VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Shelita On Her New Music, Artists’ Rights

Shelita is one of today’s rising pop singer-songwriters, and the Los Angeles-based singer discussed her new music exclusively with uInterview.

“So imagine that you fell in love with the greatest love of all time and that love becomes your new religion because it takes you to this higher place,” Shelita said of her new single, “Religion.”

She continued: “For me, when I’m taken to that higher place, it connects with me authentically, [with] my spirit, and it’s defined in ways that are hard to describe, and so music is the outlet for that.”

Shelita said she believes her music is a sensory experience, and that it is something that “touches the neurons in your body.”

“It’s something that’s going to feel emotional but at the same time very relieving and heartfelt,” she added.

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Shelita, who promoted her music at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, last month, said she also wished to share the truth about artists’ rights in today’s world, given the “misinformation” she explained there often is about this issue.

“I think right now is the best time for artists,” said Shelita. “Because right now, all the platforms own the customer relationship when it comes to your fans, and there’s ways you can go directly to fans and you don’t have to rely on platforms to have a direct relationship with your fans anymore.”

Shelita added artists should always be paid for their content, no matter what. This issue has become fiercely debated in recent years, especially with the emergence of music services like Spotify that allow free trials before signing up for regular subscription plans.

Shelita revealed her favorite among all her singles is “Special,” because it represents “the moment where you muster up enough courage to tell the person your’e madly in love with that you’re madly in love with them.”

“I think love creates an environment where we can evolve,” she added.

Full interview transcript below:

Shelita Burke On Her New Music, Artistic Rights

Q: What can your fans expect from your album?

A: So imagine that you fell in love, like with the greatest love of all time, and that love becomes like your new religion because it takes you to this higher place. And for me, when I’m taken to that higher place, it connects to me authentically to my spirit and it’s defined in ways that are hard to describe, so music is the outlet for that.

Q: How would you describe your music?

A: I would describe it as something that is going to touch the neurons in your body, and also something that is going to feel very emotional, but at the same time very relieving and very heartfelt at the same time.

Q: What are you speaking about at SXSW

A: Basically, I’m sharing how artists can win in today’s music industry because there’s a lot of misinformation about the new landscape for artists. And I think right now is the best time for artists. Because right now, all the platforms own the customer relationship when it comes to your fans, and there’s ways that you can go direct to fans, and you don’t have to rely on the platforms to have a direct relationship with your fans anymore.

Q: What’s the problem with the music industry today?

A: I think the music industry is designed to do exactly what it’s doing right now. There needs to be a new way of reinventing it and I think that starts and ends with artists. Artists should get paid for their content, artists should get paid for their music, and the tradition vehicles for that are nor working in the ways that they used to. And so, it needs to be redesigned with the artists in mind.

Q: What’s your favorite single?

A: I would say right now my favorite single is definitely “Special” because “Special” came to me in a place. I always feel like the songs come to me, like they channel through me, and I feel like they’re gifts from the universe. “Special,” in particularly, I really love that song because it’s kind of like the moment when you muster up enough courage to tell person that you’re madly in love with them, that you are madly in love with them. And it’s very delicate, it’s like the first time you’ve done that, and it’s like you’re evolving as a human being. I think love create an environment where we can evolve. And so that’s why that’s my favorite.