by tiffany arunarsirakul
photo courtesy of shiadanni
Shiadanni uses music as a form of safety and companionship. EP Facing the Mirror was a spiritual awakening, where Shiadanni was able to "create a self exploration, owning my own truth and finding confidence in balance: darkness and light." Music has always been present in this musician's life, able to enter a world of writing stories about life, heartache, life situations, and much more. With the pandemic came more artistic confidence, such as growing a larger audience in Latin America! We would like you to watch Shiadanni's video for "Melted Gun," which is a female empowerment track. Thank you for your time, Shiadanni!
What was the inspiration on your EP Facing the Mirror?
Shiadanni: “It was mostly a spiritual awakening finding answers within myself, although I was not realizing I was doing this. I simply was feeding my creative need to hear the instruments I love, work and dance together. I was trying to find and feel beauty in the sounds and textures that music can bring. Listening to beautiful instruments such as strings, harp, big bass, is what gives me the absolute pleasure when I’m feeling empty or I’m lacking spark, it was a combination of making that beautiful music and finding the words that speak from my perspective at the time. Until a track is complete I can see the bigger picture and realize if there was a deeper inspiration, which usually appears as a complete language once you see a couple of tracks together. For instance, for this project I realized I was creating a self exploration, owning my truth and finding confidence in balance: darkness and light.”
How did you get into songwriting?
Shiadanni: “I have been making songs since I was ten and started playing acoustic guitar. I have always been very sensitive and experience everything to the fullest. I decided very little i was gonna live this way, so I naturally enjoyed writing, making songs, creating scenarios. All of my songs are from experience and this is why I loved the idea of putting myself physically in different situations just so I can have special stories to write about. Growing up my songs have been changed from singing about love to real heartache to what I am living now, which is facing life with a different eye. Suddenly a heartache never felt more indifferent to me. I guess that’s simply growing up,”
Considering how you were born in Guadalajara, how do you incorporate your roots into your music and art?
Shiadanni: “I never plan on adding my background roots on purpose, doesn’t mean it’s a bad approach, I just simply never plan when I make music. I follow my intuition and create every song in the moment without thinking too much. Many times once I see a video clip, or someone asks me about a specific song or I am in a position where I have to dig more into what the songs mean, I discover what that is as well. My music is created most of the time through my subconscious in finding that instant pleasure. I try to be myself through all the process so there is no doubt the way I speak, the way I use words, the way I see life will come in the sound and lyrics. I am born and raised in Mexico so everything that I do will always have that impact.”
With yourself being based in Montreal, how has your current city influence your music?
Shiadanni: “If I’m honest I don’t spend time in the city, I am someone who never leaves home because I create so much in my solitude. I find I am the most productive and the most creative when I am alone. Although I enjoy giving a show, and more than anything I love making people laugh, I will always prefer to stay and listen to the birds. Speaking French has been a big influence as I sometimes play with it in a lot of my songs. The cold temperatures have impacted of course the way I behave and feel everyday. I definitely struggled a lot trying to fit in, but I was used to that, not only being an immigrant in a different culture was hard but also being an unusual person. I found it really hard to make a friend, so music was that safety and companionship for me.”
How has the pandemic affected and changed your life?
Shiadanni: “For me it was great. I was home making songs like pancakes, learning different things, recording and playing with instruments, sound libraries. I learned to produce during the lockdown so I’m very grateful for it, it gave me an artistic confidence that exploded into many different areas such as the comedy I create on TikTok!”
What was your intended message through your visuals for "Penny Pills" and "Velvet World?”
Shiadanni: “They’re both speaking from a dark part of my mind. ‘Penny Pills’ is a very honest and vulnerable song about it, and velvet world owns that darkness and plays with it, the overall message on these is own your truth, know yourself, we all have different struggles, and I think most people try to avoid, try to block one problem with another, or numb it, you can simply live with them. Speak about it, I didn’t realize until I finished ‘Penny Pills’ that I was speaking so much truth. I didn’t even notice I was that depressed, we just go living automatically and our lives getting distracted, so I think is important to listen to our inner child and let them know that we see and understand and that we will keep pushing and doing our best anyway. I will never be ‘cured,’ I will simply try to enjoy day by day with simple things that bring me joy.”
How has social media impacted and influenced your music career?
Shiadanni: “Everything I have I owe to social media, it was thanks to TikTok my audience grew from Latin America to an international scale. I loved that TikTok cared for authenticity. The more genuine you are the more your content will naturally work as a magnet. Sometimes my purpose can get contaminated as the numbers can play with your mind and tell you if something isn’t viral it means it isn’t working, but that’s simply a lie. As long as you keep going and creating from a point of truth you will get closer to your objectives and the audience you're looking for.
My comedy videos have millions of views, but that’s simply how comedy works. I always knew my type of music would have a more selective audience and that’s something you have to accept as well. It is hard when you live these two roads at the same time because you see that contrast for yourself.”
What is advice you would like to tell our readers?
Shiadanni: “Be authentic, don’t overthink, and keep creating. It doesn’t have to be good. Just create something, and continue with the next thing! Also, take breaks and eat a mango.”
Is there anything upcoming that you can share with our readers?
Shiadanni: “Once this article is out the video for ‘Melted Gun’ will be out as well. I am very excited for this video, this is the continuation from my other track ‘Green Marble.’ I personally like this song a lot as it is a female empowerment track. I remember I was excited while working on it because it gave me a certain magic that transports me to another place, female past lives wanting to break it all. Now speaking through me, I’m very excited to share this with the world.”