Carly Shea is a New York-based musician creating songs that fluctuate between house-inspired pop and alternative soul. Her songs are a reflection of the ups and downs of living— from enjoying careless nights out to contemplating the bigger picture. We showcased her previous single ‘Forever’ and recently caught up during the COVID lockdown to discuss her latest track ‘Waste My Time.’ The interview also features on our YouTube channel.
How did you get into the music industry?
It started as a hobby. As a teen, I started writing tunes one summer in North Carolina, and from there I’d write in my free time. Melodies here and there. I come from a family of musicians in NYC, but I always wrote it off as an unlikely pursuit. When I moved to NYC to work as a modeling agent, I began to see how tough things are in terms of competition, and my judgment of putting out tunes grew stronger. But so did my pursuit of songwriting as a hobby. I started writing with a pianist in Harlem and eventually started working with a great producer out of a small Brooklyn basement. When the Grammy’s came to NYC things took a more serious turn. I met a major label A&R who heard my tunes and encouraged me to pursue it more seriously. I spent time traveling between LA, Mexico City, and NYC to work on my music and develop better tracks. I was encouraged to release on my own, but only took the leap a few months ago. I brushed aside fears and now we’re on my third single. It’s been crazy to see the support from blogs and streaming services. I’m excited to keep going.
“Waste My Time” is a track many New Yorkers can relate to and respond to. What encouraged you to write this particular song?
I think that’s awesome that it resonates as relatable— I honestly wrote it as a vapid track. It started with a really cool sample, manipulated audio of British schoolchildren singing a musical scale, and from there it became a simple anthem for throwing cares away and going out all night. Though at the moment when I wrote it, it seemed to be really really simple, I can see how it might be fitting for the times. I think now more than ever people want to be able to express themselves and be carefree and though we need to do the right thing and stay inside, we can live vicariously through music, literature, film, and dance.
Tell us more about your connection with the iconic Ray’s Candy Store, psychics, and the city itself.
Oh man, Ray’s is the best! That place has been open since 1974— Ray himself hasn’t taken a day off—he does the overnight shift and I think he’s in his 80s. It’s such an incredible NY staple — you walk in at 3 AM and all you want is soft serve and maybe even a fried snickers bar and they have you. To me, it’s reminiscent of all the vintage 80s club kid videos and old NYC clips I used to watch obsessively dreaming of moving to the city. The energy on that East Village block is gritty, eccentric, fun. As for psychics, I don’t really know much about that world, but I will say the incredible Rose played this character and they embody the magic of people living in the city, not afraid to be bold. As for the city, it’s a love-hate. It’s incredible but over time it wears you down. One day you can be on top of the world overlooking the incredible skyline and the next you feel like you want a bit of breathing room and sleep. But you can’t have the experiences as you have in NYC anywhere else.
The theme will resonate with audiences and listeners. How important is it for your lyrics to engage with audiences on a meaningful level.
I’m glad you think so! I’d say lyrics are generally super important to me, but “Waste My Time” is one of those rare cases where I’m not necessarily touching on deeper emotions or a story. It’s more of a feeling to me. But at the end of the day, it’s what listeners what to get out of the songs and interpret. If they’re able to relate the lyrics of my tracks to their own lives, experiences, and emotions, then I feel good about what I’ve written.
Please tell us more about the production of the track.
This is actually an older track. It’s the first “legit” track that wasn’t a jam session I wrote when coming to NYC. I met producer Thankyoufatmatt of Cool Company and I loved the soulful direction of his work. So for weeks after work, I’d take the train into Bushwick to work on this track. Matt was the hands-on producer of this, I sat on the sidelines chiming in melody ideas. I really wanted both a famous computer startup noise (wink wink) and manipulated audio of British schoolchildren singing scales, so we worked together to figure this out. It was crazy to hear the track develop each session we also recorded there. Now I mostly work with producers remotely and my upcoming tracks have vocals recorded separately and sound a bit different, but the hands-on aspect of this track is a bit rawer and less processed which to me is pretty cool.
Tell us more about the video.
The video was an amazing experience. And stressful, haha. I got an idea on the train that I wanted to create a cinematic retelling of my wild experiences in NYC alongside one of my best friends Joel. I’ve had so many beyond weird borderline insane times in NY that it was a challenge to think of how to capture this. Once the storyline of abandoning a Michelin-style dinner to follow an “Anti-tourism Guide to NYC” came into play and found cinematographer Mateusz Broughton, I spent a ton of nights gathering props, calling in favors, trying to make an impossible multi-location video a reality. It was three of us running around the city for two days/ nights between restaurants, arcades, etc. We got kicked out of places we thought we had clearance to film in, breakdanced in the street, even ran into the guitarist for Jackson Browne while filming ourselves dancing on restaurant tables in the East Village. The most memorable scene was probably the last shot— we were cold, tired, it was 3 AM and we were on a friend’s parents’ penthouse roof in the Upper East Side. Without going into detail, it was a risky shot, it started raining, the camera nearly died, apparently, there was a Picasso in the building. But with barely any battery left, we got the shot. It was a victory. So, we were left with a ton of footage and a story. I happened to get in touch with Jen Kennedy of Lalim Edit, an incredible editor who has crafted narrative music videos ranging from Katy Perry to The 1975. She believed the story was possible even though some people saw it as overambitious. She brought it to life. Now that we’re all in this state of the world where things are a shell of themselves, I watch this video and I’m reminded of what makes NYC and New Yorkers themselves so uniquely special.
What motivates your artistry, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown.
I’m motivated by the space and time I have to think. I’m very lucky and also grateful to essential workers who I know don’t have that same space. I’m looking at this as a time where we reassess what we consider to make us feel fulfilled or have a purpose. For me, it’s making music. I’m trying songwriting more and also spend time promoting tunes that I was always too nervous to release. There are definitely days I get caught up in quarantine anxiety and lose focus, but generally, I’m using this time to be grateful and to create.
So, who are your musical influences?
There are so many! I listen to a ton of Yacht Rock, from Steely Dan to Byrne and Barnes and I feel like that seeps into my music. I also love R&B like D’Angelo, Myron, Portrait. I look to Jane Child, Deee-lite, and Rosie Vela as classic iconic artists and aspire to have a sliver of the style they had. And then there’s this whole modern wave of artists redefining pop music— King Princess, Rina Sawayama, Dorian Electra, Brockhampton, Jerry Paper, Remi Wolf— the chords they use, the song structure, none of it plays by the normal rules. It’s like an auditory puzzle that keeps you surprised but somehow makes sense simultaneously. I never try to write or model my work off of anyone else’s, but I think all of these artists subconsciously inform my writing
So, what’s next?
Hopefully more tunes and growth! Both audience and as an artist, haha. But seriously, I can’t wait to release some more tracks and videos I have lined up. I also can’t wait to keep recording more. I’ve been so grateful for the press and streams that have been coming at the start of my releasing music and I really hope to build off of that. The world’s a bit uncertain right now, but I know that I want to keep going musically and see where things land.
Dang…I need to make a website, ha. But I’d say peep my Spotify Instagram Twitter and Youtube
Images courtesy of Carly Shea
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