The Quiet Hours: Sio on Losing Sleep, Soulful House & Self-Reflection

South African singer-songwriter, poet and DJ Sio has built a reputation as one of electronic music’s most captivating storytellers. Her unmistakable voice, fearless lyricism and deeply personal songwriting have made her a sought-after collaborator across the worlds of house, soul and broken beat.

Now, she’s joining forces with London’s Soul Quest Records for the first time on Losing Sleep, a beautifully crafted four-track EP that pairs her poetic introspection with the label’s warm, jazz-infused soulful house aesthetic.

We caught up with Sio to talk about sleepless nights, creative chemistry, vulnerability and the stories behind one of this year’s most heartfelt releases.

Interview With Sio

This is your first release with Soul Quest Records. What was it about working with Max Sinàl, Sean Green and the wider Soul Quest crew that felt like the right creative fit?

I met Max in a roundabout way, after many introductions by some people I was working with. He has warmth, curiosity, honesty and respect that makes collaboration a breeze. Everyone was incredibly kind, open, generous, talented and skilled, and they made a sound I hadn’t written on since very early on in my career, which was nostalgic and exciting to reunite with.

The title Losing Sleep immediately paints a vivid picture. You mentioned that you’ve come to embrace insomnia as a space for reflection rather than frustration. How did those late-night thoughts shape the writing across this EP?

I thought about the things I found frustrating about the ruminations encountered in sleepless nights, derived from my experiences. I have the unfortunate gift of overanalysing everything, and hindsight is painful. Each song touches on an annoyance, a superficial pursuit, a feeling invalidated, or the dreamy, hopeful ponderings of new love. All things that can accompany my sleeplessness.

Your music has always balanced vulnerability with strength. On songs like “Serious,” “Somewhere” and “Hello,” were there any emotions or experiences you found particularly difficult or surprisingly easy to put into words?

No. Since I discovered my writing, it’s been a place of catharsis and healing for me, and singing those heavy feelings didn’t feel heavy, but liberating. No matter the darkness of my words, making music is almost always joyous for me.

One of the things that stands out on this EP is how naturally your poetry, harmonies and songwriting sit within Soul Quest’s deep house and broken beat productions. Did these songs evolve from your lyrics first, or were you responding to the producers’ musical ideas?

A little bit of both. We listened to each other and bounced ideas around till they felt right. Some songs were written in full and tweaked melodically and rhythmically to suit the compositions, and others were written on the day. Each song had its own unique formulation.

Each producer brings a slightly different flavour to the project, from the Afro-tinged warmth of “Serious” to the broken beat shuffle of “Hello.” Did you approach each track with a different mindset, or did they all form part of one larger story?

I wrote/crafted each song as it was presented. I think I just have a very melancholy disposition, which made the lyrical content unintentionally thematic.

Throughout your career, you’ve collaborated with an incredible range of producers, but you’ve always maintained such a distinctive artistic identity. How do you ensure that no matter who’s behind the music, it still feels unmistakably like a Sio record?

I’ve approached each song as a story, thinking of how I would tell it, in a world full of stories. Then I think about how I would sing on the composition regardless of the genre. I prefer to weave myself into the composition; instead of simply singing on it. It also helps that my voice is a gift and my tone is incredibly distinct.

Your work often explores personal growth, spirituality and emotional honesty. Since the release of Sarang, have your views on love, healing and self-discovery continued to evolve, and does Losing Sleep represent another chapter in that journey?

Losing Sleep is a snapshot of my current feelings. I think I’d need more time, maybe an album, to really explore the extent of my internal evolution. I guess I’m ok with direct confessions instead of the long-winded routes I used to take around expressing my feelings to others, which is reflected in this EP.

House music has always had the power to make people dance while also carrying incredibly emotional stories. What is it about soulful house and broken beat that allows you to express your writing in a way other genres perhaps can’t?

To me, House Music in general, isn’t dependent on a voice, so I decided that when I put my voice and words on it, they have to be impactful and unique in some way. There’s a quiet reflective space in Soulful and Broken Beat that asks me to play with contrast, with size, with space, with a languid aggression I’ve learned visiting every genre I have sung in. It feels more attentive, like it wants to bear witness as a participant, to me.

You’ve described yourself as a poet, singer-songwriter and DJ. Do those different creative identities feed into one another, or do you consciously wear different hats depending on the project you’re working on?

All of the above. The songs and poems are twins who express themselves differently, but they’re co-dependents who fuel each other. The DJ hat is worn in the performance context mostly when I have to think of the flow and technicalities of a live performance, regardless of the genre. But at the end of the day, they’re all forms of storytelling, and I am a storyteller, my songs say so…

Finally, when listeners reach the end of Losing Sleep, what do you hope they’re left feeling, and what’s next for Sio after this exciting first collaboration with Soul Quest Records?

I hope you felt seen. That your rage is justified, your doubt is valid, and your weary heart is worthy of hope. That you dance and enjoy your heartbeats fully, and in so doing, you find some peace.