For those out there who haven’t noticed: electronic popmusic is hot. It’s difficult not to name artists like Låpsly, Shura, CHVRCHES, Jessie Ware and all the like in one breath. At the moment, the scene is dominated by talented young women and everyday we’re amazed how these ladies manage to surprise us in this genre. The British Shannon Saunders is one of them. After a flourishing YouTube career in which she uploaded acoustic covers of her favourite artists, the ball started rolling. Now, being only twenty years, she had quite a diverse musical career already.

You made quite a musical switch, changing from acoustic popsongs to an electronic popstyle. Why so?

“I only ever started posting videos of myself playing acoustic versions of my songs because I didn’t know any other way and didn’t have access to a studio. I started writing in studio’s with various producers and collaborating with other writers when I was sixteen, so it definitely opened my eyes to different genres of music I could write and different sounds I wanted to use. Though, I still write with my acoustic guitar in the studio, even with the really electronic stuff. It’s always good to be able to strip a song back to its bare minimum and for it to still work well as a song.”

There’s a whole bunch of artists aspiring that particular sound, how do you think you can sound different?

“I just go into the studio and try to write my new favourite song each time. I pull in different influences from artists I’ve grown up listening to and things I hear on the radio or on the TV now. Collaborating with other artists also helps to create a new identity for a song. Since you’re putting together two completely different perspectives and making something new from them. Almost, like two different ingredients to make something different out of what you have.”

‘I never planned for this to happen’


In 2009 you started posting covers of songs on YouTube as well as posting some of your own. It got successful.

“I never planned for this to happen. I only ever started posting videos onto Youtube out of boredom. I lived in the countryside away from friends so used to be quite secluded. Therefore, I had to find hobbies to keep me sane and busy. I chose covers because I love putting my own twists on other peoples songs. It’s almost like being able to rewrite them in your own style. That was when I realised I wanted to write songs myself. So after the covers I decided to give it a go. Also, it was also really easy for me to do. I literally just sat in my bedroom with my guitar pressed record and sang my little heart out and that was it.”

Has internet in general helped you get to where you are now? And is that ‘fast fame’ a good thing?

“DEFINITELY. Living out of a city and in the countryside I’d have never have met the people I work with now. Access to the internet gave me the opportunity to put myself out there. It’s changed the music industry completely. I don’t agree with ‘faster fame’ to be honest, I’ve been honing my craft and building a secure fan base for almost five years now and I’m still learning. It’s important to take your time with things. Especially starting so young. You want to be able to do what you love, but still be a teenager through those crucial years of change. Also, I never got into the industry because of money. I just posted videos of myself singing, because it was something I loved. You have to be your own boss and have a say in all decisions made for your career. It’s important to know what’s going on around you, but at the same time staying inspired. You have to find a balance and I’m a complete control freak, so I’ve spent time finding a great team around me who support my decisions, who I trust and who help me to progress. When I put ‘Heart of blue’ out, it was because I felt it was the right time and luckily it paid off. I always trust my gut instinct and my manager’s the same. We got a video together which only cost £9 and posted it online with no expectations.”

Because of your Youtube-fame, you were approached for the audition of the Disney Channel UK
talent contest My Camp Rock 2, which you won! You were sixteen back then, isn’t it totally weird to be that young and caught up in the pop business mayhem?

I definitely learnt a great deal back then in those few months. It also introduced me to songwriters and producers I still work with now so I’m very grateful for that. I actually met my Producer of my debut Album Dee Adam through the Disney stuff I did back then and have worked with her ever since. Is see her as a musical Aunty/Sister now!

‘Internet changed the music industry completely’


A game changer and far from what you’re doing now. Different time, different phase?

“Definitely, that goes without saying. I was sixteen back then, you change a lot in that period of your life. I’m inspired by different situations and people in my life. Now I’m a completely different person to when I was sixteen, which I’m sure any twenty year old would tell you.”

Some artists say they’ve always dreamed of getting famous, others just want to do what they love. How’s that for you? Did you grow up with music?

“I love writing songs and performing them in front of people who appreciate and love music as much as I do. I dream of being successful by doing something I love and I have done ever since I can remember. I have an extremely supportive family, so that’s helped me a lot. They gave me support to take risks. Instead of going to Uni, I was going to write songs with people and that definitely felt like the right thing for me to do. And yeah, my mum and dad had a nightclub when we were younger. There was always music playing in the house.”

Last year you started your own label Lovejoy Records, why’s that?

“I actually set Lovejoy Records up a few years back when I first released my song ‘Heart of Blue’ via AWAL. I wanted to release the music I was writing without having to sign any deals, as I was still growing and learning my craft, finding a sound I loved. It was the easiest and best thing to do at the time and now I’ve been able to sign that to my label Caroline at Universal.”

You’re a very promising artists, what is there to expect in the coming few years?

“It’s looking like I will release my debut album early next year, but I have lots of stuff to keep the fans busy in the meantime. Including more singles, live shows, festivals, features and an ep. And hopefully I will still be writing songs for myself and other artists! That’s my favourite part!”

 

Tour dates:
SAT 16 MAY – The Great Escape 2015 (Brighton, UK)
SUN 14 JUNE – BL9 Weekender 2015 (Bury, UK)
FRI 31 JULY – Gosfest 2015 (Gosport, UK)