Today we’d like to introduce you to Shuba.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Above all other things, I’m a singer first. The first time I started singing was when I was three –my family has a recording of me singing along to some song from a children’s storybook. For my first “gigs”, I asked my teachers in elementary school if I could perform for everyone after recess! When I was ten, I started doing talent shows/contests and performing live. That’s when I got more serious about it. I’d also always dreamed about just being on American Idol and when I was seventeen, I got on it. It was the stamp of approval since it felt like people were saying “Ok, you can actually sing well.” After Idol, I got some incredible opportunities to open for Train and Lindsey Stirling.
When I moved to Chicago for college I headlined Taste of Chicago, was briefly featured on a show called “Sing it on”, sang for Barack Obama with my a cappella group, and sang for the Chicago Bulls. It’s one thing to sing songs and another thing to be an artist, so then I started writing songs. I started when I was about 16 and didn’t start doing it rigorously until my second year of college. I wrote 40 songs that summer, tried to find my sound as an artist, performed a bit in Chicago, and released my first single in April 2017. Since then, I’ve been putting out music and just released my first EP, “Around Me” and music video for my song “Stupid”.
Please tell us about your art.
I don’t make music for a particular group of people- I just make music. It’s a mixture of all the sounds, singers, and genres that I’ve heard growing up. That includes Bollywood, American classics, top 40 Pop, Rap, and R&B. Some of my favorite artists are Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, and Etta James.
For me, music is my way to communicate with other people when words fail. I’ve never been the “most popular” girl in the class but music helped me express myself whenever I felt too awkward or shy to talk to people. Being a singer actually taught me to embrace those parts about myself, and that’s the message I want to send to other people through my music- BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY YOU. My lyrics are all about being vulnerable and putting yourself out there. I strongly believe that once you’ve come to terms with all your insecurities and wear them like armor, no one in the whole world can ever use them against you.
Me for my EP is my profile. It’s super up close and transparent, and this really accurately represents what I’m all about and what the songs are all about. I’m being completely honest and not holding back.
Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
It’s definitely changed. Artists have tons of platforms where they can stand up for issues that are important to them and their fans, which is super amazing. They aren’t limited to just being artists anymore and they can speak on the issues that people have a hard time talking about. These local events impacted my art right from the beginning. I wrote my first single, “Eye to Eye”, about my frustration with mass shootings and violence in general, and it breaks my heart that these issues have only gotten worse. It’s this organic and natural relationship where some stories and issues completely overwhelm my emotions and I find writing about them through song is the best way to spread at least some awareness.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My website is shuba-music.com. Also, my music is out on virtually every platform- Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: shuba-music.com
- Email: contact@shuba-music.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shubamusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shubamusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shubamusic
Image Credit:
Kassia Jarosz
Gaby Deimeke
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