When music stops being just yours

For months before release, the album existed only in SIERRA VEINS’ personal space — something she lived with privately while writing and refining it. Touring has fundamentally changed that relationship. “It’s not because it’s out,” she explains, “but the fact of playing the album every night feels different because I kept it for myself for so many months.” Seeing audiences respond to the songs — and even sing along — has been a surreal experience. “The fact that I fell asleep every night with the lyrics in my head at home, and now I see people in the crowd singing them… it feels a bit weird,” she says with a smile. “But it feels good. It finally feels alive.”

A name that reflects identity

Earlier this year the artist also introduced a new chapter by changing her stage name from SIERRA to SIERRA VEINS. The decision had been brewing for years, partly for practical reasons. “There were just too many artists called Sierra,” she explains. “People couldn’t find my music on Spotify or social media. It was really annoying.”

But the timing ultimately aligned with the themes she was exploring creatively. “As I was writing an album about identity, I thought maybe this was the right moment. It felt more artistic.” While the name change doesn’t represent a shift in her musical direction, she describes it as something like a personal refresh. “It’s like when you cut your hair,” she says. “You’re the same person, but you feel a bit fresh. It’s a new chapter.”

Turning darkness into something powerful

Darkness is a word that often appears in discussions around SIERRA VEINS’ music, but for her it’s less an aesthetic choice than a creative necessity. “It’s my inspiration,” she says simply. Many of her songs originate from intense or difficult emotional experiences, but the goal is never to remain in that darkness. “Most of my tracks are inspired by something really strong and dark,” she explains. “But I try to transform it into something positive — something strong and powerful.” Importantly, she stresses that this darkness exists primarily within the music itself. “I don’t live in darkness,” she adds with a laugh. “All my darkness is in my music. In my life I’m actually quite positive.”

Instinct over perfection

As an electronic artist who produces her own work, SIERRA VEINS could easily fall into the trap of endlessly perfecting sounds. Instead, she prefers to trust instinct. Sometimes she begins a track with a clear direction in mind, but she admits those are often not the songs she enjoys the most. “The tracks that I prefer to write are the ones that come immediately,” she says. “When it’s instinctive and I just need to create something.” Her perfectionism lies elsewhere — not in endlessly tweaking sounds, but in capturing the right emotional core. “Some people will say, ‘This is a cool track.’ But if it’s not exactly the right feeling, I can’t keep it.”

Seeing the music before hearing it

One of the defining aspects of the SIERRA VEINS project is its strong visual identity. In fact, visuals often come before the music itself. “When I start working on an EP or an album, I always begin with the atmosphere,” she explains. For the album ‘In the Name of Blood’, that meant building mood boards around imagery of blood, veins, and identity before writing a single track. “When I compose, I always have a visual in my mind. For me it’s almost as important as the music.” This approach extends to her live performances as well. Lighting elements inspired by veins and flowing shapes form part of the visual concept — though practical limitations sometimes mean leaving parts of the production behind on tour. “Tonight I won’t have the lights,” she laughs, referring to the Helsinki show. “But we’ll bring the energy and the spirit in another way.”

A final night in Helsinki

The Helsinki performance marked the final show of her touring year — and the first time she had the chance to properly explore the city itself. “It’s my third time playing in Finland, but the first time I’ve actually seen Helsinki,” she says. A visit to the city’s Christmas market left a particularly strong impression. “In France we also have Christmas markets, but they are very touristical,” she says. “Here it felt more traditional. The products were really good.”

As the evening drew closer and the stage awaited, SIERRA VEINS seemed content with where the journey had taken her — tired from the road, but energized by the audience waiting outside. And as she put it earlier in the conversation, that shared connection is what ultimately gives the music its life. “It’s not personal anymore,” she said. “Now it’s something I can share with people.”

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