R&B singer, producer and engineer Syd (Sydney Bennett), 34, has spoken to the Guardian about her new solo album, Beard, and reflected candidly on her difficult years in the Los Angeles rap collective Odd Future, which also featured Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt. She describes Beard as her "first really me album", one on which she handled much of the production herself after realising she "didn't like anybody else's beats". The interview matters as a frank account from a respected but low-profile artist about finding her own creative voice and stepping out of the shadow of a hugely influential scene.

Bennett, who was raised in Mid-City LA and joined Odd Future with her brother Taco in 2007, was largely seen as the group's DJ and engineer, and in 2011 formed the indie-R&B band the Internet with her best friend, Matt Martians. She recalls struggling once the collective began touring, saying the members were not really friends and that she battled an untreated depressive disorder that bandmates ignored. Now happier after buying a house on her childhood street, she has moved past craving awards; her earlier records, Fin (2017) and Broken Hearts Club (2022), were driven by proving her songwriting and processing a breakup, whereas Beard focuses on herself. Odd Future marks its 20th anniversary next year, and she remains friendly with much of the crew, including Tyler.