Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Carly Shea

THE RELEASE

Carly Shea, a New York City-based musician, effortlessly navigates the musical spectrum, fluidly moving between the engaging rhythms of house-inspired pop and the cryptic depths of alternative soul. Her music functions as a mesmerizing mirror, catching the highs and lows of life, from the thrill of spontaneous nights on the town to the serene interludes within life's grand canvas. Carly's tunes received a swarm of synchronization offers, transforming what was previously a simple songwriting pastime in the basement regions of Brooklyn into a serious artistic endeavor. In response, she embarked on a creative voyage that took her through the vibrant landscapes of Mexico City, the dreamy atmosphere of Los Angeles, and the electrifying energy of her homeland, New York City, to design an exclusive collection of pop masterpieces, each complemented by visually mesmerizing music videos.

Carly Shea's "Problems" captures the raw emotions of a classic heartache, describing the heartbreaking journey of two souls entangled in New York City. The song presents a realistic, relatable portrait of love's complexity as they spend months together, eating inexpensive takeaway dinners and coping with the gradual breakdown of their relationship. Carly Shea took a pause to rethink her style with producer Gekko, ending in this soul-stirring piece that encapsulates the essence of her influences and goals. It's a relaxing ambiance to accompany the journey of healing and self-discovery for people battling loss and emotional tiredness. Carly Shea asks listeners to find consolation and connection in her music with "Problems," hoping that, in the middle of poor emotional states, her music may provide peace and connection.

THE INTERVIEW

If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?

Super interesting…hm, I’d say it would be Duncan Sheik, Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, Dwele, and Jane Child. I grew up listening to a ton of Steely Dan thanks to my Dad, and have been lucky to see Donald Fagen perform several times here in NYC. In more recent years, I discovered Jane Child and Dwele. Though very different musicians, I take from them their ability to take the songwriting and melodies in unexpected directions that just feel so good when you hear them. And as for Duncan Sheik, I thrifted a CD of his in North Carolina when I was 17 and he’s been the soundtrack to my life since then.

Were there any specific experiences or events in your life that influenced the song's lyrics?

I wrote this song a long time ago. It was within my first few years of living in NYC and I got involved with someone who I’d describe as a character. It was one of my first feeling of real romantic connection with someone I thought was unlike anyone I’d ever met. But though those things were true, I didn’t see clearly all the things that would go wrong. I was also struggling with a health issue at the time and it was the connection to that person during this period that inspired the tumultuous emotions in Problems.

Can you share any interesting anecdotes about the song's development with your co-writers or producers?

I would say one of the things that stands out to me about when I recorded this song was having the idea to include a car crash sound at the bridge and the process of finding that right noise. I feel so bad, but I had my engineer go through a ton of car crash sounds until we got just the right one. It was tedious, ha.

What was the biggest takeaway or lesson you learned while creating this song?

I think my biggest takeaway from writing Problems was that I was capable of creating the music I wanted to hear. I think prior to writing this track, I was trying to fit into a dark pop niche that I don’t really sound like. I was hesitant to write music inspired by the soulful pop that I grew up with because I was worried it would it would sound like a cheap imitation of what I enjoy. But it turns out, it did it’s own thing— it doesn’t sound like the music I listen to, but it has the authenticity and feeling of the sounds I care about.‏

How has your recent growth as an artist influenced the direction of your future work?

I feel it’s enabled me to feel more comfortable with my songwriting. I’m able to create without calculating how close I sound to a reference track or genre. It’s been so much easier for me to write now because I have a more clear vision of what I want to create. And it feels good to lean into that.

KEEP UP WITH CARLY SHEA BELOW: