INTERVIEW: Alessandro DeCaro
Photos Courtesy of Skye Sweetnam
It's hard to believe that it's already been a year since Canadian genre-bending outfit Sumo Cyco unleashed their fourth studio album, NEON VOID. Since then, the band, fronted by the ever-charismatic Skye Sweetnam, has continued to build on the momentum of the record, touring extensively, collaborating with nu-metal veterans Nonpoint, and most recently releasing a deluxe edition of NEON VOID, complete with previously unreleased tracks and an expansive behind-the-scenes book. With even more touring on the horizon and new music already in the works for 2027, we recently caught up with Skye once again to reflect on the past year, the creative process behind NEON VOID, her ever-evolving sense of style, and what the future holds for Sumo Cyco.
Additionally, we hooked Skye up with a few select TPC items available now for an exclusive style guide and photo gallery! Read the interview and view the style guide below!
It’s been just about a year since we last chatted, which also coincides with the one-year anniversary of your most recent album, NEON VOID. With a year of distance from the record, what do you find yourself reflecting on the most? Have any of the songs taken on new meanings after playing them live, seeing the fan reactions, and simply having more time to sit with the album? Looking back at the entire cycle so far, what would you say has been the biggest learning experience or revelation to come from NEON VOID?
Skye Sweetnam: I can’t believe it’s been a year! That’s so crazy, but you’re right, we have had a chance to sit with the songs, perform them live, and hear feedback from fans. It has been extremely valuable and validating when we put so much work into what we do. The biggest revelation, though, is that the theme of the record has become more concise and clear in my mind. NEON VOID may deal with many various struggles, but the common denominator is all these issues have reached me through a screen. More specifically, through a very specific telescopic view of the world, which has been created for me by attention-guzzling algorithms. Screens are interjected in between everything and everyone in our lives. As I write this, my eyes start to get tired from staring at a screen all day. I edited the photos that I took for my awesome new Pretty Cult items on the screen, and it’s really inescapable in many aspects of our lives.
NEON VOID stands as documentation for me and all future generations of what this experience was like at this point in history, but in hindsight, it also has brought me clarity. Over the last year, I’ve been able to be out touring, interacting with new people and places, and it’s so refreshing to live in the real world. I afford these periods of time without my phone, and it proves just how isolating and anxiety-inducing these mind-hacking algorithms are. As a disclaimer, I do believe there are legitimate ways to connect online, but when corporations are in the middle between you and the information, I do believe there are many distortions and distractions from purpose. I really do hear the title NEON VOID and think of my phone now.
Skye Sweetnam wearing the Van Helsing Crop Top
You’ve also just dropped the deluxe edition of NEON VOID, which features four new and previously unreleased tracks, as well as a limited-edition 76-page book filled with behind-the-scenes photos, notes, lyrics, stories, designs, and more. Walk us through the process of putting the deluxe edition together, from deciding which songs you wanted to include to assembling the book itself. Sumo Cyco has always gone above and beyond when it comes to creating tangible items and experiences for fans, so how important is it for you to maintain that core DIY mentality as the band continues to grow?
Skye Sweetnam: Yes, the NEON VOID Deluxe Edition just dropped recently and included our top songs that were runners-up to the album: “Travelling” and “Spiral.” Those two tracks were inches from making the original album cut. They are available on a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl, and “Spiral” will only be available via physical media (CD, 7-inch vinyl). Two more tracks, one called “Carry the Weight,” a favorite of Matt’s (guitarist/producer). Matt also did a sick dance remix of our first single, “Villains,” called the “Radioghost Remix.” Our first experimentation into EDM with our music.
As for the book, now that was a lot of work! The motivating factor behind why I put the book together was I wanted to really celebrate the ending of the NEON VOID era and give props to all the people that worked on this project with me. I have self-published two previous “Tour Books” (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2) filled with our adventures while we’ve been on the road. It’s always brought me so much joy to look through the books, tangible copies of all the photos and stories, especially now that time has passed. I wanted the same documentation of the behind-the-scenes of NEON VOID. Writing the book and telling the story of each song was the easy part. The harder part was to try to condense it to the 76 pages, which seems like a lot, but is actually not when there is so much to explain about the process and so many amazing photos. I think it came together really nicely, and I hope people enjoy really seeing the behind-the-scenes workings of the creative process.
There also seems to have been a lot of great touring momentum since the release of NEON VOID, between your summer UK headline tour, US dates with legendary nu-metal acts SOiL and Nonpoint, and playing Call Home Fest in Canada alongside The Offspring and Gob. What were some of the personal highlights or milestones from those shows, and what has the fan response to the NEON VOID material been like in a live setting?
Skye Sweetnam: We’ve been very lucky to have some awesome tours, most notably returning to the UK after a seven-year hiatus. The entire tour felt like a high school reunion with all of our amazing UK fans coming out to support, but seven years changed a lot, so some people have changed hair colours a few times, changed jobs, had kids, and some have grown up to be able to attend the shows! It’s been a crazy, amazing, beautiful journey to reconnect with so many people. Re: The Outta Control Tour, I realize that this tour would be our fifth time touring with Nonpoint, so it always feels like a homecoming there as well. Call Home Fest is a festival that has changed names over the years, but same location and same organizers that have had us back for the fourth time. All of these events really felt like full-circle moments and really helped to solidify my love for performing and adventure. The new songs are getting great reactions, and to this day, we are still playing around with some of the album cuts to see which ones are emerging as our favs to play live.
Skye Sweetnam wearing the Storm Wielder Tee & False Idol Sunglasses
Speaking of Nonpoint, you recently joined forces with the band on their new single, “Red Yeti.” How did that collaboration initially come together, and what was the experience like working with them? What do you feel each of you brought to the track that made the collaboration work so well?
Skye Sweetnam: Nonpoint is such a powerhouse live band that has always championed genuine musicianship, heavy-hitting songwriting, and the true grit of what being a relentless touring group is all about. I have massive respect for everything they’ve accomplished over the years, so being asked to hop on “Red Yeti” was a total honor! It was early February when Elias reached out, not only proposing we hit the road together alongside SOiL for the Outta Control Tour, but also asking if I’d lay down vocals for this brand-new Nonpoint track. The second he sent the audio over, I was completely sold, though truthfully, I was on board before even hearing it because I knew those guys only deliver killer tracks! What I loved most was how Elias wanted to weave my vocals throughout the entire piece: the verses, bridge, and chorus in harmony. So many features feel like you’re just dropped into a quick 16-bar verse without being part of the track’s narrative, but Elias had this awesome vision for us to trade lines back and forth across the verses. We both thrive on heavy rhythm and vocal character, which brought so much energy to those parts, but when the chorus hits, it’s all about locking down a massive melody. Our voices blend so naturally, which we first discovered a few years back when I joined them on stage to sing “That Day” during their set. That experience proved our vocal styles gelled perfectly, making this collaboration feel totally inevitable.
Keeping with the topic of collaborations, are there any dream artists or bands still on your bucket list that you would love to work with in the near future? Is there anyone who might surprise fans but who you think could make for a really interesting pairing with Sumo Cyco?
Skye Sweetnam: That is such a fantastic question! I could easily brainstorm a massive wish list of legendary musicians, but seeing things from inside the music business, so many features nowadays feel strictly like promotional tactics rather than organic creative partnerships. Whenever I team up with someone, I need there to be real heart and history behind it, whether it’s stemming from mutual respect, shared memories, or massive inspiration. Every single team-up I’ve taken on has been with artists I’ve personally chased down out of pure fandom, like Benji Webbe of Skindred, or close pals I’ve shared the road with over the years. Hype machine tactics just aren't my thing. I truly treasure making music purely for the joy of creation, especially since so much of my day-to-day involves running the business side, visual design, and constant hustle. So when it comes to the music-making experience, I protect that sacred space fiercely above all else, and when I have a feeling about who would be the perfect collab, I’ll talk about it until it comes true.
Skye Sweetnam wearing the ShadowSpire Dress
As a media outlet associated with a fashion brand, it’s been really cool to see how your style has evolved throughout the NEON VOID era. What have been some of your favorite looks or pieces that you’ve put together for the stage and music videos during this record cycle? More broadly, what have you found yourself gravitating toward style-wise lately, and how much does fashion play into the visual world you create around Sumo Cyco?
Skye Sweetnam: That is such a great question because fashion was something I spent a ton of time focusing on throughout this record cycle. Truthfully, it marked the first time in ages that I brought in a stylist to collaborate on custom outfits for our music videos and promotional shoots. Massive shoutout to Toronto designer Brandon Keir, who helped pull incredible garments and hand-crafted unique pieces like the iconic “Villains” coat from the music video. One of my absolute favorite looks, which I ended up re-wearing across our live sets, was a custom bikini top and skirt crafted entirely out of Sumo Cyco bandanas! That piece, along with the modified white tee from the “Shivers” video, became my go-to stage wardrobe for the UK tour. In the past, I would always put together a brand-new outfit every single night depending on my mood. That prep ritual was a huge part of stepping into character. However, as the years go on, I’ve come to realize how precious every extra minute on the road truly is! Taking a page from legendary performers, I curated a dedicated capsule collection for the road, which saved heaps of prep time, kept me organized, and had a cohesive aesthetic across the whole run!
With Halloween right around the corner, how do you usually like to get into the spirit of the season? Are there any particular horror movies, albums, or bands that become essential listening or viewing for you around this time of year?
Skye Sweetnam: I’m very excited for Halloween this year! We have a fun show, “Boo Bash,” happening in downtown Oshawa on October 17th. Free show, so many vendors, lots of music, food, costumes, and Halloween scares! I’m also really excited to finally go all out decorating my home. Matt (guitarist/producer) and I recently got engaged at the end of our UK tour, and I thought it would be fun to throw a “Til Death Do Us Party” engagement party. This will be one of the first times that I’m hosting a Halloween party at our home studio/church. Just in time for the event, I’ve had two gargoyles, Corvus & Dredge, permanently positioned on the front buttresses. Corvus & Dredge are an amazing engagement gift from my brother. (See them in some of the Pretty Cult photos.) Matt and I finally justified splurging on two twelve-foot-tall skeletons for the yard. I’ve got plans to make a “Love Potion” drink station and fun activities for all my nieces and nephews. It’s gonna be a lot of work to get everything ready, but I can’t wait to host and get creepy!
Lastly, as you gear up to support Blackgold across Europe next month, what are you looking forward to most about this upcoming run? Beyond the tour, what else should fans be on the lookout for throughout the remainder of the year and heading into 2027, and is there anything you can tease about what might be coming next for Sumo Cyco?
Skye Sweetnam: We are so excited to get back to Europe. This will have been eight years since we last performed there, and many fans have been patiently waiting, as well as so many new ones we’ve never met yet! The truth is, I still don’t know the identities of Blackgold, and we’re about to share a tour bus, so that will be a lot of fun. I’m always a big fan of theatrics, so the mystery is enticing! Following our EU tour with Blackgold, we will be playing a short run of headline shows in the UK. I love Christmas markets overseas, and I thought it would be a fun way to end the year in some quaint UK cities and visit all the markets on our way through the tour! That will be our conclusion of 2026, with maybe one last local show thrown in the mix. That will set us up for moving into 2027 with some new music! Hopefully, coming back to all the places that we’ve toured this year, if not many more! Very excited for what next year has in store for us, but you’ll have to stay tuned and keep your ears to the ground for new songs dropping from Cyco City Records & Sumo Cyco!
Skye Sweetnam wearing the ShadowSpire Dress
Skye Sweetnam wearing the Storm Wielder Tee & False Idol Sunglasses
Skye Sweetnam wearing the Van Helsing Crop Top
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