FEATURE: Spotlight: Shivani Day — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Shivani Day

__________

I will start out…

with a couple of interviews from last year before getting to one from this year. They relate to Shivani Day. The Leicester-born, London-based artist released her debut E.P., That Which Is Not, last year. It is a remarkable E.P. and I would urge anyone who has not heard it to check it out. Day has put out a couple of brilliant singles this year. Too Well came out in April. I am new to her music and have only recently discovered her. However, I feel next year will be one where we will see Shivani Day blow up. Loads more interviews and perhaps another E.P. Her music fuses Electronic, Trip-Hop, and alternative R&B music. It is a sonic cocktail that takes from her South Asian heritage. I am going to start out with Wonderland and their interview from last July. Shivani Day talked about the creation of her debut E.P. and what drew her to music:

“Talk us through your musical origins?

My musical origins start from my father, who played so much different music for me and my sister growing up. One of my earliest memories of music was him pausing songs and asking if we knew what the lyrics meant and then he would proceed to tell us the meaning and often the songs would have social and political meanings. This was quite a big part of my knowledge of music being a tool to get a message across and be used as a way to inform. Music has always been a safe space for me and meant a lot to me and that continued to the point of expression. In 2019 I taught myself how to DJ and was building on that for a few years, then in 2021 I decided to start making my own music and see what I could do. Since then it’s been my life haha.

Who and what inspired you to pursue artistry?

I mean to be honest I’ve always wanted to be this I just never really knew how I would get there and didn’t think someone like me would be able to. I’m just an Indian girl from Leicester, it was not the norm to see someone like me doing this or even attempting it. I think as I started working in the industry as a DJ and then started making more connections I gained a bit of inspiration and thought well if it doesn’t work at least I can say I tried. My good friend Erin said to me before I took the plunge that I could sing and I said I know shyly and it was her reassurance that pushed me to take the plunge back in 2021.

How does your cultural background influence your musical and personal outlook?

Growing up I would watch and listen to Bollywood movies and South Asian sounds all the time, I used to dance Kathak and Bollywood so it was a big part of my childhood. In terms of my own music I pull from it when it feels right, I normally like to weave certain aspects into all of my music sometimes more overtly and sometimes covertly. It has to feel right for me I don’t force it and definitely don’t do it for the sake of it, my ear is naturally drawn to those sounds due to my upbringing and so it weaves itself in naturally. Also the complexity of the music is something that I really emulate in my own music. I took some open classes for Hindustani and Carnatic vocal last year and it’s something I want to explore deeper.

Congratulations on your new EP! Talk us through the creative process?

Thank you! I’ve essentially been working the EP since I began my musical journey in 2021. A few of the first songs I ever wrote are on it (“Rhetoric”, “Autoflight” & “Sucks to be There”). This EP is me for the last few years figuring things out, my experiences, my observations etc. Ive worked a lot with my 2 close collaborators Sonny (23Sunz) and Minas, I met them both in 2021 and I was very blessed things just clicked and they were very open to letting me steer and my crazy ideas haha. They are both lovely and have been a big part of me growing into the artist I am. I also worked with Earbuds on a track on the EP which was really cool as I had been a fan of his other work for years. I’ve been blessed to be with FAMM and be able to put things out the way I want and to my creative vision, the creative team and my sister who is also my creative director have really been such a wonderful support system in doing so. Shoutout Erea and Jay working with them on my videos for this EP, honestly I do feel blessed to work with so many great and talented people who enjoy my music.

What’s to come from you, this year and beyond?

Hopefully some live shows, I’m keen to start performing and bringing my EP to life. More music and delving deeper into my artistry and self. I really love the process of making music and figuring out the next parts of the song so right now Im just in the studio putting the next pieces together. I also look forward to DJing again and doing it in a way that’s Shivani Day”.

Before coming to an interview from very recently, I am going to move to one from NOTION from last year. They asked Shivani Day about her music firsts. Within the interview, we hear about her love for Sade and her father’s musical influences. If you have not listened to Shivani Day, then make sure that you connect with her music. She is this astonishing talent that is going to have a very long and interesting career in music. I am excited to see what next year holds in store:

“No one has a sound quite like Shivani Day. Though a fresh face to the scene, she has nailed her artistry down to a ‘T’, blending a bold electronic palette and a sultry R&B smoothness that takes genre-bending to greater heights. Her sound feels modern, suave and an authentic tribute to her South Asian heritage, finely tuned in every note she configures and lyric that she sings.

Despite her newcomer status, Shivani’s voice resonates with an old-school charm that belies her youth. Raised on a diverse musical diet curated by her father—comprising reggae, Chicago house, Latin and jazz—her eclectic tastes swiftly saw her stand out amongst her peers. While pursing International Relations at university, it was there where her passion for music truly blossomed. Teaching herself the ins-and-outs behind the decks, Shivani swiftly became a name in the game, travelling across the UK for sets that included a coveted Boiler Room gig.

Whilst she has moved on from her DJ roots, Shivani still brings her love for electronica into her sound today. In her debut single, ‘Rhetoric’, released this spring, she seamlessly fuses electronica with R&B, incorporating traditional South Asian motifs into the fabric of the genres, whilst infusing the track with hints of sounds that pay homage to her heritage.

First time you fell in love with music?

I think I fell in love with music from inside the womb. I have a few strong early memories of music which really shaped my ear. From the beginning of my life music was always played and my dad would pause songs and explain their meaning. Learning that music can be a tool to help state an opinion or be a means to inform was something that stuck with me.

First song you were infatuated with?

I have two! One is ‘Jealous Guy’ by John Lennon, or as I used to call it, “dreaming of the past”, which my dad used to sing to me every night to put me to sleep. The other is ‘No Ordinary Love’ by Sade, which I’ve heard countless times; the progression and emotion get me every listen.

First time you felt starstruck?

I haven’t, maybe it’s yet to come.

First thing on your rider?

I have never had a rider but it would be tea for sure, english breakfast or a good chai. I need my daily cup of tea around 2/3pm.

First track you play when handed the aux?

It depends on the environment! I’m a particular person, so I always need context. I can never answer these types of questions”.

I am going to wrap things up with CLASH and a new interview from them. We learn that Shivani Day is working on her new project. I am interested to hear what form that takes. I do love how websites like CLASH are spotlighting Shivani Day and introducing her music to new fans. I do think that she is going to be making waves and inspiring people for years to come. Someone that we really need to embrace and celebrate. Her music is among the most distinct and brilliant you will hear:

“Shivani Day might be relatively new to the scene, but her artistic intention already shines in its ambition and creative possibility. Just coming off the success of her singles ‘Too Well’ and ‘Know When You Call’, her music embodies multitudes of being: a melange of cultural identities, a comment on human behaviours, and a duality of past and present.

Day isn’t precious about this, and she empowers her listeners to believe that they can exist in multitudes too. Leading with independence and introspection, these are two words Day has self-subscribed to in her craft. She is most creative in her solitude, and attributes her uniquely independent vision to her space of quiet.

Even more so, independence and introspection stand all the more powerful as a female artist fronting her culture. When I cited the importance of distinctive identity against this backdrop, she reassured me that this was a conversation she would always want to have. As someone who inherently cares about these conversations, she says it’s hard not to implement these thoughts into her music.

“So tell me about the new project you have coming out next!

I’m so excited to talk about this new project. It builds on this idea of dystopia—which I think is quite real. We’re living in a state of dystopia, whether we want to admit it or not. This project is about fusing the ancient with the futuristic. ‘Ancient-futurism’ is a keyword I’m holding throughout this project, and I think it will be a theme in my work moving forward, at least for now. It’s always been part of me, this blend of old and futuristic. I’ve always loved it, especially in the films and sci-fi I watch. Films like Tron really laid the groundwork for me, fusing those two worlds together. But, of course, I’m coming at it with elements of my Indian heritage and more Eastern influences. Some of that is obvious, some more subtle.

My influences and inspirations also come from people like Sade, Grace Jones, Aaliyah. They had such elegance and a strong sense of self. They never compromised on who they were, and that’s something I channel in my work and visuals. One thing I don’t love about things now is how people need to be spoon-fed everything. Art is so subjective and open to interpretation. I want people to think about it and connect with it in their own way. If you attach your own meaning to it, that’s just as valid. For the next project, I want people to pick up on the main themes I’m putting out there, but also really think critically about it. Everything I do is intentional. Even with the sonic elements, everything is thought out. For example, one of the songs we worked on—I had Minas [my producer] add a conch sound, which is something used in Hindu temples. It’s used to call people in and set the tone for prayer. I’m going to put it in an electronic song, with glitches and everything, to bring those worlds together. It’s intentional, again, fusing the ancient with the modern world.

PHOTO CREDIT: Aanaya Ferreiro + Anaya Dayaram

I think being a creative and a woman of colour sometimes means we’re justifying a lot of our identity to other people, but we shouldn’t have to do that. Your music really breaks that mould, and that’s why I love what you’re doing. It’s not on the nose, but it brings out your culture and your interests and you’re just saying, “this is me”.

I’m so happy you get it. I really hope people do too. It’s true that I’m speaking about those things, but like I said, it’s not overly obvious—it’s deeper, and I think that’s something I’ve always loved in music. I’ve always enjoyed songs with hidden meanings, things you have to read between the lines to understand..

Not everything needs to be obvious, and critical thinking is key. I studied International Relations at university, and that was kind of a mix of politics and human behaviour—how humans interact with each other and the world. That definitely influenced my music and the things I wanted to address. Music can be an escape, but it’s also such a powerful tool for saying something real, and I think it’s important to speak about things that matter.

Do you feel like implementing these influences comes quite naturally to you? Or are you quite intentional with it?

I think it comes quite naturally, to be fair. Of course, there are certain points where I put more thought into it, but for the most part, it just flows. With this project, I’m always thinking about how to weave these deeper themes into the music and give it those double meanings and subtle messages. I can’t wait to reflect that in the visuals as well. I’ve been making mood boards and putting together a big project book, like a scrapbook, with printouts and notes. As I move forward with the real-life aspects, like live performances, I’m really keen on immersing myself in that experience. I want people to feel like when they hear my music or see me perform, they’re not just listening to a song or watching a show—they’re learning something about themselves. I want them to question things, maybe discover something new, or at least think critically. I also want to transport them into this world, this blend of ancient and futuristic, a place where even in the dystopia, there’s still hope.

How do you hope to grow as an artist in the next few years?

I really hope to connect with more people who resonate with my music and understand the world I’m trying to create. Building a community is at the core of what I want to do, and I think that’s been the biggest challenge for me so far. I’ve been craving real connections, you know, with like-minded people, and I feel like I’m slowly getting there—especially this year, as I’ve been more consistent with what I’m putting out.

But beyond that, I want to do more live shows, have genuine, real conversations with my audience. I encourage anyone to reach out. I think it’s so important to bring that sense of community and connection back into the conversation, especially when so much of social media feels so disconnected. I’m also excited to work with more producers, particularly female producers, and just keep exploring new creative spaces”.

I will wrap there. The wonderful Shivani Day has had a pretty good year. I think that we will see even more from her next year. Working on a new project – whether that is an E.P., mixtape or album -, maybe that will come out early next year. She is no doubt going to be playing some big stages. I think that everyone needs to listen to Shivani Day. This phenomenal musical talent is…