Have no fear, Shak SYrn is here! She’s bold, she’s brilliant, and she understands. The singer, songwriter, spiritualist, social media influencer, and bedroom pop princess has blessed our planet with not one, not two, but THREE dazzling singles, “Ambiance,” “Vanilla Skies,” and “Best Friend Betrayal” – the perfect background music for roller skating on Saturn’s rings. The moon is her disco ball.
Originally from North Carolina, the upcoming artist and wanderlust wanderer is making waves in Phoenix, AZ, and Los Angeles, CA. In an interview with Shak, we went over how she celebrates her wins, her favorite part of her spiritual journey thus far, and how she copes with beginnings and endings.
Her Aries single, “Ambiance,” is a celestial anthem that’s all about letting go and starting over. Stunning seventh chords, soothing snare, and hopeful hi-hat combine to build an immersive atmosphere. The reverb piano, floating synth, and polyphonic harmonies nod to popular neo-soul influences such as Jhene Aiko, Soulchild, and beabadoobee. After the chorus is introduced, velocity speeds up for the second verse and eventually returns to the song’s beginning pulse, looping the cycle, and representing the push and pull of change. Her lyrics paint the power of maintaining self-esteem and nurturing the heart. The planets orbiting the sun in outer space would make for a superb music video!
“Shine the light, shine the light, shine the light.
Gotta try, gotta try, gotta try.
Say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye.
Leave by sunrise.”
– “Ambiance” by Shak SYrn
Her Leo single, “Vanilla Skies,” works to eliminate shame and judgment associated with interracial dating. It’s a rom-com starring Shak’s relationship with rejection and her insecurities are the opening credits – the urge to diminish herself, to overthink, to feel inferior. Sparkling synths serenade each scene. It’s clear the SYrn has a knack for storytelling, and evolving beyond conventional concepts is her happily ever after. Listeners are invited to accept themselves, validate their feelings every moment, and celebrate the fact that they can feel. The beauty we recognize in others hints at the intrinsic beauty we host within ourselves.
“Long hair, high brains
With you, it’s great.
Got me feelin’ lucky
Eyes like ocean
But you feel nothing
for a girl like me.”
– “Vanilla Skies” by Shak SYrn
Her latest release is a Scorpio single, “Best Friend Betrayal” – a hypnotic number that gets honest about friendships and questions the soulbond theory. This ballad refuses to sugarcoat the heartache associated with platonic breakups. It comments on how rude and inconsiderate reality can be, curses the construct of time, and throws a tantrum at life’s season finales. It features elementary school as a muse – the utopia of first friendships, first breakups, and innocent resentment. BFB proclaims adolescent pain is very real. We are never alone, and it’s safe to have hope for the future.
“We’ve been friends since the sixth grade
You showed up two weeks before summer break
Like fate we both locked eyes
Friends fast. Life is great.”
– “Best Friend Betrayal” by Shak SYrn
Shakirah Robinson puts a radiant twist on the mythological siren. “In Greek mythology, the sirens were dangerous creatures who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. It is also said that they can even charm the winds.” Instead of perpetuating allegorical routine, she transforms her own heartbreak and channels it into art in order to promote healing, peace of mind, and light.
In Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, Jane Eyre, she writes, “Children can feel, but they cannot analyze their feelings; and if the analysis is partially effected in thought, they know not how to express the result of the process in words.” In our interview, Shak spoke openly about how she’s finally starting to believe in herself again. After being asked how she would go about creating a love song for her inner child, she said she would incorporate affirmative statements such as “I am not dumb.” If one grows up in a discouraging, emotionally compromising environment like ten-year-old Jane, it can be difficult to differentiate what’s real and what’s fantasy in terms of their intelligence and what they’re capable of. Personally, I believe Shak illustrated yet another stellar concept that I’m excited for her to musically explore as her career continues.
What’s next for Shak? An EP? An album? A music video? Jupiter’s sky is the limit for her imagination. We can’t wait to see what she’s been manifesting for 2022!
Brontë, Charlotte, 1816-1855. Jane Eyre. Peterborough, Ont. :Broadview Press, 1999.
Wikipedia contributors. "Siren (mythology)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 Jan. 2022. Web. 5 Jan. 2022.
