Toronto born recording artist Shanaaz, creates smooth R&B/ Neo-soul music infused with aspects of trap. Shanaaz pours her heart and soul into her music and this is evident through her mature sound and emotive lyricism. After a brief hiatus, she is back and better than ever with her single “Addicted”. Currently, Shanaaz is actively working on the writing and recording of her debut album! The much-anticipated project is expected to be released in 2020.
“Addicted” presents a somewhat nostalgic yet brilliantly crisp and infectious sense of rhythm. The contagious beat and backdrop layout a colorful soundscape. Meanwhile, this unexpected wind-driven riff floats around in the outer edges, building a broader arena of warmth for the harmonically rich vocals. “Addicted” is musically entrancing and melodically complex yet fun to listen to. There is plenty going on, the various stages work hard to keep you interested and entertained, and meanwhile, the dreamlike backdrop calms and comforts. When the music falls away and it’s just Shanaaz’ voice, the song reaches an absolute peak. There’s a refreshing touch of individuality to this performance and this unique fusion of genres. It’s clear, genre and style don’t confine Shanaaz. The songwriting and a love for music, in general, are what drives the creation of these tracks. The upcoming album is undoubtedly one worth holding out for.
Listen to “Addicted” here and read more with Shanaaz below!
Shanaaz! Welcome to BuzzMusic! How did you get started in the music industry?
Thanks for having me. Music and singing have always been a huge part of my life and I’ve
always known that I wanted to be a singer. After high school I took the safe route and went to
College for Event Management and Tourism. During that time, I started writing songs and
working with a producer who was a friend of mine. My first song was an EDM track, which is
funny because I mainly do R&B and hiphop now. After understanding the process of that I was
able to work with other producers in the industry and learn more about myself and they type of
artist I wanted to be. To date, I have 5 singles out along with the ADDICTED music video, and
more to come!
What does “Addicted” mean to you? What do you want your listeners to take away from it?
Addicted is a song I wrote after meeting someone I had an extremely strong connection with. It
was something I’ve never experienced before so I was head over heels for them. They were all I
could think about and all I wanted. It felt like an addiction. The only problem was that they
didn’t feel the same about me. Rejection is a hard pill to swallow, and even when you know
that this person isn’t right for you or that the way you’re feeling is irrational, it’s so hard to get
over it. I just want my listeners to be able to relate to my situation. It always helps when you
know you’re not alone. The story of my failed relationship continues in my next releases.
What was your inspiration for the Addicted music video?
After this unfortunate case of rejection, I let myself sulk for a few weeks, but then I got myself
back up and decided I needed to get back into full bad bitch mode. This video shows myself in a
confident light and although something unfortunate happened, I wasn’t going to forget the
person I am. I gathered a bunch of looks together on Pinterest that were “bad and bougie” and
took inspiration from them. I am fortunate enough to have a friend who is an interior designer
(@_luxurydecor_), so I got the chance to shoot at his place where the theme is bougieness all
the way, including studio lighting and props (along with his little black cat “Scarlette” who
makes an appearance). For the last scene in my video I collaborated with an artist named
Whyishnave (@whyishnave) who created the beautiful Bengal Tiger from string and nails. The
Bengal tiger is a symbol of strength which is what I wanted to end the music video with.
Was there a specific event/person in your life that made you get into music/ start recording your material?
Yes, one person who had guided me through this whole process and who is still guiding me is
my vocal teacher Alyssia Liang. She has tremendously helped with my vocal development and
writing. I wouldn’t say she got me into music but she more so guided me and was a second ear
or me to play my songs for along with giving me advice on industry problems I was unsure of.
She also introduced to me to a great producer, Akeel Henry, who she went to Metalworks
Institution of Sound with. Akeel is one of my greatest connections as he totally understands my
style of music, makes sure to keep me motivated, has given me great advice and is exquisite at
his craft. He’s produced most of my songs to date and I’m excited to release what we are
creating now. For new artists breaking into the industry, I would definitely recommend trying to
find a mentor, or someone who has more experience. There’s just so much to know and it
definitely helps to have someone by your side.
What can listeners expect from your upcoming album?
My album will be a short story of my life in the past year. It has a lot of different moods such as
vulnerability, loneliness, optimism, being in love and being heart broken. There is something in
it for every one to relate to and enjoy including tracks you can cry to and tracks that will make
you want to pop your booty. I’m super excited for it since it is my first album and major project.
Connect with Shanaaz on social media for all new music and updates: