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One of the South Asian’s music industry’s new and forthcoming artists, Shilpa Narayan, decided to give UrbanAsian an exclusive interview about her passion for music. Keep reading to see what she has to tell you!
Q: How did you get started as a singer?
A: I got my start as a singer after buying my 1st guitar and trying to accompany myself. It sounded really really awful at 1st. It’s hard not being good at the guitar and not being sure of your vocals on top of that; and mixing the 2 had some ugly results for awhile. But slowly I started getting better at the guitar after a couple months, and then the vocals got a little bit better with the practice. I never really thought I’d become a singer but it’s really what keeps me together now.
Q: When did you start singing?
A: I wasn’t really one of those girls that started singing really young and performing at tons of shows. Really I only started singing about 2 years ago. I never really thought I could sing well though, I just knew it was something I enjoyed. After I started posting youtube videos and reading some of the nice comments, I decided to take it all a lot more seriously.Thank god because I really have no idea where I’d be if I didn’t have singing to keep me sane!
Q: Who else in your family sings?
A: My mom has a beautiful voice and sings Hindi songs really well. My grandma also sang and took classical training since she was young so Iguess that’s where I get the singing gene from. My brother and dad are completely tone deaf, however.
Q: What did your family do to encourage you?
A: My family has always been a huge support system for me. Whether it waswaiting outside for hours at auditions, facebook spamming their friends with links or buying me my guitar as a moving away present – they’re the reason I try and stay focused and motivated. They know how important music is to me and they’ve always supported me chasing my dreams. I really don’t know what I would do without them.
Q: What type of music do you listen to?
A: I really listen to everything, depending on my mood. When I’m going towork- I’m usually in an Adele/Dave Matthews/Death Cab for Cutie/Coldplaykind of mood. Then during the day, I get into a Britney Spears/Usher/JohnLegend/Mike Posner kind of vibe. When I’m at the gym it’s usually a little bit of Kanye/Drake/Lil Wayne/Timbaland/Rihanna. I don’t think I gravitate towards one genre of music though. I appreciate anything that has a great beat, well written lyrics, and a distinct voice on it.
Q: Who are your musical inspirations and what makes them so inspirationalto you?
A: Wow I have so many. Vocally, I think Adele, Jazmine Sullivan, Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones are my inspiration. They just have so much soul, power and emotion to their voices- it’s so unbelievably moving.
Lyrically- I love the way John Mayer writes. He has a way to take everyday experiences and make them so poetic. I also like Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Augustana, and One Republic.
Q: What embarrassing songs might I find on your iPod?
A: The Macarena is still okay to listen to, right? You can’t not smile when it’s playing!
Q: Where is one place that you dream of performing at one day and why?
A: Madison Square Garden would be unbelievable. So many of the greats have played there so I think that would be the dream. I’d also love to play at Wembley Stadium in London…the thought gives me chills. Just to say that I played on the same stage as Michael Jackson would be absolutely amazing.
Q: What artist would you want to open for most on stage and why?
A: Wow it’s so hard to pick just 1… I think I’d go with Adele. Her voice is just so pure and she is such an amazing singer, I’d be in complete awe to open for her. My 2nd choice would be Kanye West (opposite ends of the spectrum). I recently saw his Coachella performance, and the energy he has on stage, his overall vibe and his music is really inspiring.
Q: Do you play any instruments? Are there any instruments that you wantto learn how to play?
A: I’ve played the guitar for a little over 2 years now, but there’s still a lot more I need to learn. I definitely want to learn the piano soon as well.
Q: Do you have any hidden talents that you would like to share?
A: Haha, I think I can beatbox a little bit…not well though.
Q: One last question: what can your listeners/fans expect from you in thefuture?
A: I’m currently working on an EP which will be out hopefully this Summer. It’s a mix of some R&B, Pop and Acoustic songs. I’m also going to be doing a lot more shows in NYC and Atlanta coming up so be on the lookout for that as well. The best way to see my stuff is through youtube (youtube.com/shilax0929) and to follow me on twitter (Shilpa_Narayan) for updates.
So, there you have it, folks! Please stay tuned to UrbanAsian for more updates on one of the scene’s newest artists, Shilpa Narayan! And don’t forget to check out her social media pages!
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Twitter: @Shilpa_Narayan
Youtube Channel: youtube.com/shilax0929
