Taking a look at Shanya’s music career, with two hit singles under her belt, you’d think the youngster has it all figured out. Quite the contrary. The 19-year-old, like most teenagers her age, is still trying to make sense of the world and this complex thing called ‘life’.
While music forms a large part of it, Shanya is still faced with daily decisions that she doesn’t have the answers to yet.
She explains, “As a teenager we get asked so many questions by so many different people. Some tend to get upset when we don’t give them the right answer or even an answer at all.”
It was this teenage struggle that inspired her new single ‘Don’t Know Yet’.
The song was conceptualised during a stage in her life when she still had many doubts about what she wanted to do with her life and career. Concurrently, the song’s release coincides with her departure to New York City, where she will be studying musical theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).
“I am excited” she says. “This was a major decision for me. I am very nervous as it will be a very big change, but a good change.”
‘Don’t Know Yet’ is a solid pop track. Shanya describes it as smooth, vibey and relatable. Although much less upbeat than her previous material, this one is a lot more personal.
She says, “I have grown so much as an artist, because I better understand the importance of the words I use and the story I am telling. I want people to feel like they are being understood when listening to this song and that it’s okay not to know what you want to do with your life.”
The core message Shanya wants to convey to her listeners is that they are not alone when it comes to making difficult life decisions.
“The people asking these questions need to understand that we don’t always have the answers they want.”
Although each of Shanya’s songs are so different, they each come with a unique life lesson, something the singer has experienced in her own life.
Similarly, the singer uses other people’s songs and the stories they tell in order to remain humble.
She reminds herself that there will always be someone better and prettier than her.
“I say this not to break myself down, but to teach myself not to be disappointed when I get knocked down by others.”
During her short time in the industry, the promising teenager has had to overcome many personal doubts, including shyness and the realities of social media.
The rising star lives by the motto: “You don’t have to change your stripes to match someone else’s spots.”
Slowly paving her own way forward, Shanya continues to impress and flaunt her many talents. She carries with her a message of hope and perseverance, encouraging youngsters not only to pursue their dreams, but to remember that our expectations are our own, not that of others.
“It’s important to do what makes you happy and not the other way around,” she says.
Asked what inspires her to get up every morning, she concludes, “The possibility of a new day. I am lucky as well as blessed to be alive.”
