Synique Stevens: The Guide to Creating Your Own Success

Genya Ravan, Susan Rogers, Jonell Polansky. What do these three women have in common? They are sound engineers and/or music producers. In 2010, a writer Steve Haruch for Tennessee’s Nashville Scene wrote that less than five percent of music producers were women.

Luckily for many Old Dominion University students, we have a future female producer among us: Synique Stevens.

Most women in the music industry start off as strictly singers, songwriters or backup performers. The most famous women producers were only able to acquire that job because they started as those other occupations first. They had to work their ways up to being able to produce their own albums.

Although most people would find these statistics intimidating, Synique remains confident in herself and in her abilities as a music producer. She admits that she still needs work crafting her ideas, but confidence more than 50 percent of the battle.

It’s not only her confidence that keeps her looking positive about her future, but her belief in God as well.

“I had a religious conflict within myself for a little while. But then my belief in what God gave me gave me confidence in myself. I feel worthy. I think anyone can do anything they put their mind to.”

When I asked Synique how she felt about being a woman in a male-dominated industry, she enlightened me.

“I feel like I can bring more emotion to the table. Someone can tell me what they want a track to be about, and I can portray that emotion in it. And for me, there’s just something about making music in the dark”.

Synique seems very relaxed as she sits and talks to me about her future. Being a junior in Music Production, the “future” we all put off isn’t that far away. Originally, she wanted to drop out freshman year, but then she realized the value of her education.

“I realized how much you think you know, and how much you really don’t,” she commented, “I feel like there’s always something more you can learn.”

So far, Synique has written beats for an online musician in Florida and collaborated with other student musician Darius Mines. She plans to move to a either NYC, Miami or California after she graduates to start working towards her dreams.

For right now, she interns with the ODU Wesley House, planning gigs and shows for them. She explained that she wanted to create a place where ODU students could go on-campus and listen to music from local students and performers.

 Synique also plans to further her education by learning entertainment law, an important skills needed in the music industry. Not only will her internship and her education be an upper-hand in her favor, but Synique’s drive and ambition will be the extra push to her becoming successful.

All in all, she holds many talents and gives her readers a piece of wisdom before they go:

“I wanna be inspiring while I’m aspiring. That’s the best way to describe it”.

Be sure to check out Synique and her tracks on her music page, which is posted under “Artists”.