this contemporary scene at The Standard, London, styled by Chalisa Guerrero.

Since his debut in 2014, SiR has been exploring his own sound and has been working with some of the major artists of our generation such as SZA, Kendrick Lamar as well as Alicia Keys. From his incendiary SoundCloud mixtape « Long Live Dilla » to his most recent release « Heavy » with Top Dawg Entertainment, Sir Darryl Farris, known mononymously as SiR has proved that he’s been genuine and has shaped his own musical identity.  His last spellbinding body of work is a poignant reflection of his recovery, mental health, and physical transformation. It’s been a four-year work-in-progress project as he wanted to be as true as possible to himself, even being the most vulnerable.

2020 was the worst year of his life due to his addiction issues and having a tough moment in his private life with his wife while having a baby. The pressure he’s been through during that moment made him realize how music can be the confident friend you’re all looking for. This album reflects the dark side of his life as well as the luminous one. It became the construction of this safe place, SiR was trying to build during this personal war with his inner self.  The 16-track album boasts collaborations with some of the most culturally resonant artists in the world with Anderson Paak’s vibrant touch in « Poetry in Motion », Isaiah Rashad on « Karma » or rapper Ty Dolla $ign on the psychedelic track « Ignorant ».  This project is a statement on SiR’s innovation artistry and vision.

During the summer of 2024, while promoting « Heavy » in Europe, we caught up with SiR. His Parisian date went sold-out and it was a spiritual communion seeing him performed at The Bataclan. The history of this venue became symbolic after the attack on November 13, 2015. The mass shooting and hostage inside the place shocked the world and the cultural scene was being attacked due to its freedom. For SiR, playing in this venue was spiritual. An homage to the victims but also a way to celebrate art whatever your genre and origins. A place where the lonely ones can be with the ones struggling with mental and physical issues experiencing the joy of music. SiR proved that night that his art was genuine and that humanely, he became a role model for the new generation.

Jumper and shorts by Dior, Scarf by Begg x Co, Necklaces by Giovanni Raspini, Rings by Capsule Eleven, Glasses by Akila

Hello SiR, first of all, how was it to grow up in a musical house? I read that your parents were musicians…

Yes, I grew up in a musical family with my mother, being the mainstay of music at our church. My brothers and I play piano and sing alongside our grandmother, a family ritual. So yes, in my family, everyone is connected to music.

Did you have an artist you were a fan of when growing up?

Yes, Brandy back in the day as well as Missy Elliot and Timberland. When we were kids, my mother made us listen to a lot of gospel and classical R&B. She listened to Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, they were her favorite artists. I think the first group or musician that I cherished the most was Andre3000 and his band Outkast. My brother used to play his music a lot. I got a cute little man’s musical taste when I was younger (laughs)…

You started making music a decade ago. Do you feel like a change when you started and now that you’re established in the music industry? Your aesthetics of creating a sound as well as collaborating with other artists might have changed…

As I get older, I’m changing as a person, my art is becoming more and more organic and that’s the job I wanted. I tried to put effort into something new in my daily life when creating music. It’s not like I don’t have a particular way of working but you know, I mean, I love challenging the difficult moments of this musician’s career. There’s of course something extremely vulnerable in my art.

Your music speaks a lot about mental health, toxic relationships and imposter syndrome. How do you find yourself in the proper space to sing about these topics that have been major issues in your life?

There’s no right space to be honest in this industry. Everything is painful as your mental health is always being challenged. I’m just sick of talking every time about being sick and my past. It’s not easy to explain to someone how stuff may be complicated to share. So, I just get through it and, you know, with the songs, at least they take me back to emotional places and I’m sharing the emotion with the audience live when I’m touring. So, that’s my little pleasure doing this job.

Jumper by Sagaboi, Trousers by Represent, Trainers by Loci, Socks by Falke, Necklaces by Giovanni Raspini, Rings by Rat Betty & Capsule Eleven, Sunglasses by Lunetterie Generale

You share with your audience every truth and every up and down of your career. How does it feel to share a part of your private diary musically?

It’s like a liberation even though I don’t even plan how to release these private notes into music. It’s a way to connect with my audience and fans. For the latest album, everything happened naturally and I wrote the texts without any pressure. Sharing some dark and precarious ideas and thoughts is the best way to thank my fans. Once the song is written and recorded they are the ones putting it higher.

One of my favorite tracks on your latest album is « Poetry in Motion ». What do these lyrics mean to you?

It doesn’t really have a meaning but this is just a fun vibe when we created the first version. To be honest it was supposed to be the song on the album about the dark moments and having this positive move of making things right. You know I’m telling you this but I’m just being an LA nigga enjoying life in the end.

Shirt and trousers by AV Vattev, Jewelry by Rat Betty & Capsule Eleven, Giovanni Raspini, Sunglasses by Gentle Monster, Shoes by John Lobb, Socks by Falke

When I saw you in Paris at The Bataclan for your live show, I was wondering if there were any different vibes from your London show. How do you feel about changing the culture of a crowd every night? Parisians seem to be hard to convince I heard…

I have to say my favorite show was in Paris. I got the Bataclan tattooed on me in honor of the victims of the terrorist attacks in 2015. I do have memories of where some shows are better than others but this Parisian one is major. When you’re touring, you feel like you’re doing the same show every night in different cities as it becomes repetitive. But it’s also cool performing like this daily, because every audience is different. The people are different in every city. So you just have to take the best of it to create the flow.

Talking about the Bataclan, it’s an iconic place where so many great people performed, but also has this tragic story. When your agent told you about this venue how did you react?

Man, the energy was marvelous…I don’t know if it’s the right word but I can tell you something happened there and it was cool. You know what I mean? It was a place of communion and mutual love. I don’t know why I felt really good when I walked in the building but I knew it was a good energy and I can’t explain why there was a spiritual presence that evening. Once I got on stage, the venue was full of positive energy and it reflected the space as the walls were bouncing, it was fucking amazing. That was one of my best shows ever. I can’t lie to you, but we had a great night. We felt safe, as I wasn’t traveling with securities but I felt lucky to be in contact with so many genuine and sweet people. I’m so grateful for that experience.

Right: Denim by Guess USA, Coat by John Lawrence Sullivan, Sunglasses by Hot Futures, Jewelry by Thomas Sabo, Clarke Palmer, Rat Betty, and Capsule Eleven

Do you feel that you gain maturity when living these kinds of moments?

I feel like we’re doing a good job right now from where I started in Inglewood to where we are now. With this album, we’ve done a lot out of the box. I definitely wanted to do a retrospective exploration. I think this whole album and everything around is just about me re-establishing myself because I’ve been gone for so long and had so many personal issues now that I’m back working. It’s time for me to start doing more and going to studios and working with the right artists that I love, because I definitely have a very eclectic taste. I like to listen to a lot of country music for example as well as techno and R&B. It’s not about what type of song it is but the quality of the song.

You worked with Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar, Anderson Paak and many more. Do you feel you accomplished this wall of collaborations with a-list artists?

I think these sessions were very organic because anytime I get a musician you call a-list artist, I want to make it the best way I can. I want to make sure that I’m not just seeing words and names. I’m putting my emotions behind the work. And yes, I definitely love working with people that are serious about music. The work comes from everyone having the same mindset when you go into the studio. So it really doesn’t matter who it is, or if it’s a Kendrick Lamar or if it’s an Anderson Paak, as long as they’re bringing something genuine on the table and where the song makes sense.

Any non-musician artist you would like to work with?

I’d love to work with Quentin Tarantino, I don’t know if he’s retired or not. But as far as musicians are concerned, I have a long list. It’s too long. If we were doing dead or alive, I would say Bob Marley or Missy Elliott on that list. I like a lot of different music. I would love to do a ballad with John Mayer, that’ll be so beautiful. I’m not going through life where I’m chasing, these situations have to come spontaneously.

Shirt, shorts, jacket, and boots by Givenchy, Socks by Falke, Necklaces by Capsule Eleven, Rings by Rat Betty, Sunglasses by Lunetterie Générale

I discovered you years ago with Alicia Keys on a COLORS performance. How was it, making this session with her?

It was really good, I did that with a three-day notice. They called me and asked so I said, yes. I got ready and flew out to Berlin before I knew we were doing the COLORS sessions. It was a great experience as it was spontaneous. I didn’t even have a wardrobe (laughs)…I just went there and shared this spiritual duet with Alicia Keys and it was wonderful. To see her process of making things was a great experience. Hands down.

At Fucking Young! We are always thinking about the next generation and building a safe creative space. What do you have to say about this young audience?

It’s a blessing to have music that you know people can gravitate towards at any point in their life and it still feels like something that’s new to them. I think my goal with music is nostalgia. Sounds old and feels new. You can’t tell what era it’s from. You can’t tell how old the person’s singing is, that’s me. That’s why I try to be an invisible artist. That whole moniker of SiR the name should explain everything or what I want to be. I want to blend into everything but I also want to stand out so much that you will never forget me. It’s a blessing to see a lot of young people gravitating towards my music, as well as my old fans and older folks. I got a lot of old new fans, so fans that are over 40 you know, over 50, finding my music, falling in love. I’m just honored to have caught a second wind.

CREDITS
Talent: SiR @inglewoodsir
Photographer: Ollie Ali @mrollieali
Stylist: Chalisa Guerrero @chalisaguerrerostylist
Groomer: Shanice Croasdaile @shanicemua
Ph Assistant: Ruth Elopuro @ruthelopurodirector
Fashion Assistants: Sophie Palmer @sophh.palmer, Allana @par_allana
Location: The Standard, London @thestandardlondon
Interview: Ivica Mamedy @ivicamam
Editor: Anna Bar @annarose.barr
Mgmt: Top Dawg Management @topdawgent Lucid Publicity @lucid.publicity