Interview: Malaysian Artist SHN Talks About Her Coming-of-Age EP ‘shotgun’ and More
From riding in the passenger seat to taking over the wheel, SHN brings us her new EP shotgun. She discovered a newly formed independence after regaining creative control of her music, and that’s how this EP was born. Through the four songs of the EP, each serving as a layer to be peeled back to reveal the concept of the story in its own right, SHN looks back and gets closure.
“It’s a journey — from getting into a car, getting yourself into something precarious yet exciting, all the ups and the bumps of that fate-stricken journey only to finally realize it wasn’t enough. You wanted to be behind the wheel.”
Photo Courtesy of SHN
SHN pre-released the second track of her EP “it’s not fair, babe!” which was followed by the long-awaited EP, shotgun, on August 18. Narrating her adventure-yearning story, SHN’s EP is painted with hot summer nights, long midnight drives, and destructive love. It features a soundscape of pulsating bass and warm synths with layered vocals. HALSUG received a special opportunity to get to know more about the artist and talk about her comeback.
Your stage name, SHN, is very interesting. How did you come up with it?
SHN is derived from my middle name. My full name is Chloe Soh Shen Mun, and “Shen” was a name my mother decided that all 3 of us siblings should have because it was special to her. So, I decided to use it as my stage name.
You are telling a story through shotgun, with each track acting as a separate chapter. Can you briefly explain the theme of your tracks on the EP?
The EP centers on the theme of finding one’s independence, a coming of age, personified through a journey going into and out of an intimate relationship. “shotgun,” the titular and first track, gives an overall idea of the story we’re heading into. The second track “it’s not fair, babe!” comes from a more childlike expression of how a relationship has gone wrong. “drive slow” comes from a perspective in hindsight. It feels nostalgic, and it narrates the story from an emotionally mature standpoint. And finally, “the last song” hits home as a resolve of needing to find ourselves again after everything crashed and burned.
You have been working on this EP since before the pandemic. So it must be extremely difficult to pick, but which track on the EP did you have the most fun working on?
Yes! Initially, it was meant to be a full-fledged album. But the pandemic threw a wrench into the direction I was heading towards with this body of work. After the dust from the whirlwind settled, packaging and releasing these four songs felt sufficient to the arc of the story. I would have to pick “the last song” because I remember back then recording in a very makeshift closet and having my brother spontaneously come in to record the backing vocals. It was a wholesome process, fitting to the song.
What is your favorite lyric from the EP?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. I suppose it changes from time to time because it’s hard to pick! But right now, I’m really proud of the 2nd verse in “it’s not fair, babe!”:
“Wind in my hair, lights low
You played Elvis on the radio
Said you wanted to be like him when you were young
Now I can’t help falling in love”
It’s a cheeky nod to Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” but it also ties in with the theme of the song about being helplessly engaged in this fast-burning relationship.
Your collaboration with RESORT, "The Idea of Us," received a lot of love. Is there any other artist you want to collaborate with in the future?
Most definitely! I’d love to collaborate with ROSIE or Rosie Darling. And if I’m being extra ambitious, Gracie Abrams, Maisie Peters, and Ms. Swift herself.
Which songs have you had on repeat lately?
The entire The Good Witch album from Maisie Peters.
What are some goals/dreams you want to achieve as an artist?
I’d love to get to a point where I could fill up a stadium and have the audience sing my songs back to me. If I’m honest though, the most fulfilling part of making music is hearing or knowing that my songs have touched its listeners in one way or another.
What do you wish people understood about you as an artist?
That I love telling stories through music, and I promise it’s worth the time you take to tear apart my work and find connections or clues to one another — or to a bigger story/theme at hand
Do you have a song you would like to recommend to our readers who are new to your music?
For all my girlies going through an existential crisis once in a while, “27 in a 7-Eleven” is a great one.
Do you have any messages for your fans?
I haven’t truly met you all, but I hope I do <3 I’ll be making more of an effort to go out and play more shows, and I hope to see you there! Thank you for taking the time to listen and be with me through my music. I love that I can connect with you like this.
In addition to her soulful voice, SHN’s writing is mesmerizing, and one can’t help but surrender to her rendition. One can notice a shadow of her influences (like Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Rosie Darling, etc.) in her music.
“Over the years of writing and crafting, storytelling has transcended from something I loved doing into something — I knew in my bones — I was meant to do.”
This year, the artist released a single every month and received a great response. Her single “27 in a 7-Eleven” gained over 100,000 streams within the first month of release and was featured on local to international radio stations like Hitz FM & BBC Radio 1. Early this March, she was also featured on a billboard in New York’s Times Square as Spotify’s EQUAL ambassador. Recently, on Instagram, SHN expressed her happiness as she witnessed “shotgun” had ranked #1 on the “Popular” list of SHN’s Spotify, finally dethroning “The Idea of Us,” which maintained the position for almost four years.
Have you listened to shotgun yet? If not, tune into your favorite music platform and check her out now! Let us know in the comments which track(s) made it to your heart.
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Artist Facts
Name/Stage Name: SHN
Birthday: October 10, 1995
Nationality: Malaysian
Zodiac Sign: Libra
MBTI: INTJ-T
Favorite Foods: Nasi Lemak Bungkus (Malaysian national dish), Sushi, Crab
Favorite Drinks: Coffee, Matcha Latte
Favorite Movies: The Atonement (cries), The Prestige
Day or Night?: Day, or more specifically, mornings.
Song you’re most proud of: Always the latest song I’m working on
Edited by Zoe Selesi