Meet Cristina Cano of Siren and the Sea

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristina Cano.

Cristina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Hawaii and raised in Miami, FL. Like many of us here in Los Angeles, I’m a creative Jane of many trades. I’ve been playing music and acting from a very young age, and actively performing for about 25 years. In 2008, I moved to Portland where I was given the space to explore my creativity and build a name for myself as a songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and performer under the moniker, Siren and the Sea. In addition to releasing and performing my own music with my band, I have toured as synth/keyboard support for a few bands, and have been able to tour the world doing my favorite thing.

I took some time in 2015 to also dive into the backend of the music industry and get my hands dirty with the business of this beautiful beast. Working for independent music distributer, CD Baby, I’ve worked in Digital Marketing and Event Planning and eventually as an Account Manager supporting our high-tier independent artists. I’ve traveled the globe and have been able to speak at events and conferences on the subject of releasing music. I started helping out independent artists with their press and release strategies as a way to give back to my community. This led me to a very exciting career as a music publicist for DIY Public Relations, Inc (in Los Angeles) where I currently work helping advance the careers of several talented musicians and performers.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Like any road worth traveling, it has been a winding journey with many bumps along the way. I’ve gone from performing in coffee shops to castles in France, then to washing dishes at Google headquarters to support myself between tours and albums, then to planning huge conferences for independent musicians in multiple countries, and now to (currently sitting in) a recording studio in Hollywood listening back to mixes of my new record and feeling pretty proud of the road I’ve taken.

I love being challenged and thrive in a bit of discomfort. On leap day of 2020, I moved to Los Angeles to dive into all that the city has to offer and to keep pushing my career forward both musically and in the industry. A week later, the COVID Lockdown occurred, three weeks after that I unexpectedly lost my father. I somehow have been able to turn this period of extreme discomfort around and really push through to land some great opportunities. No regrets.

Can you give our readers some background on your music and your work in the industry?
As Siren and the Sea, I am a hands-on producer, songwriter, and performer of tropical synth-pop, or my custom genre, “Swimwave.” I like to dig deep into my feels and build a lush textural world. With the help of my band, we have really evolved this sound into a sonic ballroom where I like to think it’s appropriate to cry a little while you dance. I’m very excited to release my new album, which thematically rings true to this sentiment.

In my work supporting other artists from inside the industry, I aim to be a hardworking cheerleader for their pursuits and get their music heard by the widest audience possible. I think it’s important to meet each creative where they are and to recognize that everyone’s journey is not the same. I want to know where they are, where they want to go, what it is that they think is stopping them from getting there, and then figure out how to obliterate that perceived obstacle and push them to the next level.

Contact Info:

• Website: sirenandthesea.com
• Email: cristinacanomusic@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/sirenandthesea
• Twitter: twitter.com/sirenandthesea

Image Credit:
Candace Molatore, Antonia Basler, QU

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