Iamnotshane by Aria Herbst
HeyBoy x VTEEN Exclusive Interview
Instagram: @iamnotshane Photographer: @ariaherbst
Q) At what age did you realize that you wanted to start your adventure towards your musical career?
A) I’ve been singing since I was a wee lil lad – no one could shut me up. I grew up watching music videos on MTV and dreamed up my own, I knew since elementary school I would be doing music.
Q) Who would you say would be some of your top musical influences that have helped inspire you to create the sound you do today?
A) I love Marina and the diamonds ‘Electra heart’ album, Depeche Mode’s ‘Black Celebration’ , Big fan of Kanye’s ‘Yeezus’, and ‘808 & Heartbreak’. 80’s pop music is my favorite, and I’m super inspired by any alternative pop and pop music in general. Tamino, Gaga, Bowie, Lana, Taylor, I like my hooks to be stuck in your head for years.
Q) Being creative can be exhausting. When you have free time and you are taking time away from your creative mind, what do you do to reset your brain and re-center yourself?
A) I take so many bubble baths it’s become stressful. I also like to write books! I wrote a comic book recently based off my ‘insecure’ music video, called INSECURE : Tales of the Dancing Exorcist. You can get it at my merch store sadsupply.com or a digital copy on amazon.com. I also just finished a fantasy novel, I’m working to put out soon.
Q) The music you create is addicting to say the least. I think what ties your music all together and makes your work even more unique is your care free energy & free flowing style of dancing. Once you see a music video for your work you fall in love with it even more is what we are trying to say!
You have this attitude about you that is inspiring. When you start dancing, you get this sense that within your mind everything sort of just stops around you and you just feel the moment.
Can you elaborate more on your unique energy & your style of dancing? What inspires you the most to just feel the moment?
A) Thank you! I think it was my senior year in high school that I gave up on worrying about what other people thought of me, and decided to make everyone around me as uncomfortable as possible lol. My early demo’s were all slow, sad songs- so I thought it would be funny to dance dramatically in the music videos to them, without breaking a smile. Over time I think I created my own style of dance that just involves not thinking and letting your limbs take over. Confidence can make anything look good.
Q) What does your process look like? – What do you start with as your base foundation before you start to build your music?
A) My music often starts with an odd title, or concept that inspires me. Then I work on coming up with a hook that I enjoy singing, and feels catchy. Sometimes I’ll write and sing the entire song without music, and add the music later.
Q) Favorite couple songs that have recently been released by other artists, which are in your playlist right now?
A) Recently I’ve been strictly listening to Kidz Bop.
Q) Can you give us the inspiration you had behind your new singles “What A Perfect Day for Crying” & “I’m Leaving, Sorry For Your Loss”?
A) I love contrast, and making sad songs danceable. The goal with “What A Perfect Day For Crying” was to make a happy sounding pop song with extremely dark lyrics. I thought it would be cool to dig up hundreds of my favorite depressing memes and arrange them in a way to make lyrics. “I’m Leaving, Sorry For Your Loss” started on the piano and became my favorite sarcastic anthem. I wanted to encourage people to not settle for less.
While we wait for Shane’s new single “Just Buried” out December 23th. Listen to one of our favorite songs from a few years back called Insecure and make sure you check out his newest single “Paint A Smile On That Face”
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