Singer-songwriter Shazza is igniting Singapore’s music scene—and it’s all thanks to her parents

Her passion was once again put aside when she entered Nanyang Technological University (NTU) as a Communications student. “[I realised that] my love for comms was not the same as my love for music. With music, it always felt right, like that’s what I want to do,” she explains.

She continues: “I don’t want to wake up one day and realise that I didn’t achieve any of the things that I wanted so much to do when I was younger... I just need to know that I tried because it’s the only thing that makes me happy in a career sense.” The All You Really Need (Is Love) singer remembers sharing her anxieties with her parents, who told her that if she really wanted to pursue this she needed to “just go and do it all the way”. Driven by the fear of not pursuing her dreams, she applied for a grant at the National Arts Council (NAC) which led to her extending her semester break to a gap year. 

Throughout this journey, her parent’s love and support have been instrumental in giving her the push she needed to enter the industry. “Because my family was by my side, it was much easier to just do it,” she says, adding that her parents would constantly keep her in check. 

Focusing on music full-time, she began garnering a following and increasing her presence in the music scene. Along the way, her dad who’s also in the creative industry would work with her to find ways to market her music in a more unique and interesting way. “I’m very grateful I had that one year of independence because I learnt a lot and it made me capable of standing on my own two feet,” she reflects. Currently, the singer is pursuing her degree alongside her career. She admits: “I keep joking that I’m going to graduate at 30 but at this point, it might be true.”

Earlier this year, she announced that she would be co-managed by independent label Cross Ratio Music Entertainment and major label Warner Music Singapore.

Build A Home

When it comes to representation, Shazza finds herself in an “interesting position” where she represents a few minority groups. “I’m an Indian Muslim, but also wear the hijab. I know I represent the Indian community, but I also represent the Malay community and I represent women,” she explains. Knowing that different groups of people see themselves in her is something she doesn’t take lightly. “I’m very honoured to carry [these minority statuses] because it allows me to do more with my platform,” she adds.

When she speaks to those in her community and sees how they feel represented by her, she knows she’s doing something right. “That’s what it should be about you know, it’s not about me, it’s about other people,” she says.

For the Build A Home singer, her heritage has influenced her approach as an artist, inspiring her to bring more representation to the table. She shares how growing up, she didn’t get to see anyone create the kind of music she wanted to create. However, discovering Malaysian singer Yuna made her more confident in pursuing her dreams.

Read more: Home is where the heart is: The secret behind Dick Lee’s enduring legacy

She continues: “When you see someone who looks like you or shares the same values and principles as you, and they are successfully doing something you seek to do, it makes your dream seem all the more believable—and I want to do that for other people.” 

Since the start of her journey, she has realised it can be something bigger than herself. She believes in using her platform to uplift others and help them believe anything is possible. “It’s not about me pursuing what I have always wanted to do. It’s more than that at this point. I want people to look at me pursuing my dream and feel like they can pursue theirs,” she muses.

Reflecting, she says: “I know this is going to run out and I’m not going to be the shiny new thing anymore and I welcome that… I want to make a path for people to comfortably step into the position that I’ve been blessed to hold, knowing that they have every right to be there.”

What Do I Know?

Of course, breaking into the industry isn’t without challenges. How does she overcome them? In Shazza’s own words: delusion.

“Sometimes, delusion is the solution,” the Right Person, Wrong Time singer shares, explaining that she gave a talk at the 2024 TedxYouth@NgeeAnnPolytechnic on this very topic. She continues: “If it was not for the way my parents have raised me to believe that there is nothing I can’t do, I don’t think I would have had the audacity to push to this point. I think I would have walked away from it a long time ago because it has not been easy.”

She adds that there are moments when she felt doubtful and that things might not work out for her in the industry. But, there’s always a voice telling her that there’s no reason why she can’t share the stage as other big artists.

With so much that has happened just in 2024, from performing at NDP to becoming a viral sensation after collaborating with Canadian pop duo Crash Adams, she reflects on her journey with an analogy of a boat.

“[At the beginning] I had my own small boat that I built with my family, friends and my team, and I was charting the course myself. It was a difficult but comfortable journey as I had a vision and I was in control. Then a big wave came that swept me up and it felt like the boat broke and I couldn’t find my direction,” she explains adding how it was a good thing in hindsight as the wave carried her to places that she thought would take her years to get to. But, getting swept up in the moment led to her feeling lost and not knowing how to move forward. “It hit me that I didn’t know my long-term direction anymore. That was scary,” she shares.

The experience led her to recalibrate her life and career path. If there was one thing she would take away from this heavy but fulfilling year, it would be to dedicate her resources to what fuels her. “I have been learning how to live and do this with more intention, rather than just letting it happen to me,” she explains.

Although the local music scene is hard to break, Shazza shares how she has seen an increase in support for the industry. For one, the singer has noticed how radio stations have been playing more local music as compared to the past. “It’s nice to see a bit more support because it is necessary. As someone who has experienced it, I can attest to the fact that it makes a big difference,” she explains.

With multiple collaborations, an album and a possible tour coming up, the local singer wants to approach these projects with more intention and purpose in hopes of reflecting a clearer message in her music.

Major plans are in the works for Shazza and it’s no doubt that she’s about to achieve some of her biggest dreams. But if you were to ask her parents, they probably saw this coming a long time ago. 

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