Breaking Shane
The term "phenom" is not one to be used lightly nor indiscriminately, but of course that doesn't stop people from doing that anyway. Arizona native David Shane is a pop music phenom; we said it, we meant it, we're here to represent it. You may doubt all you want, but how else would you describe someone who: plays most of the instruments on his albums (all produced by him), released his first album at thirteen years old, writes all of his songs, and whose music appears on two mainstream television programs? So yeah, phenom.
With his new album Broken Alive slated for release next week, David gives us a peak into his past, present experiences, and future.
When did you start singing, and at what point did you decide to do it professionally?
I come from a musically talented family of musicians, songwriters and lyricists; so music has always been a strong part of my life and soul. The first memories I have of singing would be with my mom in the car driving down the street jamming to Sonny & Cher. At that time in my life at (about 6 years old), I was just having a good time. When I turned 10, I really began to hone my craft. It was at that point in my life when I knew I wanted to chase the dream of becoming a successful songwriter and artist like my dad was. I had the drive and passion to keep the dream alive.
You’re a multi-instrumentalist; how did that develop, and which instruments do you play?
Yes! The very first instrument I started on was the drums, at the age of 12 is when I started to develop new experiences with other instruments such as the guitar, piano and bass. Learning multiple instruments really helped me spark the creative process of songwriting, in a multitude of genres. I was inspired by the different sounds and tones that each of the instruments provided.
Which do you prefer to assist in the songwriting process?
My favorite instrument currently for songwriting would have to be the keyboard. I enjoy the keyboard in the studio as it can create a multitude of sounds through midi VSTs. I use this technique to create the productions of all my songs.
Broken Alive is actually not your first album, and it seems to be a big departure from your previous efforts. Would I be wrong if I said the new album sounds more mature?
Honestly, the writing process on this project was the most exhilarating I’ve experienced in my music career, thus far. It seemed as though songs were coming at me quicker than I could even imagine. I had so many emotions and thoughts running through my mind while writing Broken Alive. This album is merely a reflection of the experiences I went through over the past two years of my life, that broke me to my core. The songs and lyrics are genuine and real. The last album I worked on (Tease), was a collaboration that I did with a local publishing company, which is why there is a big difference in the music and sound. I wrote the majority of "Broken Alive" in a 2-3 month period. Not only did I create the melody and lyrics, but I produced and composed all of the instrumentation as well.
You worked with Hagay Mizrahi (of Gemini Musiq) on this album, who has produced tracks for Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, and others. How was that experience?
The experience with Hagay Mizrahi in Burbank, CA was magical. Hagay is the first engineer/producer who I've worked with who I can truly trust to make my music shine. This was great for me in the studio, as I wasn't worried so much on the engineering aspects of the record, but more so on my vocal performance and emotions that I put into it. Hagay was easy to work with. We collaborated on our ideas together very swiftly, making our way through at least one track per day. I will most certainly be working with Mizrahi on future records to come.
Have you done any live shows, and do you plan to support Broken Alive with a tour?
Yes, I have done several live shows in local venues of my home state Arizona. As far as touring goes for "Broken Alive", I am in development with some of my close music friends to do some more local shows and possibly a small tour through California and the other neighboring states of Arizona.
David Shane’s new album release “Broken Alive” is available for purchase on iTunes everywhere Valentine's Day (Feb.14th). You can listen to the new single "Death of Me" here, follow David at Facebook, and check out his videos at Youtube.
Special thanks to Anthony Aguirre at Young World Studios for the assist.
