Jejune recently sat down with singer/songwriter Shannon K to talk about her latest single, “RUN,” which was released in September. The catchy song and beautiful music video epitomize her personality, passion, and raw talent. Shannon K’s music is known throughout the world and she has an extremely loyal fan base. She has collaborated with numerous high-profile songwriters and producers such as Poo Bear (Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, etc.), and Infinity (Rita Ora, Mary J.Blige, Ludacris). What sets the singer apart is her versatility. She has strong musical and acting talents, is well-educated and traveled, and has a unique style. When Shannon isn’t recording or performing, she spends her time working with charities such as Love is Louder (supporting mental health), Animal Equality (go vegan), and Boo To Bully (Anti-bullying). She hopes to use her music as a platform to express herself as well as support the causes she cares about most.

Where are you based?
I am based in Los Angeles.

How did you get interested in singing and writing songs?
I was raised in a musical environment, so music has always been a part of me. I guess the day my dad heard me sing for the very first time was what made me realize that I do have a talent for singing; that’s when I got serious about music and started to focus on polishing my skills. I started working on songwriting with my sister, Annabelle, since she had already been writing.

Your new song “RUN” is so much fun! Can you tell us a little bit about what inspired you to write it?
Thank you!

My past experiences inspired me to write the song. As a young, South Asian girl who aspired to become an artist and came down to the land of dreams (aka Hollywood), I was very much insecure about myself. My insecurities had been bugging me a lot, not to mention the kinds of things I heard from people when I had first started my career. Some people laughed at me when I shared my dreams with them. All those memories made me want to write a song to motivate, not just myself, but all the others who’ve gone through something similar or have lost their self-confidence.

The music video seems to show off the many different versions of Shannon K. Can you tell us a little bit about this?
During the making of this song, I had a thought of how amazing it would be if we could show my ethnicity and culture in the music video. My younger sister Annabel took that thought of mine and converted it into this epic music video!

Part of showing different versions/looks was a way of saying that you can be whoever you want. You don’t need to look the same as others. Everyone is unique in their own way.

We love that you included some of your Indian roots in the video. Do you feel your background influences your music?
I had always wanted to add my culture to my music or music videos somehow. There are so many elements in Indian music that are yet to be discovered and merged into Western music and I feel like “RUN” was a kickstart to exploring that.

Jejune found your song "Give Me Your Hand" beautiful and very touching. Can you please tell us a little bit about this song and why it was important for you to write it?
“Give Me Your Hand” was based on my sister Annabel and my experiences with bullying. I’ve always had a little diary where I’ve written about my experiences, feelings which I felt over the phase of my depression. Annabel and I decided to share our story and give a platform to those who were struggling to raise their voice. We wanted to speak up about this issue as it was being ignored. The amount of love and great feedback we got from people about the song was so overwhelming. We wanted to tell people that they aren’t alone. There’s a lyric in the song which I find quite motivating: “You are made for a reason, to SHINE!”

We love how you wrote this song for Love Is Louder, an anti-bullying charity. Can you please tell us a little bit about your work with Love Is Louder and Boo To Bully?
I love working with Love is Louder and Boo2Bullying. I feel like if I can make a little contribution to the world and society by bringing awareness to the issue and helping people give a platform to raise their voice, then the future can be a better place filled with love for the youth and everyone. We seem to think that it’s just kids who go through bullying but in fact, it’s adults too. There are so many forms of bullying that we tend to overlook but we shouldn’t, especially in an environment that is surrounded by social media and trolls.

What advice would you give someone being bullied?
I would advise them to not be afraid. Don’t think that you’re all by yourself. Keep raising your voice until you’ve been heard. Be surrounded by family and loved ones. Keep believing in yourself and never give up because that’s exactly what your bullies want. They want you to break down and give up but you got to be strong and keep working towards your goal.

You have also worked with Animal Equality. Can you please tell us a little bit about why this is important to you? Are you vegan?
I support Animal Equality as animals are such innocent creatures and the kinds of torture they face on a daily basis is absolutely cruel. I want to be their voice and spread awareness across the world. People seem to think that just because animals don’t have a voice of their own they can treat them however they like but that shouldn’t be the way. I am vegan and I shall keep fighting for animal equality.

COVID has drastically changed the music industry. How has your life changed since the pandemic started?
I must say that the pandemic taught me so many things about life. It made me realize that we tend to worry and think about the future so much that we forget to live in the moment, in the present. My perspective on life and the future has changed completely. I don’t think too much about the future as we don’t know what the future holds. Instead, we should live in the present and value our surroundings and the people we’re with. This pandemic even gave me the opportunity to find my inner self and get to know myself on a deeper level.

How are you staying positive during shelter in place?
I’ve been doing a bit of meditation to relax my mind. Though at times I do feel the urge to just walk outside and breathe in the air, I know that staying in at home is best for my well-being, especially since the number of cases is increasing. My dad was supposed to be coming to Los Angeles this month, but unfortunately, he tested positive. It’s been such a heartbreaking situation for my family and myself as it has been nine months since we’ve seen our dad. Despite following all the precautions, he still got COVID, so I would just tell people to please look after yourselves even if you have been following the guidelines.

I’ve gotten more time to be organized with my things. Along with that, I play with my puppy for some entertainment. He’s truly a stress reliever for me, especially during this time. It feels like I’m reliving the same day but I try to find different ways to keep myself busy and not get depressed.

What is your motto in life?
My motto in life is “live and let live.” You never know what someone’s life is like so just let people do what they need to do and expect the same when it comes to things you want to do. It’s your life so live it how you want to.

To learn more about Shannon K. please follow her via the below platforms:
Stream song – Run
Music video – Run
Instagram - Shannonksinger
Facebook - Shannonksinger
Website - https://www.shannonkmusic.com
Spotify - Shannon K
YouTube - Shannon K

Who Runs the World? Shannon K