We were lucky to catch up with Shelby Natasha recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shelby, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
I think I’d say that I am the most happy and fulfilled when I am “making” so, I think yes, I really am happy as a creative. Sometimes it will catapult me into deep existential despair, but I’m not unconvinced I’d find other ways to feel this way even if I wasn’t choosing to be a musician. I’ve tried having a regular job and I always find my way back to music. It’s like a lover I can’t shake. I genuinely, deeply love it so much. In the moments when depression and fear has me in its teeth and i’m feeling lost and stressed about the instability of this life i’ve chosen, when I play a show, all of that goes away. It really is the only time where I feel the ache of doubt truly dissipate from my body.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a songwriter and music producer from Seattle, Washington. A large part of my creative journey now involves weaving chinese folk music with lofi production. I play the chinese instrument, the Guzheng, while singing and a lot of my music includes samples from my life and my environment. There is just so much in my life that I want to “keep” and sometimes I feel like music is my way of emotionally hoarding, but hopefully in a healthy way.
I only really began to perform a few years ago, to be honest as a way to work on my social anxiety, and now it’s only of the biggest and rewarding parts of my life. I had been producing and writing music since I was about 10 and that, as an outlet, has, been one of most fundamental ways that I’ve gotten to get to know and process myself and the world around me, and is one of my favorite parts of being alive. Having that music now have a mouth, through performing, that has allowed me to connect with really sweet and wonderful people has been a branch of the process that I genuinely didn’t expect but, has been so deeply nourishing. I think that by becoming more myself, in an embodied and authentic way, its become so much easier to find kindred folks to have in my life.
My performance career started with playing with Sofar Sounds and they’ve been probably the single most integral part of my performance journey. I’ve gotten to go on three tours around the United States in the last two years with their help, getting to explore the country, go to national parks i’ve always wanted to see, meet amazing new artists, and meet so, so many wonderful people at the shows. It’s also been super rad to bring a chinese folk instrument to places where most folks have never seen it. I’ve actually gotten to have some really amazing conversations with folks after shows who will come up to me saying that seeing me proudly interpreting threads from my roots has inspired them to explore ways to more loudly wear pieces or their heritage.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Gosh, narrowing it down to one aspect is so hard but, I think probably the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the community that blooms through it. I think the act of being vulnerable with the feelings and truths that hide in the marrow of us is an invitation to connection with other folks that resonate with those truths. The conversations I get to have with people after shows about what lines resonated usually just end up being doors into conversations about what it’s like for them to be here and alive. I think most of us have a desire to be having those conversations anyways so, its really cool that by nature of what I do, I get to kind of bypass the peeling back that is usually needed to get to that place (which is really cool because I’m really bad at that part!). The creative communities that have welcomed me in have also been the most nourishing, supportive, inspiring spaces as well. I think artists, when we are lucky, all just want to hold each other up and make space for each other to continue to deepen our practices and make cool things.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I would just love to make beautiful things, while I’m here, beautiful true things. I think also as someone who is deeply anxious, by nature, I’ve always been driven by a desire to create peaceful “moments” for people. Sometimes I think it would be fun to explore more energizing music but, I think my bones just want to make soft places for people to land in their days. I think also, as a person, I have a deep need to continue to learn about myself and why I feel what I feel, where it comes from, and the story I create around it and that driving force is definitely woven into my music. I think theres just a easily felt sensation of yearning and searching in all of the art that i’ve made, thus far.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/shelbynatasha
- Instagram: @shelbynatashamusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClxIKZld1pl7zYVXPKwA79A
Image Credits
photo 1 – Miguel Escobar photo 2- sommer rae photo 3- dylan randolph photo 4- Mia Christ Photo 5- Gracia Hilmer