Shivam: The Interview
British artist Shivam crafts international R&B.
Artist Shivam’s new EP Rewind is out now. The Right Kind Of Brownies caught up with the artist in the UK for an exclusive interview.
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What is your name?
My name is Shivam.
Where are you from?
I'm a British Asian born in East London, now based near Warwickshire. Originally, my family is from Gujarat, and my parents were born in Africa.
What’s your earliest memory of music?
Music has always played a massive role in my life. My parents always used to play Bollywood songs around the house when I was younger.
How musical is your family?
My family are all music fanatics! Ever since I was a little kid, my parents always used to play songs on the cassette player. I was introduced to so many different types of music like old school Bollywood, disco, funk, ballads and R&B.
Are you the first singer in your family?
Yes, I’m the first person in my family to take up singing and music in general as a career, although my father and a few of my uncles enjoy the occasional karaoke nights here and there!
In addition to singing, I also write my own lyrics and produce the music for my tracks. My latest EP “Rewind” was sung, written, produced, mixed & mastered by me.
What do you remember about the first song you sung?
I really enjoyed singing from a young age, but I think the first-ever song I sang was a religious Gujarati song. My family has always been quite religious and I’m grateful for that, as I feel its helped with a lot of situations in life.
What drew you to the genre of music you make today?
R&B has always been my favourite type of music, it’s just got that evergreen, classic feel to it, whether it’s old school, 2ks or modern/urban. I love singing R&B a lot more than any other genre, as I feel like my it suits my tone.
However, I love listening to all types of music, as long as it's got a good vibe and a nice melody!
What drew you to Bollywood classics?
Growing up, Bollywood movies were a massive part of my life, as you can imagine. Stars like Amitabh Bachan, Sharukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan were some of my idols as a kid, and that’s what really got me into Indian songs.
How do you feel about American / English songs?
As a young guy living quite a westernised style of life in the UK, I love listening to American/mainstream songs. American music has a massive influence on the songs I make, from a production point of view and also lyrically. I would say my sound has an American feel to it, mixed with Desi elements, even if it’s subtly in the melodies that I sing.
Who are your favorite artists?
From the western music scene, some of my inspirations would be Chris Brown, Usher, The Weeknd, Drake and Kehlani.
In the Indian music scene, I’ve always looked up to artists such as Jay Sean and Rishi Rich, as I feel like they are pioneers in British Asian Music. Also, Arijit Singh and Armaan Malik are phenomenal vocalists in Bollywood.
How often do you sing?
I sing for at least for half an hour a day, every day of the week. I’ve never really taken vocal lessons or anything like that, instead, I teach myself at home on the piano and just rehearse that way.
How sacred is singing for you?
For me, singing is so important, as I used to sing every day when I was younger. But I actually stopped singing for quite a long time in my teens, as my voice changed a lot. My tone was different and I couldn’t hit the same notes anymore, so I doubted my capability and gave up singing completely. It wasn’t until the age of 17, that I started practising again and eventually found my new voice.
If you could cover any song, what song would you sing?
“Hold On We’re Going Home” by Drake. It’s one of my favourite songs of all time.
How do you feel about the state of music today?
The music industry keeps getting more and more exciting, every year that goes by, there are new names in the charts, new artists, writers & producers - and I think that it's amazing. Music never really dies out, it just keeps on growing and evolving, and some of the new sounds coming out today sound really good. Especially with all the new technology and software coming out. I think R&B is making a comeback, which I’m personally really hyped for.
What are your goals in music?
My overall goal is to just share my sound and express my feelings through the songs I make with people around the world. Music has always been a crucial aspect of my life, so it would also be amazing to become a well-known name in the industry. When I get older, I really would like to settle down and carry on producing music and audio engineering.
What’s next for you?
I’m going to be releasing music a lot more frequently from now on, hopefully, a song or 2 every month. I plan on releasing more mainstream R&B and I am really looking forward to releasing some new Urban Desi music. I really love where the scene is going, and being a part of it is amazing. I’m excited to see what the future holds!