What would it sound like to listen to the sounds of a nation, the vibrations of its people – a heartbeat of music? Sig Official shines a light on the country of Haiti and the people that live there, masterfully weaving a euphoric melody for everyone to be at home within her music. She has innovated a safe space for her culture to be heard. Her music speaks to reforms, love, and pride of a culture and its music; it speaks of unadulterated truth and identity: hope for people to know that they are heard, and that it is okay to be different.
Sigourney “Sig Official” Sterling is a Los Angeles-based independent artist who was born in Port au Prince, Haiti. Growing up on the East Coast, Sig found herself in the middle of Los Angeles, where she started producing for local artists while attending college at the Arts Institute. It was somewhere during this period that she would discover her true calling in front of a microphone. She found her voice and her confidence then she made her way over to the West Coast and began recording over Afrocentric tunes.
Sig’s style of music draws from Afro beat culture, Haitian Kompa and Zouk. She successfully mixed distinct genres of music while shining a light on diverse sounds in hip-hop culture. Her self-produced single, “Kreyol,” has been tremendous in its effect on the local community as well as her community back home in Haiti.
The soul base of music with Afro/Kompa beats are remarkably underrepresented in media. Sig feels a passion to provide listeners with a melody they can relate to, and a sound that they can come to love, not just for her native Haiti but for people from different ethnicities. Deviating somewhat from mainstream genres, she attempts to touch base with different cultures to attract those listeners who are in search of something different or who may be overlooked themselves. Her latest track “Pause” has surpassed expectations and more of the same is expected in the coming years.
After working hard to build a foundation, Sig Official aspires to reach a worldwide audience and maybe reserve a special place in their hearts for a little island called Haiti. She wants to be a reference for a new sound, bringing a diversified music taste into social circles while inspiring others to try new things, face their fears, and own their identity and find their place in the world.
“I am a lesbian, Haitian-LA based artist, and the LBGTQ+ community is very important to me; being from a third world county where who I am is still being frowned upon.”
Sig Official ultimately wants to be a figure people can relate to and feel represented by, for her listeners to feel heard while having fun. Sig shares, “Not everyone can speak out about the experiences they face nor get the recognition they deserve. I want my music to give them that. And to leave a memorable legacy to the people of Haiti that will motivate any up-and-coming artist or youth in the area to embrace the culture.”
To learn more about Sig Official you can visit her website or look her up on Instagram. You can also stream her music on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube.
