We interviewed electronic singer-songwriter and producer Shye to ask her more about her latest album, her musical experiences and journey so far such as opening up for international acts and what’s next for her in the pipeline.
You may have seen her performing at Baybeats, a Bandwagon session or opening up for international indie acts such as Clairo, Superorganism, and Sales.
With many accolades in terms of performing experiences to her name at just 18 years old, the young singer-songwriter has also released her debut album “days to morning glory”.
The new album, released early last month, also comes as a follow up to her 2018 EP Augu7ine.
Says the 18-year old,
“In my eyes, morning glories, though common, are beautiful and it drives home the message to embrace ourselves with all our imperfections. The fact that they faithfully unravel in full bloom each morning but fade away before the day is over is a reminder for us to turn up for ourselves no matter the situation we find ourselves in. Each dawn is a new beginning and a chance to do better for ourselves and for others. Choose to get better, not bitter.”
We asked the talented singer-songwriter and producer to tell us more about her music and musical experience so far.
AL365: Hi Shye, Vanessa here from AsiaLive365. Thanks for taking the time to have this interview with us. Massive congrats on the new album. It’s such an introspective and reflective one. How do you feel to let it all out?
Shye: Thank you and Happy New Year! I feel really excited and relieved to finally have it out and I’m really thankful for all the support it’s gotten so far!
AL365: Tell us – of all the songs in this new album, which one would you say was the most personal one for you to record?
Shye: Definitely the title track, “days to morning glory”. It’s the first time I talk about my childhood in a song as well as the pains of coming of age, the song symbolises growth and it’s definitely nostalgic for me.
AL365: So… are morning glories your favourite type of flowers?
Shye: Honestly, I don’t have a favourite haha… But I love how ordinary morning glories seem, you don’t hear people talk about them much compared to the more popular flowers like roses or sunflowers. I just love that they open up in the morning when the sun shines, it’s a reminder for me to always show up for myself and for others.
AL365: Your music is described as a mixture of bedroom pop, electro-pop & indie-pop. In your own words, how would you describe your music?
Shye: I’m not sure really. I don’t think I could pinpoint a specific genre I’m tied to, and I really like that I can bend between different styles and experiment freely and not be confined by a word. I think my music is just me, it’s influenced by what I personally love and a mash of everything I listen to.
AL365: What songs did you grow up listening to? For instance, what was your favourite genre? Were you the emo kid, rock kid, classical lover, hipster child?
Shye: I grew up listening to a lot of Taylor Swift, but besides that I wasn’t a huge music lover. I only really started exploring different artists and genres maybe some time in 2015/2016. I was really open to anything and still am. My current playlists span over a variety of genres, from classical to K-Pop to rock.
AL365: You won the Youth Music Awards in Singapore in January 2019 and have opened up for acts such as Superorganism, Clairo and Sales. Tell us more about your journey in music and how it has led you this far. What’s next in the pipeline for Shye?
Shye: It was all a happy accident really. I grew up as a dancer – Ballet, Chinese dance, tap, all that. And in secondary school I specialised in theatre. I didn’t even come from a musical household, none of my family members can play any instruments. So music was never in the picture, but I knew I always enjoyed it and I loved to sing. It was only in December 2017 and early 2018 that I thought of writing my own pieces. Googling chord progressions and learning from YouTube tutorials took up most of my days. And well now, I just put out my debut album, it’s a little surreal and unexpected. I’m not resting on my laurels, I’ll still be putting out new music this year.
AL365: Speaking of opening up for international acts, what was it like being the opening act for the bands above? (Ps; I was the ALO artist liaison for Sales during their time here in Singapore ;-))
Shye: Opening for Superorganism, Clairo and Sales was such a dream. I was a big fan of their music so being able to meet them was amazing. Clairo, specifically, was one of my biggest inspirations at the time, being able to open for her still doesn’t feel real at all, haha.
AL365: Albeit the uncertainty of 2020, what are you most grateful for, for last year?
Shye: I’m most grateful for the time we had to just pause for a moment. I began feeling a little down about being stuck at home, because I had one of my biggest creative blocks ever. But looking back now I definitely grew a lot this year and learnt so much about myself. And the extra time gave me the opportunity to write the album. It’s a year to remember and a year I’ll always be grateful for, I feel like I really got to know myself this year.
AL365: What are your hopes for 2021?
Shye: If 2020 wasn’t kind to you, I hope 2021 brings you peace, hope and love. I hope that in this new year, those who have yet to truly find themselves do. I don’t have specific hopes for myself except to keep improving on myself and my music and to play to a live audience again. I hope to travel again too!
AL365: Can we hope to see you soon on stage?
Shye: Hopefully! However, as much as I miss playing live, everyone’s safety is important. We just have to hang in there a little bit longer!
AL365: Thanks again Shye! Happy Christmas and Happy New Year! 🙂
Indeed, with such an upward trajectory in her music career since her inception into it in 2017, we can only but look forward to hearing more from this talented young star.
Listen to more from Shye below.
