SHY, also known as Shyfi, was born in Providence raised in Miami and is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. SHY is equal parts a low-key, soulful, alternative R&B artist and high-key, vibrant, creative director/producer and is known for her eclectic, genre-blurring sound, versatile vocals and unique song writing. Touching down in LA to finish her debut EP “Losing Track” that’s love, pain, light, dark, bare-bones and mysterious but not at all that black and white.
“Step It Up” is the mix of Pop and R&B that we didn’t know we needed in our playlist, but that we are happy we found this vibrant and unique track. Shy has vocals that give this energetic tune character and depth with remnants of Ariana Grande and a modern classic sound that has vibes of synth pop sprinkled throughout. We love the sections where she shows her vocal ability in “Step It Up” where she slides through her vocal range showcasing only notes and different tones with such finesse and style. Starting off on a more down-to-earth tone, then gaining traction after each verse-to-chorus section as the intensity of this track builds. With an eclectic combination of instruments and sounds, this track is another that is bound to have you up and dancing around in no time. “Step It Up” has a great lyrical flow to it, with every word being clearly sung and delivered to the listener allowing that connection between artist and audience begin. Shy has created a timeless, soulful sound that we highly recommend adding to your daily playlist – and you should probably have it on repeat, because we know we can’t get enough.
Listen to "Step It Up" here and get to know more about Shy below!
Hey Shy! Fantastic to chat with you – Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and how you got your start in making music?
Hey! Thanks, it's great to talk with you too! So... art has always been my thing: whether it's music, writing, visuals etc.. creating gives me purpose. It's the most healing energy I've ever encountered.
It started with this need to sing and express my deepest pains or joys.. and evolved with performing covers around NYC and New England. It wasn't until my last year in college, though, that I began taking it seriously. Once I knew who I was as a person, and as an artist, I could put that into my own original sound.
What drives your passion to write new music with such a mix of sound and emotion?
Typically, I try to draw inspiration from each living moment. So it's been about being present, and open to whatever signals my world is giving me, internally or externally. I also have a very particular ear. I know what I like, and so for a while it was about finding the right producers. Now that I've found them, it's about creating a sonic experience that people can feel.
What is the meaning behind “Step It Up” and what was the creative process like writing this song?
"Step it Up" came from a very unfinished beat I just needed to have. I sat on it for a while, until I met up with one of my producer's, who liked the demo too. From there he and I wrote the song in about 2 hours. The concept came from this idea, this feeling, of not wanting to be bothered by nonsensical men who attempted to challenge my worth as a woman. I remember saying out loud in the writing session, "he better come correct, or don't come at all" and we ran with it from there. The caribbean influence was there before my producer came along, but he flipped it and made it a master piece. The way he understands rhythm helped the writing process a whole lot. That, and the fact that there are so many men out there these days who do the bare minimum for women, and still want to get the whole pie is such a real issue that it bothered me enough to want to write about it.
Do you find that having different backgrounds and areas of residence have contributed to your unique sound?
For sure. My caribbean blood inspires the rhythmic artist in me. My time in Miami inspires the spiritual aspect, and fascination with nature within my music, and art. New York gave me the thick skin and confidence to be myself, and spending so much of my life in and out of Rhode Island aided my experimental phase, where I could try new things, and discover new parts of myself. All of these backgrounds and places also gave me such a variety of experiences to write about.
What’s new for you in 2019?
2019 from here will be: live performances, new visuals, and more music for damn sure.
Connect with Shy on social media
www.instagram.com/shyfi
www.twitter.com/Officialshyfi