In year 1 of the pandemic, I was having lunch over Zoom with a dear friend and he told me he was planning to quit his job to pursue music full-time. I think I’d forgotten that creative folks could find ways to pursue our passion projects full-time, and I was filled with excitement at the work he was doing to cultivate a more passionate daily existence. The work would be challenging, but it would be filled with that beautiful combination of struggle and joy.
Two years later, Shine Robbins released his beautiful debut EP, softworld. Here, he shares a bit of what the experience of making this transition and creating this EP has been like for him.
As you read, consider streaming softworld using the player above, checking it out on spotify or Apple Music, or purchasing softworld here.
What inspired you to pursue music full-time, and what challenges did you face as you made this transition?
Growing up, music was just something in the background that I loved. As a kid, I didn’t really play music and it wasn’t a huge part of my family life; it was more something I found through the radio or kids at school or the internet. When I was in high school, music became my everything. I didn't have words to describe some things I was going through but I found that feeling when I listened to certain artists. A lot of my favorite music back then was a source of comfort. It helped me understand how I wanted to live.
In high school I played in a band with my best friends. It wasn’t even really a conscious decision; it was more like I needed to make music with friends because that’s the only way I could fully express how I felt. I wanted to give listeners that raw feeling I got from the music that changed my life. A lot of hip-hop, 90s alternative, psychedelic indie, R&B, and trip-hop. But I didn't take making music seriously till I was 20 when I started producing so I could create full songs.
I grew up struggling with comparison to others and definitely had to confront that when I started seeing artists younger than me popping off. I had a feeling for years of 'how do I get where they are?' A lot of imposter syndrome too. I’ve developed a healthier relationship with my journey as I’ve gotten older and worked on accepting that I’m on my own path and focusing on growth.
Can you tell us a bit about your EP? What are its influences / themes / etc? What do you hope listeners will take away from it?
My goal is to take people somewhere they haven’t been before. I made the project in the first year of the pandemic and creating it became my window of hope. It gave me an outlet for what I was feeling, and I hope it means something to people. It has influences from a lot of different genres. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music and I like to push myself out of my comfort zone as a listener and make music that pushes listeners outside of their comfort zone.
Looking back, I was really impacted by albums like ‘Donuts’ by J Dilla and ‘Endtroducing’ by DJ Shadow, and producers like Monte Booker and Sam Gellaitry because they showed me you can make complete bodies of work where vocals are just a layer and not always the main focus.
The EP’s also about embracing your imperfections and being vulnerable to share yourself with the world as the work in progress you are. If you listen closely, you can hear little moments where things are a tiny bit off for a second here or there. I decided to keep those because they’re what make the music human. All of the songs evolve and I didn’t want it to feel like just a bunch of loops. I wanted it to feel like peeling back the outside layers of who we are and showing more of what’s underneath. I guess I was inspired by Shrek haha.
What decision-making was involved in developing a stage name? Do factors like privacy and translatability play a role? What recommendations might you make to other artists interested in developing projects while maintaining privacy/distance from their professional or personal lives?
I spent a lot of time creating my stage name. I wanted to keep a level of privacy and have a little space between me as a person and me as an artist because they’re not always the same. Also as an upper-caste South Asian, I didn’t want my religion or caste to be what a listener might focus on if I went by my actual name and I also didn’t want to feel like I was reducing my culture in some way. It’s about the impact I want to have through my music and how I can put that into everything I do. I’d tell other artists to listen to themselves and be authentic to what makes them unique. And think about how they want to connect with others and how they want to be remembered.
What were the most surprising parts of creating your EP?
I was surprised by how much goes into releasing music independently. I have a lot of respect for independent artists doing things on their own terms on a big level. The project helped me better understand the difference between making art purely for yourself and making art to connect with others. Because with the second one, you might need to make compromises sometimes so that your music and message are received. It’s really a communication skill. I’m grateful that the project has resonated on a deep level with people. I appreciate my supporters, friends, and other artists. And I’m excited about all the new things I’m making right now.
Which tracks on the softworld EP most resonate with you? What compromises have you made in your own work in order to better meet your audiences? Read more about the softworld release on Kajal Mag. Click below to like, comment, and share.
Very interesting tracks! Not my usual but enjoyed listening. A fun interview and major props to Shine Robbins on the EP!