Shanaya Patel – August Twenty-Second

By starrymag | April 9, 2024

By: Gladys Luna

 

 

Q) What was that first approach to music that made you realize you wanted to be an artist?

 

A) I always grew up surrounding myself with music and performing from a young age. When I performed for the first time when I was six years old, I fell in love with being on stage and singing for people. I started writing my own songs when I was eleven years old and that opened up a whole other world for me to develop who I was as a musician and an artist. Ever since I started writing music, I’ve loved working on my craft and diving into my individuality as an artist.

 

Q) Which artists have played a key part in building up your musical sound and served as a source of inspiration for you?

 

A) So many artists come to mind, but a few of my biggest inspirations would have to be Ariana Grande, Julia Michaels and Alicia Keys. These artists have always inspired me with their songwriting, vocal abilities and performance and arrangement skills and I always draw inspiration from them when working on my own projects.

 

Q) What did it mean for you to not only have had over four million views on YouTube of your cover of Julia Michaels’ song “Issues” but also to be nominated in the MTV “Cover of The Month” category while you were trying to earn a seat for yourself in the music industry?

 

A) It was such an amazing experience to have that support from MTV and from my friends, family and fans. I have always loved Julia Michaels and am such a huge fan of her music, so I had to cover her debut song. I was so elated to have been recognized by MTV and nominated in this category. It was such an amazing journey that paved the way for me to connect with new fans all over the world and new contacts in the industry at a younger age!

 

Q) Followed by the successful release of “Not Bitter” and “Good Company” came “August Twenty-Second.” What would you say about the main inspiration that originated this beautiful and heartfelt song?

 

A) I wrote “August Twenty-Second” during the pandemic. Just before that point life was super busy for me! I had just started college and was experiencing a lot. Life was moving pretty fast, and when the pandemic hit – I had all this time to reflect and process everything going on. I went through a huge time frame during the pandemic where I was writing a lot of songs, and this one came out of that very reflective time period for me. It’s been amazing to see the positive reaction and for fans to tell me their stories of how they relate to this song.

 

Q) What was the part that challenged you the most in the process of bringing “August Twenty-Second” to life?

 

A) I actually wrote and recorded this song in 2020 and when I finally decided to release it in 2023. I re-recorded all the vocals so I could put out the best version possible. My previous singles that year had felt a lot brighter in terms of aesthetic and vibe and for this song, I really wanted to capture the feeling and setting in which I wrote it. Just me, with my keyboard in my home. I went through a bunch of planning to really capture that vibe in the cover art and the videos on my socials.

 

Q) How hands-on are you when it comes to the production side of the music that you make?

 

A) One of my favorite parts about what I do is being involved in every stage of the music making process. I’m there from concept to realization, usually starting with a singular idea and making something new out of it! I’m involved with every point from the writing, to making the music, vocal arranging and comping vocals to the mix and master. It’s so important to me to be able to see every process through and I learn so much each time.

 

Q) Last December your fans were pleasantly surprised with the release of the cover “Christmas Without You,” which has been defined as the Patsy Cline’s “Lost Christmas Song” and that unfortunately wasn’t able to be released. How did this song find its way to you and what it did it mean for you to be able to perform it?

 

A) I have always wanted to release a Christmas song, but I wasn’t sure what vibe I really wanted for the release. I was in a session with my vocal coach and Patsy Cline came up in conversation. We decided to see if she had any holiday songs, we could make our own, and after searching a bunch we stumbled upon a version of this song that was written for Patsy but her original version was never released. I fell in love with the story of how she loved the song but her team at the time didn’t want her to release it. It was so special to be able to create my own arrangement and keep her vision alive. It’s been so great to perform this during the holidays and have people connect to Patsy through this version of her song!

 

Q) I know that social media has been a way for you to connect with your audience. Why is that such an important way for you to interact with your fans?

 

A) Social media is so important for me! It allows me to connect with fans all over the word, and that’s such a special way to create a bond. I love sharing my life and experiences through songs but to have the ability to talk and interact with people through my photos and videos and through messages is so awesome! I’ve been able to make so many amazing connections with fans, and new friends and collaborators through social media, it’s something I’m very grateful for!

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Shanaya performance?

 

A) I can’t tell you the exact location but I’m performing an acoustic set of all original songs, including one that I’ve never played live before.

 

Q) We know that you are already working on new music to be released soon; is there any preview about the songs you’re working on that you can share with us?

 

A) I’m so excited about all the songs I’m working on right now. I’ve been working with amazing writers and producers, and I’ve really been using my writing as an outlet for everything going on in my life right now. The music is super honest and a touch more vulnerable than I’ve released in the past, and I’m really excited to put some more music out soon!

 

Q) If you had the chance to choose three artists to collaborate with in the near future, who would they be and why?

 

A) This is always such a hard question. There are so many amazing artists that I look up to! If I had to choose three – it would be Julia Michaels, Benson Boone and Ariana Grande. They are all amazing storytellers and vocalists, and it would be an honor to work with them!

 

Q) What message would you like to send to your fans out there?

 

A) Thank you for being so supportive and loving. I’m so excited for you to hear the new music and come to the shows this year! Much love <3