Symone Wilson, better known as SYM1, is an emerging character onto the Minneapolis alt-electro pop scene. SYM1 continues to evolve in style, music, and expression; all formed to represent an image that cohesively wires together her songs. There are phases in this transformation and intrigue in the DIY aesthetics and conglomeration of pieces that go into an outfit. SYM1 blends dance, electronics, and a strong visual presence into her music, making her a prime example of having the main thing this series focuses on, ..MOJO. Her latest release All That U Want is a bundle of pop progressive house music that has netted a futuristic music video “Lonely Nights” with over 11,000 views already on Youtube. The video encapsulates the extravagance of the fetish cyborg attire, incorporating dance, resulting in a perfected punch of pop music. This harmonious intention with music and visuals starts deep into the past for Symone.
“I remember my mom had given me a birthday gift of a huge box of costumes. I would be changing in and out of them all day long. That's some of my earliest memories. I know specifically the content I was consuming at the time was Sailor Moon and the Labyrinth. I was obsessed with David Bowie in the Labyrinth that was like, I don't know if I love you or I want to be like you. Maybe both, but those are like my earliest memories of needing to look like something. I need to be crazy. Like very extra otherworldly.”
Her parents were theater kids themselves, meeting while in college. Both were very familiar with playing a character, doing a role, and being in costumes all the time. Symone witnessed this early and it felt normal. Her mother was a gymnast and there would be all different kinds of leotards used in the gymnastic meets. Add that her father was a writer that would pen young adult fantasy novels, and Symone had a double dose of influence that steered her towards self-expression off the beaten path.
Everyone goes through phases. Symone is no stranger to different stages in her life. She was homeschooled for a bit, which allowed her to dress up all the time. But shifting into public school, there was an obvious social structure that Symone did not entirely understand and fit into. She felt really uncomfortable about her own personal attributes for many of these social reasons and conformity. It wasn’t until 7th grade when she went back to doing halftime between homeschooling and public school that dressing up became comfortable again. This time away from social pressure of a herd gave her self-care and the support system to be more like herself.
Symone also remembers an assembly in 2nd grade where the daughter of one of the teachers did a contortionist hula-hop performance. Although she can’t recall all the details about it, the feeling of how crazy and mesmerizing it was inspired her. She experienced another reinforcing event in 8th grade seeing a band perform at the Walker Art Center. The group had bold red hair and played high energy punk alternative music. The mood stuck with her as well, realizing how important style is to music.
This then sparked a phase of getting into more alternative and goth fashion sparked by a visit to Mr Movies. Seeing Evanescence playing on a TV in the store, it was an instant allure and magical affirmation that combined alternative rock and goth clothing. Similar to what she was hearing in video games, this was a direct visual to bringing that genre to life.
“I saw people wearing black lipstick and didn't understand what that was all about. I just thought it looked cool. That looks awesome. I wanna do that too. I had no idea what the subculture was about. People at school thought I was a satanist.”
-SYM1
SYM1 injects movement to all of her performances. Being raised with a mother in gymnastics, music fell in conjunction with dance. The earliest songs she remembers are her mother’s routine playlists. Music was supposed to go with a routine, it’s supposed to be shown off, there is showmanship built into everything. Observing the emergence of Lady Gaga using costumes with choreography and the explosion of music videos on the TV helped reimburse that value of movement. That has become a core piece for SYM1 to use dance in her shows, music videos, and even website, where gifs, head-bopping seagulls and a Gameboy sway back and forth.
The internet is a huge open world for Symone in finding her outfits. She searches for #futuristicfashion, #avantgardefashion, and #cyberfashion constantly on Instagram. Drawn to indie clothing makers, costume makers, and even cosplayers, she’ll purchase or even commission them to make something for her. Combine this with connecting locally with cosplay industry people and thrifting at Unique, the hidden gem in New Hope, SYM1 is the result of a treasure hunt of pieces from all over the digital world. Her secret weapon that she most consistently works with is fellow music producer, vocalist, and artist LILItH. They are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other, collaborating, and doing skill trades like learning to sew and produce music.
“I gravitate towards anything that is alternative in style. There's no one thing that I stick with. Most people know me from my futuristic style, like cyber stuff, which is like cool, but I have so much going on in my closet that it's ridiculous. Which is fun though because I can be break out of whatever people think I'm going to do.”
-SYM1
Symone has gone through phases from J-Pop to Harajuku fashion, both seen to represent the rebellion against Japan’s strict rules with young people deliberating dressing up in fun and crazy styles. These ‘grow up’ outfits are diverse from lolita, kogal, cosplay, decora, to goth. Intended to celebrate personal freedom and expression, Harajuku fashion has grown in popularity in the United States. When Symone started as a character called Symone Smash It, her outfits were more woodland elf style. That evolved to more alien/robot vibes and eventually is landing in a more alternative goth punk fashion that has now become SYM1.
This outfit includes the thick shiny, slightly holographic black platform boots that came from YRU shoes. The blue and pink striped stockings were a pickup from Spirit Halloween. The harnesses add in the alternative fetish angle that contrasts expertly with a large oversized soft white fur coat from Unique. The see through belts were pickups from LA Express and the chicy black dress from Forever 21. Layering that with a black leather tight fitting punk jacket and a oversized chain bracelet, SYM1 represents strength in personal expression at every small detail. But the tiniest detail and visual ‘cherry on top’ is a collar from Protective Choke with the keyboard keys "CTRL-M-E” along the side. The tie in between the keyboard key representing the internet, with the collar symbolizing that alternative twinge is a ingenious piece.
Symone admits that putting together an outfit makes an absolute mess of her bedroom as everything gets laid out and mixed around. She likes to think of putting together an outfit as painting. The palette being the room with everything spread out, all the colors around her, to build that costume on the canvas.
Listening to SYM1’s music, there is an evolving electricity in every release. “Dark Matter” from 2019 carried a more minimalist and straightforward approach, while “Lonely Nights” from 2022 channels a thicker feed of electronics, textures, and layers. SYM1 radiates with future dystopia dreamscapes, lush colors, and industrial darks that align perfectly with the sounds she produces. It’s soldered into the circuit board from the earliest memories of her life to the evolution of her art.
“The first thing I want people to think when they see me is, ‘oh shit, I didn't know what I was about to get into.’ And then when they see me perform and give as much energy as I do, I want them to say that same thing again. I really didn't expect this. Regardless of whether or not they like my music, I am going to put on a show.”
SYM1 shares that it can be very frustrating when you’ve put in so much work into your music, your craft, and into the performance, and people don’t pay attention. She admits there’s bound to be nervousness on paying attention and getting involved unless we’re told to. Our social culture is typically more conservative and shy when it comes to alternative clothes. SYM1 finds that when she encourages people to come closer to the stage and to get hyped, people need that direction and permission to let go to not be intimidated. Her outfit is a direct communication that her shows are a space where none of those social rules are in place. You can have freedom of personal expression in everything you wear and how you want to move along.
Check out the links below for ways to follow SYM1 and all the topics we mentioned above.
SYM1 website - Instagram - Bandcamp - Lonely Nights Video - Harajuku Fashion - UNIQUE thrift store - YRU Shoes - Protective Choke - LILItH
