Syd Hartha Is The Women Of Influence 2026 Harmonizer

Syd Hartha has never been afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve—and if you've ever listened to one of her songs, you know exactly what that means. The 24-year-old singer-songwriter's music often feels like flipping through someone's journal: personal, unfiltered, and always unapologetically honest. Her lyrics sit comfortably in the messy, complicated spaces of emotion—pain, anger, healing—and that's exactly what makes them resonate.

Writing from such a vulnerable place, she admits, isn't always easy. "It's honestly very challenging," she tells Cosmo. But for Syd, it's also where her power as a songwriter lies. "Mas powerful yung mga kanta 'pag galing talaga sakin," she says.

It's her unwavering honesty and fearlessness in songwriting that makes Syd this year's Harmonizer and Cosmopolitan Philippines' Women of Influence 2026 awardee. Through music that speaks openly about pain, healing, and everything in between, she's created more than just songs—she's created a space where listeners feel seen, understood, and a little less alone.

Syd: Definitely, nung unang-una pa lang ako mag-start magsulat and mag-release ng mga kanta, way ko na talaga siya of storytelling. Ang pinagkaiba lang, siguro dati, outlet ko lang siya. Pero nung nagkaroon na 'ko ng mga listeners talaga and following, na-realize ko na, "Hala, parang 'di na puwede na magsusulat lang ako for myself." I don't write for myself anymore; I write for these people to tell stories and to help them. 

Syd: Writing from a very vulnerable place is honestly very challenging, but at the same time, it gives me power. Kasi para sa'kin, mas powerful yung mga kanta pag galing talaga sa'kin, and yung message niya, mas magiging totoo.

'Yun din yung naging responsibility ko; I see it as a responsibility being a musician also na I have to spread an important message to everyone. So kailangan ko maging vulnerable, but I really don't mind. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and may pride ako in that, na kaya ko maging vulnerable. This is not a weakness of mine.

Syd: A lot, actually. Pero kung magiging honest ako, yung "Ayaw." Nung sinusulat ko yung song na 'yun, medyo fresh pa sa'kin yung personal trauma ko. Dun 'ko na-realize na, "Oh my God, sobrang galit ko pala. Ang dami ko pa lang rage na nanggaling sa pain." And na-realize ko na ang dami ko pa kailangan i-work on, kasi sobrang strong nung kantang 'yon, sobrang strong nung babaeng nagsulat nun, pero nung nilabas ko 'yon tapos ang lakas ng impact niya, 'di ko in-expect.

Every time I talk about it, mahina pa 'ko, lalo na nung time na 'yon kasi mas bata pa ako noon. Parang natatakot ako to talk about it, like, "Shit, hindi pa pala ako handa to talk about it in-depth."

Pero as I grew up, na-build na rin yung courage ko, and I understood my situation better, so na-overcome ko naman siya. But that was a really big challenge for me, and sobrang na-build ako nung experience na 'yon.

Syd: I think hanggang problema 'yon, magiging relatable pa rin siya. And I'm glad na umaabot siya sa mga kababaihan kasi ang main goal ko talaga sa kantang 'yon ay i-remind sila na 'wag nating i-shrink yung sarili natin. 'Wag tayong manahimik 'pag may nangyari sa atin.

Kasi yung ini-expect ng society natin, "Tahimik ka lang. Wag ka magsasalita." And gets ko naman na yung ibang babae, nahihirapan magsalita, kasi ang judgmental ng mga tao. Malaking problema rin yung baka di sila paniwalaan agad. Feeling ko nakaka-relate pa rin tayo doon kasi hanggang ngayon, issue pa rin 'yan. Like victim-blaming, yun yung pinaka-masakit.

When you choose to speak up, maraming naniniwala sa'yo and maraming nakaka-gets sa'yo. Lahat ng babae, magsasama-sama, kasi lahat 'yan, gets natin. 'Yang catcalling, yung mga "maliliit" na bagay na ganun, walang babaeng hindi naka-experience nun.

And mas magkakaroon ng courage yung mga babaeng ma-realize na [hindi] sila yung may mali, kasi speaking from experience, may mga times na na-be-blame rin natin sarili natin. But I'm here to remind everyone na it's not your fault, it's their fault—kahit ano pa mang suot mo, problema nila 'yon.

Syd: So far, wala pa naman akong apprehension sa kung ano ni-re-release ko. Pero yung experience ko is sobrang dark talaga [yung past ko]. Not to victimize myself or anything, pero ganun talaga eh. And yung mga kanta ko rin, nagre-reflect doon yung headspace ko that time. Medyo dark pa siya before.

Pero ngayon, nung nagiging okay na ako, parang iniisip ko, "Hala, magugustuhan pa rin ba 'ko ng mga tao kapag sobrang positive na ng mga kanta ko, na sobrang layo sa mga previous songs ko." Like from "Ayaw" and "Paruparo," ang layo na niya. More about healing na [mga songs ko]. Sana magustuhan pa rin nila, 'yun yung mga una kong naisip and yung pinaka-nagkaroon ako ng apprehensions.

Syd: Feeling ko, andun na siya unang-una pa lang, kasi palagi ko ngang goal ay yung maging totoo. Parang, "Bakit ko pa 'to ginagawa kung di ito ako?" Gusto ko may soul yung kanta ko. Gusto ko maririnig niyo yung totoong gusto ko iparating, and hindi ko yun magagawa kung di ako magpapaka-totoo and 'di ko ipapakita yung sarili ko. I'm putting a piece of myself when I write my songs and release them, and I really don't mind. 

Syd: Gusto kong ma-feel ng listeners ko na you can be in pain, but palaging may chance to heal. Healing is super possible; it may not be the easiest thing, the fastest thing, but it is possible. Palaging may light at the end of the tunnel. 'Yun talaga yung mga kanta ni Syd Hartha. 

Syd: Mas marami nang may courage ngayon to make music and art in general. Kasi ngayon, ang dami nang platforms para i-share mo 'yung talent mo. And ngayon mas accepted, mas marami nang artists. Wala na yung mindset na magugutom ka 'pag artist ka. Mas may hope na for the newer generation, na puwede ka maging artist.

Syd: To me, it's about embracing your own individuality and how you choose to show up in the world. And kung ano man yung success para sa'yo, push mo 'yan, [especially] kung wala ka namang inaapakang tao. Be yourself talaga.

And as a musician, it's about staying true to what you believe in, and kung ano yung gusto mong ipakita sa mga tao. "To Each Her Own" is a reminder to embrace your own feelings and your vulnerability. 'Wag magpa-sway sa mga trends and isipin na kailangan mo gawin yung mga ginagawa [ng ibang artists]. If it doesn't feel right, then don't do it. It's fine. You have your own path, and 'yun ang sundin mo. It will all make sense to other people in the end pag sinundan mo yung sarili mo. 

Executive Editor: Ida Aldana

Art Director: Ica Del Mundo

Photographer: Lem Atienza, assisted by Yani Espiel, Yuan David, Nicole Evans, and Rafi Lopez

Hair and Makeup: Team Muriel Vega Perez

Story: Cheska Santiago

Producer: Alyana Olivar
Video: Cherrie Julian and Jino Del Mundo, assisted by Alfred Locsin & George Tuliao

Social Media: Aina Lizarondo, assisted by Margaux Bataclan