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Tue, Oct 15, 2024 | Rabi al-Thani 11, 1446 | DXB
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Ukrainian artist Shadu on why music thrives in Dubai
Shadu of Supergirls fame talks Bollywood ambitions and the role of tech in her industry
- By
- Manju Ramanan
Shadu was born and raised in the town of Partenit (Crimea). At six, she started studying the violin at a music school. She later graduated with honours and started her musical career in 2022 after working as a director for Ukrainian TV channels.
She was a participant in the Holos Krainy music show, which is a part of the international in the syndication The Voice, and she won The Narodna Zirka contest, the Ukrainian music competition. In September 2022, she dropped her first EP, Gravity. It contained five tracks including Gravity, Take Me Away, and Au Au. It made it to the worldwide retro wave charts.
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By 2023, the single Apologize was released by a US record label. The song brought the music of Shadu to the American audience. Her next EP, Babylon, was released in the UK. It featured on the charts in three countries: Canada, USA and China. The album consisted of three tracks — Dancer, Babylon, and Somebody Again — that brought her global acclaim.
A regular visitor to Dubai, Shadu does several recordings here and believes there is a thriving DJ culture since people know the essence of music and are exposed to what is going on around the world.
Ask her about Bollywood music and cinema and she goes starry eyed. “I grew up with Bollywood movies, as they were always on TV when I was younger. Bollywood movies are all about celebration. They’re bright and mesmerising. I enjoyed watching these movies so much. I felt happy for the characters and I laughed and cried with them. You have hundreds of dancers, all moving together in perfect unison. They’re dressed in gorgeous, bright outfits and jewellery. When I was younger, I was so captivated by Bollywood movies. I even dreamed of becoming a heroine in one of these films.”
And who is her favourite musician? “I just love Black Coffee. He’s an amazingly talented musician with incredible willpower. Even though he was going through a really rough time, he found the strength and inspiration to become one of the most popular artists in the electronic scene. I just adore The Weekend. His view of modern trends is so precise. And his songs just make me feel so good. The gentle sound of his voice soothes my soul, almost bringing me to a state of catharsis.”
Shadu’s own tracks have a distinct emotional component and language is hardly a barrier to understanding her work. “Music is a universal language — one that everyone on the planet can understand. It captures moods, experiences, and emotions. Words are just an addition, one of the elements. That said, I often include a few important phrases in my tracks that beautifully complement the melody.”
Today, technology plays a huge role in the music industry, she believes. She explains: “Thanks to modern technology, we can now create music without the need for a large studio. In the past, you couldn't do this without 20 synthesizers, drum machines, and mixing consoles. But now, all of that can fit into a small laptop, with access to all the samples you need. This means we can create music anywhere—in a plane, a car, or a hotel.”
It is said that it is only an artist who can convert suffering and pain into sublime art. “I'm a very creative person, so any dramatic events in my life have always influenced my art. Often, these were negative events or experiences for me, and, you know, it was during these times that new melodies were born. Over time, I learned how to readjust myself and write not only when I feel bad, but also when I feel good,” she adds. So how does she protect her inner space? “Artists must balance inner and outer worlds. It’s important to keep your unique spark while staying interesting for your audience. Walking alone in nature helps me a lot. I find inspiration in its shapes, sounds, and smells.”
An artist has several highs and lows in her career. How does she deal with it? “You see, I step back to see my mistakes. Mistakes are good for you because they teach you. I love the saying, ‘Only people who do nothing [don’t] make mistakes’. Despite errors in my life, I keep living and moving forward.”
When asked if her life story would make an interesting read - and what would a memoir be called, she says: “I’d call it Dream On! It's my life's motto.”
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