So you're a producer, songwriter, artist and graphic designer? You're quite the Renaissance woman! How'd you get your start?
I've hopped around a fair bit between music and art since very young because I love them both. I began experimenting with music on my dads computer at age 9, was DJing at 15, but after finishing school at 16 I studied graphic design for a couple of years then worked in design, then studied Creative Advertising. Midway through the CA degree, I decided to drop out to set up a music studio with a friend. Only to leave that a couple of years down the line and got back to art, this time fine art painting and illustrating.
I eventually dropped out of the art a year later and got back into music again (!!) and went to studio engineering and music production at the London School of Music and have stayed on course with the music since.
You're working with signed and unsigned artists. Can you tell us about some of the projects you've been involved in?
Right now, I am working with a label that is a subsidiary of Universal with an artist who was Grammy nominated this year (Shiz, rapper), I have produced and wrote a song for the artist and he has completed writing and recording his vocal parts on it, ready to drop onto an album later this year. Last year I did a few bits and bobs for another label dealing with Coolio but the material was never released. I also did a remix of Talib Kweli. Right now I am completing a project for an indie label in NY – I met their artist while I was actually working as an engineer/producer in a studio in NY and that project should be complete soon. I also have a couple of my own projects that I'm putting together and will be promoting later on.
Your music has also been featured on Billboard and Future Music Magazine, among others. Plus an endorsement by Adidas? Tell us more...
In the music industry, trying to get an objective view of your work can be challenging and as a way to gauge the standard of my work (both songwriting and production) I started entering competitions and sending in stuff to get reviewed, it was through this that I got good write ups and songwriting awards – I was then approached Adidas who also liked my work and what I was doing and were happy to back me.
We're encouraging our artists to not only DJ, but to produce. Shejay believes that there's some true power behind making your own sound, and publishing it. Can you tell us about your music-making/production process?
I normally start two ways – I either hear a song in my head and then transpose it into keys before going onto the production phase or I hear a good beat or instrumental sample (guitar chords, vocal sample) that inspires me to write a rhyme or melody to accompany it with full production.
I then decide whether to keep the instrumental in my production catalogue or go on to fully write a song for my songwriting catalogue. I also have a lot of orchestra compositions as I love symphonic composition because of the pure depths you can take it.
It is important to have a catalogue either as producer or songwriter as most labels and artists need to hear something from you rather than the other way round. It’s like you have the sweet shop and they go round and see if they like anything in the selection box.
Where does your creative spark come from?
I guess a natural passion and drive within me to want to create music but ultimately I suppose the universe fuels my creativity. I tend to find when I'm most at peace with myself I produce and write my best work and that's because I believe we're all channels to a higher energy and music comes through us.
You've also just received a nod from the LA Music Awards for your production work. Can you tell us more about that?
Again, trying to gauge my work I sent off to the LA Music Awards last year. I was a bit hesitant as they have a number of rounds and the last round being the toughest, of which I entered. So I was very happy to hear that I had received a nomination for an award after entering into the last round. Although I did not ultimately win - I was happy as it was another recognition for my production work.
There are some who don't feel as if you need to go the extra mile to identify yourself as a "female" producer. And that specifying this about yourself only takes away from you as the artist. In other words, they believe that you should say you're an artist and nothing else. What are your thoughts on this?
If I were an actor and a director for a film - I would not dismiss my work as a director, for they are both important parts contributing to the final piece - and the same applies with music, so why wouldn't I want my name against my work??
I think the real issue these days is everyone seems to be calling themselves a producer, but not understanding what it really entails. So the whole term 'producer' has become misunderstood and blurry. There are people who buy a beat (or sample a beat), loop it 30 times, add three piano notes and a rap over the top. And there are those who participate in the art form of production, that is the composition, rhythmic structures, instrumental choices and general bringing all elements and people together into a final piece of work.
Both groups have a right to call themselves producers and we all start somewhere. We can all be pretty much anything we want these days. For me, the real test is in the pudding - that being the finished quality and artistic standard of the final product. Producers in the last few years have become fashionable, but fashion is fashion and those who are still doing the work after the fashion has died down are normally the ones who are doing it for the love and art.
Tell us something that you'd like us to know about yourself.
I'm a real deep person with a passion for knowledge. I have read so many non-fiction books from philosophy, psychology, religion, Egyptology plus tons more...but these days mainly focus on metaphysical, spiritual and scientific subjects. A few years back I actually got so engrossed with quantum science I ended up studying it briefly at college as I love quantum science and cosmology especially in regards to alternative universes and time travel.
Now, something you don't want the world to know...
I love being extremely foolish and silly to the point of ridiculousness - whereby I end up filming myself in stupid outfits and playing my videos on my website www.shanelsworld.com – it really is quite embarrassing but secretly I love it and don't care what people think – so don't mind confessing here!
2005 Dark Night – WiseGuy Ent (London)
2005 My Sunshine – Paul Cooke music (UK)
2006 Shanel - Vol 1 (her own work) – WR Records (London)
2006 Fred the Godson – LK Records (NY)
2007 Kile - the finale – Kingbee Recordings (London)
2007 The Playfuls – All Cast Recordings (UK)
2007 Shaky Bones – T.S.O.B Records (NY)
http://www.sugastore.com/
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