Australian singer-songwriter and multi-genre artist, Sharl brings a ruminative charm to enthusiastic pop with this new single, Mirror. It is a celebration of self through introspection and growth. Her musical clarity and artistic vision is astounding and succinctly made up with sonics. Listeners of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, and Doja Cat are sure to enjoy the vibrant and confident atmosphere of this track.
A muted screen of performing pop opens the track. And once the mist clears, a stylish rap rolls against a backdrop of bright synths and popping beats. Its commercial pop hypertones elevates the soundscape with its dancing rhythm and melodic vocal windows.
The artist is a self-taught contemporary musician. Her first musical incidence was at the age of 3 when she began learning the classical violin. This serendipitously led to her transposing formal music theory to form a diverse sonic brand that is unique to her. Ranging from classic ballads to vintage disco to the peaks of hyperpop and trap beats, her sound and style is a seamless blend of classical and modern elements.
1. Mirror is a stylised pop song with layers of electronica, trumpets, and rap. What was your artistic vision for the song? And how do these flashy accents bring out the song’s theme?
My vision for this song was to create a track which sounded totally fresh and uplifting. I wanted a wholesome and happy vibe to reflect the theme of the song. The meaning of the lyrics revolve around discovering an extraordinary connection with someone and feeling amazed when more and more similarities are found. In this theme of newness, I also explored rap for the first time, so as well as being the right fit for the track in terms of a spontaneous vocal sound, it’s symbolic too! It’s been a fun new dimension to add and I’m including some rap on a few more tracks coming out this year, so watch this space!
2. You have a very unique perception of the pop genre. Who are some of the artists that you look up to that inspired your sound and style?
There have been so many over the years, most notably Taylor Swift for her storytelling, and then the embodiment of pop culture by artists such as Lady Gaga and Beyonce. In terms of sound and melodies, I came to realise that I love practically any song where artists have collaborated with Max Martin! I would say my current inspirations include Doja Cat, Dua Lipa and Troye Sivan.
3. Tell us a little about your musical background and how you got started with singing and performing?
I started playing the piano and violin when I was 3, so music, singing and performing has always been an integral part of my life! Despite the classical training when I was young, I’ve always loved pop music. I signed to an indie label in the UK when I lived there before, which started my path in the industry and led me to focus on my passion for pop singing and songwriting.
4. What are some of the challenges you faced in getting to where you are today? And what do you want your listeners to take away from your music?
So many! Being an artist is really hard! It’s a journey which brings challenges across so many aspects, from fundamental issues such as self-belief to more boring technical or logistical challenges along the way. But it helps to have good people around you and I’m happy with where things are at right now! I want my listeners to find their own way in which they relate to my music and be immersed in that experience. That’s what I love about listening to music in general, it may be the artist’s personal story to begin with, yet a song can be interpreted in so many ways by others and allows them to find their individual connection to it which is just as valid.
5. What is one piece of advice you would give to any musician that you wish you knew earlier on in your career?
I would advise any musician to focus on their own path and not be fixated on comparison to others.
6. Can you give us a peek into the projects/collaborations/releases that you have lined up for the near future?
I’m finishing up my second album which I wrote last year after City Lights came out. Daniel Bohen is producing it and it’s been great working together again. It’s an album which is pure escapism – telling some love stories while veering into a bolder electro pop sound with some powerful beats. So I can’t wait to share it with everyone, there will be a few singles released first in the next few months before the full album. I’m also working on a couple of music videos for it at the moment. They’ll be directed by Darius Chan (who directed the music video for Outside https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKREljrxBL8&feature=youtu.be ) so we are aiming for some spectacular visuals from Melbourne to complement the music too! I can’t say too much at this stage but the video concepts are really exciting. You can follow me on Spotify, IG, Facebook and YouTube to keep up to date with my releases as they come out this year.
The track is available for streaming on all popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music!
You can listen to Mirror by Sharl here –
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