Today we’d like to introduce you to Shay Skylar.
Shay, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up, I always had creative interests and a passion for music. I was particularly drawn to the energy of rock music, and I remember classic rock radio playing throughout my childhood. It wasn’t until the age of 13 that I started teaching myself guitar, which was the beginning of my musical journey. I quickly took to guitar playing and surrounded myself with musician friends, eager to learn and perform. By the age of 15, I was writing songs while singing and playing guitar in a band, and I began dreaming of a career in music.
Around this time, I started recording songs for friends and some of my own music. I learned to play many instruments. I attended a few open mic events and then began performing as a professional solo acoustic act. During my college years, I continued to perform regularly as a singer/songwriter throughout local venues and started to further develop techniques in recording, producing, and songwriting. I graduated from college with a degree in Liberal Arts, and of course Music.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
These days, I would think most musicians would answer this question by saying there are many struggles on the road to a music career. The industry is redefining itself, and it is sometimes difficult to see the path forward as a singer-songwriter or solo artist in the real world. Many of the avenues that I have heard about in the past to excel in the music industry are outdated. It appears that the current way to a music career is based on social media, streaming platforms, and managing yourself as an artist and as a brand.
With so much content out there, it can be a struggle to get noticed and remembered. There are 60,000 songs per day uploaded to Spotify, from musicians all around the world. That is an incredible amount of songs and a lot of artists you have to outshine to get your music heard. Social media is a similar battle because there is so much well produced musical and nonmusical creative content being posted every second, and you aren’t just competing for space in the world of music. Navigating this new way of creating can definitely be a struggle. I am constantly trying to figure it out and find where I authentically fit.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Live performances are what musicians live for, especially when the crowd responds. If I had to define myself as a musician, I would say first, I am a singer/songwriter. That’s where my heart is, but what I do is entertain people. Whether it’s a wild performance with the crowd dancing and screaming or something low key, I love seeing people enjoying the music.
At this point in time, I am probably most known for being able to sing a lot of different styles of music, and the large catalog of cover songs that I perform. I have always enjoyed studying what makes different iconic vocalists have their unique sound. Doing my impression of each artist is always enjoyable, as it keeps the songs from sounding the same. It doesn’t matter how many times I may cover a song, there are certain songs that get everyone singing, and there is something so amazing seeing an entire venue full of people singing along with me. Music has an incredible way of uniting everyone and I feel so grateful that I have an opportunity to do that.
Beside writing, recording and performing music, I have spent a fair amount of time learning to play a variety of instruments including electric/acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, lap steel, banjo, piano/keys, and drums/percussion. These skills have proven useful in my additional work as a studio producer and musician, where I spend much of my efforts experimenting and trying to grow through producing music that challenges me.
What does success mean to you?
I think success can be defined as making a living doing what you love! I am always grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. I feel thankful for being able to play music and be recognized for it. Recently, I was nominated by the San Diego Music Awards for a song I wrote and recorded, and I was very honored to be acknowledged. When releasing music, it’s hard to know what will resonate with a listener. I am often surprised which of my songs people gravitate toward. I don’t know what the future holds for musicians like me, but I am still dreaming big.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@shayskylar.com
- Website: shayskylar.com
- Instagram: @shayskylarmusic
- Facebook: @shayskylarmusic
Image Credits:
Alexi Ohre
