Shea
Shea is an artist to watch out for this year as she is about to release her debut since Where Did You Go ahead of the release of her debut album.
I caught up with the singer/songwriter to chat about the new single and album and what is in the pipeline for her this year.
- You are about to release your debut single Where Did You Go so what can we expect from this new track?
It is a very jazz influenced song. People always say to me ‘what kind of song is it? And I don’t really know. I would say that it does have a jazzy/retro style and I really wanted to have it as my first single because I wanted it to be different to anything that I had done before.
I wanted something that was quite vocally led and so it is a track that is quite vocal. I guess people will just have to listen to it.
-This is a real soul and jazz sound and feel to this track as you said so how do you feel that this introduces us to you as an artist?
A lot of my songs have a soul and jazz influences - but they are not necessarily all the same. I think that this is a good one to show that because even though… some of my tracks are upbeat and others are slower while some of them are happy and some of them are sad.
This is a good summary of me because it shows that I want to sing as a singer rather than someone who wants to do dance music - I want people to listen to my vocals. I also want to write about things that might be interesting to people and things that they can relate to.
I use to do a lot of party tracks and now I just want to write about more… not necessarily serious but more things that people can relate to.
- How have you found the response to the track so far?
I have had a really good response and I am feeling really happy. Some people have said to me that they can really relate to the track themselves and they feel that it is about them.
Other people just like the song because they think it’s nice - that just makes me really happy.
- This track is produced by Drew Horley so how did that collaboration come about?
My manager introduced me to him as he had worked to him in the past with different artists. It just worked. Working with Drew has just been so great because we understand one another and where we are going musically.
He understands me really well; what I am trying to get across and the kind of things that I like. I find it difficult sometimes to explain and because I am not any good at musical theory I don’t know any technical terms so all I know is how I feel and how I want it to feel.
When I am explaining these things he totally gets it. We have gone through all the tracks that he has done together, bit by bit. It has just been brilliant.
- Well you have slightly touched on my next question really he has huge experience as a producer so what does he bring to this track? And how exciting was it working with someone like that with your first track?
He does quite a lot of different stuff such as jazz and hip hop as well and so it was really nice being able to work with him on this project.
I think that it was also nice for him as well because he has the chance to be creative in a different way to what he usually is - he is very influenced by Stevie Wonder and so he got to bring out that side of him in the tracks that we made.
For me, not just because he is really talented but because he is a really lovely man, it has just been brilliant working with him.
- Your debut album is on the horizon so how does Grey Skies & Rainbow Fingernails so what kind of sound are we going to hear with the rest of the album?
It is mixed. The reason that I called it Grey Skies & Rainbow Fingernails is because I think it sums it all up. The previous tracks that I Have done have always been positive and happy but this debut album is the first time that I have really said anything that is personal and so it is not necessarily happy and upbeat.
I am definitely someone who is colourful - I have always got my multi-colour fingernails - but I thought Grey Skies & Rainbow Fingernails really sums it up; this album looks at the bad times but the good times as well.
So this album is full of everything that is personal to me and I am so excited about it. When I first started writing it I was really trying to get a sound that I thought was right and people would like and I could get everyone involved.
But when I got to this stage I stopped doing that and I just started making music that I wanted to make and I wanted people to hear - whether people were into it or not.
I have become more proud of what I have done because I love it so much. I feel that if I love it so much then surely other people must be able to relate to some part of that.
- You have been in the music industry for quite a few years now but this is your debut album as I said so what was in like to get in the studio and finally be able to record your own music?
Amazing, it was so amazing. I have never done a track that I didn’t like - all of the dance stuff that I have featured on I have liked.
But to be able to do something where it totally goes the way that I want it to - all the other tracks I have done I have literally been sent a beat or have gone into a studio and put my twist on what the producer has done.
But this time it is me doing what I want to do right from the beginning. A lot of the tracks that we did started with the vocals and we just worked around that and to be there every step of the way and feel like it is totally my stamp on everything it has just been brilliant. I am just so excited about it.
- You have penned all of the tracks on the album so what inspires you to write and what do you draw on as inspiration?
Sometimes I have really got something on my mind and I write about it just to get it off my chest. Sometimes I will be hear something, Stu will be playing chords for example, and it will trigger and emotion and I will want to write about that particular emotion.
Most of this album has been written about things that I was feeling at that time that I wanted to get out. I write about anything that I think… I think it is usually what has been on my mind just before I start writing a song and I am not usually someone who will write lyrics before I have a melody and a song structure.
I do usually know what the tune is going to be before I start to write the words to it and the words will usually follows. Sometimes I will make the tune suit the words that I want to write. All of the inspiration is drawn from my life and what I see and how I feel about things.
- As I said earlier you have been in the music industry for a few years now you have been to Brit school, spent some time in an RnB group, been out on the live circuit and made records with the likes of MJ Cole so how have all those experiences influenced you and helped you develop as an artist?
I was young when I went to Brit school, I only went to the school part, and I am not sure how much it really affected me apart from giving me more confidence as a singer. I also worked on song writing when I was there.
Working with producers like MJ Cole and all the people that I have worked with has just been amazing as I have been able to put out songs that I have written, feature on tracks and sing songs where people know the words.
It has given me a lot of confidence in myself as an artist and what I add to music. It has also given me some really great experiences.
I think it has also helped me in a sense where I haven’t ever been in a situation where I have been rushed into something and I didn’t know what to expect - everything has been quite slow for me.
I have slowly progressed in this industry and I have learnt a lot of things in that slow progression and it has given me a better idea of what to expect from a lot of things.
- We are also going to be seeing you play live at the Notting Hill arts Club next week so what can we expect from the show?
I have got my band, who are amazing, and I will be singing my tracks live; which is my favourite thing to do.
I guess as an audience it is just going to be a chance to see where I am coming from when I am singing these songs because I really want to put my all into it. The band is so good as well and I am just so excited for it.
- Are there any other live gigs in the pipeline as the release of the album draws closer?
Yes, there are going to be quite a few gigs. All the information is going to be posted up online as to when and where they are so it is just a case of looking online to see.
- Finally what is next for you? What does 2013 have in store for you?
I want to get this album out as I am really excited about it. I want to get it out and I want to have as many people hear it as possible.
I also want to be gigging as much as possible with my band. I would also like to do some new collaborations as well because I have a lot of ideas for my next album. I am going to be putting out some singles as well.
So anything musical that I am doing I will be exposing and this is going to be the year where I am just showing everything and finally getting it out.