Mystery girl

Shaheen Sheik’s new album forces listeners to think and provokes discussion, writes Mathures Paul

With her sultry vocals and soulful lyrics, it’s only a matter of time before Shaheen Sheik finds herself being compared to Natalie Imbruglia and the likes. The success of Rock Candy only fired her creativity to record rEvolution. Shaheen Sheik’s music is full of mystery.

The state of mind you were in when work on rEvolution started…
In terms of what I wanted to achieve on this album, my ultimate goal was to most honestly express who I am and the place I’ve come to through my life experiences. Some producers call it “finding your sound.” That is why I opted to work on my own for this album and to self-produce it. I wanted no creative filters between my brain, my ears and my talents and the recordings I came up with. Normally I have another producer with me and other musicians, but this time, everything was ‘me’, aside from the guest musicians who graciously added some creative icing.
In terms of what I wanted to express on rEvolution, it really boils down to the phrase I use to close my album liner notes, “Be happy. Be alive.” For whatever adversity I faced, I think what I’ve learned along the way is to enjoy the good times and relish each moment because they can be fleeting and nothing is guaranteed. There is much to celebrate, even through the rocky times or less than ideal situations.

How far is rEvolution removed from the folk-rock feel of Rock Candy?
Rock Candy has such a tender place in my heart. All those songs are sweet and beautiful, particularly when played acoustically with just me and my guitar. There is an intimacy on that record that I truly love. During the making of Rock Candy, I was feeling vulnerable and wanted to draw people in to my world. On the other hand, while making rEvolution, I felt emotionally fulfiled and tended to so I had lots of energy to give out to people. That’s definitely why the songs are so playful.
The continuum of Rock Candy to rEvolution really pivots on the closure of one part of my life, perhaps I can best describe it as the closure of my young adulthood, and the blossoming into this next phase as a woman and artist.

Numerous challenges must have come your way while recording rEvolution. You also produced it...
Definitely! Let’s start with having to figure out how to make the equipment put out sound! When I first set up my studio, nothing was coming out of my speakers. In a panic I called up Jay, my dear friend and co-producer on Rock Candy because I had no sound! He very gently reminded me to make sure that all was plugged in!
I think the other challenge was keeping myself motivated to stay on schedule. Since there is no one else to be accountable to other than yourself, it’s so easy to procrastinate, which is really a form of fear. For me that fear was basically a fear that the music and songs would be total garbage. But then, I read a great book ~ War of Art ~ by James Pressfield and it was the swift kick on the backside I needed to stop letting fears rule me.

Personal experiences too must be playing an important role in the compositions...
After Rock Candy, I wanted my songs to be less cathartic. Instead, I wanted to offer my reflections on society and culture as a way to make people think or provoke conversation and debate. For example, when I went to India to launch Rock Candy in 2006, I was struck by the growing indifference society has as a whole to the underprivileged and the suffering, including those living with HIV in India. So I wrote the title track, rEvolution, to highlight that injustice. Another example is the track Coconut. That song is based on a story shared by a ‘desi’ friend who was told she was not “Indian” enough. I wanted to reclaim the term “coconut” as a fun, positive term rather than a slur against ‘desis’ instigated by intra-community/culture prejudice.

The going was not easy on the family front. Your mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Also being a South Asian singer in the USA throws up another set of challenges.
The day Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer was the most devastating day of my life thus far. I was unbelievably afraid for her, for me and for our family. But soon I took a step back and got educated and found that there were amazing options for her healthy recovery. Thankfully she is in remission now and thoroughly enjoying her retirement. But that experience taught me that life is not guaranteed and at any moment all can be taken away. So while it’s here, look at the world through joyful happy and compassionate eyes and make it better through that outlook. This attitude became the driving force as I completed the album.
As for being a South Asian singer in the USA, on this album I finally found the delicate balance of expressing my South Asian identity and my American one. So for now, this no longer feels like a challenge. I’ve really settled into my skin fully on this album. I think that’s just part of growing up.

How do you plan to promote the album outside the USA?
I’m definitely proud of this album and believe that it will speak to so many people, beyond culture, nationality, or any other man-made lines. My aim is definitely to come to India and perform. Plans are in the works but nothing concrete as of yet.

Is it too early to speak about your next album?
Actually, I have started thinking about the next album. I have three albums building up in my head! A very sexy lounge album. A fabulously fun techno/electronica album. And a completely acoustic album. In terms of topics or album themes, I’m not quite sure yet. I suspect much of that will depend on what life experiences rEvolution brings me. And I guess that goes back to your question about where one album ends and the other begins. Thinking about it now, all follow-up albums are built on the happenings created by the preceding album. Perhaps there is no end or beginning. Perhaps it’s all one long continuum or more likely, a circle.