It seems as though the month of September came and went like
a swift breeze on a hot summers day: gentle and welcome with a lovely impact
and result. I suppose, this would be one of many ways to describe Edmonton,
Alberta, Canadian born Indie Pop Artist Shay Esposito. There are many
facets to this young lady who has begun blazing a trail so bright that all of
her friends, family, fans, and supporters voted her as the Winner of the October 2015 Starlight Music Chronicles Artist of the Month competition. One of the biggest ways that Shay has
connected to her fans is through the reality of her own life experiences (see
Hope Through Music Below) and it is her empathetic nature that she has been
able to not only heal through her own music, but also to touch the lives of
others with the same struggles she has been working to overcome.
Shay is our third Artist of the Month for Starlight MusicChronicles and we couldn’t be more proud to have such another lovely addition
to what is becoming one of the most talked about and exciting Indie Music
Competitions on a global scale. Shay will be featured alongside her peers and
previous month’s winners: Olivia Rose (August 2015 Winner), and Matt Warface –IAMWARFACE (September 2015 Winner) in our first inaugural Starlight Music
Chronicles Magazine which launches just prior to Halloween 2015.
In addition, Shay will be competing with past and future
alumni in July of next year for the Artist of the Year competition for yearlong
promotion on the Starlight Music Chronicles Website as well as our quarterly
Magazine. We are very excited to have Shay as part of our Artist Alumni and
look forward to supporting her musical journey!
Congrats Shay!
CA Marshall | Editor
Starlight Music Chronicles
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Shay Esposito: HopeThrough Music
Shay isn’t just a
singer; she is a gifted lyricist, a poetry lover, and motivational speaker. Her
lyrics come from her soul and have great meaning and depth. She is a poet who
is gifted with a beautiful voice. There is no greater joy for her then taking
her poetry and arranging it into a song to share with the world. She has merged
her love of singing with her love of writing, which culminated in the release
of “For Annie,” her first full-length album of eight songs in June 2014. Her song
writing has already been noticed in the industry, as she made semi-finalist in
the International Song writing Competition, the finals in the UK Song writing
Competition, and the Top 5 in the It’s Your Shot competition. Shay is an
inspirational speaker, giving talks on the important topic of youth mental health.
Having suffered from depression and anxiety from a young age, she has a unique
ability to reach out and connect with other teens suffering from this illness.
She speaks out on a topic that most teens shy away from and suffer with in
silence. As a result of Shay’s experiences and desire to bring awareness to
this very real issue, she has been invited to speak and perform at several
conference events. Some of the topics Shay speaks about are: depression and
anxiety, self-harm, peer pressure, bullying, warning signs, self-help,
confidence building, coping mechanisms: music, writing, sports, other
youth-specific issues as requested, self-help, and confidence building.
The Program
Shay loves sharing her message of strength and hope with
youth. Her presentation can include a talk and may be accompanied by a
performance of a few original songs or a mini concert. She can present to large
audiences in a dedicated assembly, or small classes on specific topics in a
more intimate setting. Her program fits well with schools’ wellness days, and
with health class curricula covering mental health issues and other mental
health organization presentations. Shay does not ask for a fee for her
presentation, but requests a small honorarium/donation to cover travel costs.
When at a speaking venue, Shay would like to have access to a secure room to
store her belongings and warm up her voice. Standard for vocalists, please
provide Shay with fresh, room temperature water.
__________________________
The Interview - October 3rd
Starlight Music Chronicles | Shay Esposito
SMC - What is your family origin? Did you grow up in
Edmonton?
Shay - I was born in St. Albert and moved out to a
small town called Calahoo when I was six
years old. I grew up and went to school in Sturgeon County.
SMC - How do you feel about being a part of the Starlight
Music Chronicles Alumni?
Shay - I
feel incredibly honored to have won and even have been considered for October’s
Artist of the Month. I am so grateful to SMC and everybody that voted for
me.
SMC - What kinds of
things do you hope to be able to promote in your month-long feature on SMC?
Shay - I hope to promote mental health awareness as
well as myself as an artist and motivational
speaker.
SMC - How many public
speaking events have you been to to date?
Shay - In the last
year I have spoken/performed at between 15- 20 events
SMC - Where were they?
Shay - Most of my speaking/performing opportunities
have been within schools in Edmonton and
the surrounding areas. Although I have presented at schools and
conferences throughout Alberta. I spoke at a Conference called Dream Big (a
conference to empower young women,) Shaping the Future (a conference
put on by Ever Active Schools catering to health care Practitioners
and educators), Stories that Matter (an event to celebrate sharing
stories of success for teens, The Jack Satellite Summit (a student led organization
to bring awareness to mental illness and suicide prevention) and at
several health and wellness summits hosted by schools within the education system.
SMC - What
satisfaction do you get out of your public speaking engagements?
Shay - It’s
a very heart-warming feeling to know that I am making a difference in the lives of
those that have been suffering with mental illness. It aids my own healing as
well knowing that I can make a difference.
SMC - What
is you most favorite song for getting your point across about teens suffering
with bullying,
mental health issues, or suicidal thoughts?
Shay - My
favorite song to share is I See Everything, off of my album For Annie because it
speaks directly from my darkest days and I think it’s relatable to anyone that
has ever felt different.
SMC - What advise do you have for teens struggling every day
with this?
Shay - My
advice is to start living life for yourself. Start doing what makes you happy and
forget about what other people think. Focus on your own well being because
that’s the only way you’ll truly be able to help yourself.
SMC - What was your coping mechanism?
Shay - My coping mechanism was making music. Singing
and writing was my outlet for me and
it’s how I released all of the emotions I couldn’t talk about.
SMC - Who was your mentor?
Shay - I
have had may mentors over the years, vocal coaches, friends, family, my sister and
of course my parents. I can’t really pick just one. I wouldn’t be where I am
without the guidance and support of every person in my life.
SMC - Who is your music mentor
Shay - I
would say my biggest music mentor is Trey Mills. He is an artist manager and Juno
nominated producer. He really believes in me and has been an amazing
friend and invaluable source of information. He produced my album and I rely
heavily on him for guidance in this crazy music industry.
SMC - Who have you written a song with lately?
Shay - I
have been writing all of my songs on my own. My producer has helped me with some
arrangements and melodies but the lyrics are all mine. I haven’t yet had the
opportunity to do any co-writing.
SMC - Is there any
new music we can look for coming out in the next few months?
Shay - We
have a few songs that are nearly finished, with a few more in production. Hopefully I
will have some new music out for my fans soon!
SMC - Are there any exciting tours you can leak any
information about?
Shay - I
just confirmed a gig in Winnipeg. I have been invited to sing a song or two with Robb
Nash at an arena show in November. Robb is one of my biggest inspirations
so to be able perform with him is going to be amazing. I have also
recently booked a 5-school tour in northern Alberta the end of November
which I am pretty excited about.
SMC - Who is your
most favorite person to collaborate to date with and why?
Shay - I haven’t done a lot of collaborations yet. I
have really only worked with my producer
Trey Mills. I do love working with him, he understands me and how I think and
we really work well together.
SMC - Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Shay - I
would love to do a collaboration with the band La Dispute. I think they are amazing
writers and their lyrics are really captivating. To be able to work with them
would be a dream come true.
SMC - What would be your dream tour as an opening act?
Shay - I would love to be an opening act to a band
like Paramore, or a singer like Lana Del
Ray, or any of those amazing female powerhouses with unique voices and
unique styles.
SMC - Who are your influences?
Shay - Lyrically,
I would say my influences come from a band called La Dispute. They are
powerful and clever writers and they set the bar that I hope to reach with
my own writing some day. Vocally, I would say Hayley Williams of Paramore is
a great influence.
SMC - How has your family been supportive?
Shay - My family has always been very supportive and
invested in my music, coming to
all of my shows and always looking for more gigs for me to play, paying for
years of vocal lessons and driving me all over the city for workshops
and performances. I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive family to
back me on such an up and down path.
SMC - How do you feel about competing with 11 other winning
Artists of the Month next year for a year-long free promo spot on Starlight
Music Chronicles?
Shay - I’m excited to be a part of it and I’m going to give
it my all!
SMC - Have you song
written with anyone before and if so, who is your fave?
Shay - I
haven’t had an opportunity to write with anyone else yet. The hard thing about
co-writing, is finding a middle ground between too drastically different artists.
There are a lot of artists in my area but stylistically it’s tough to find someone
similar to me. That being said, I would love to give it a try.
SMC - What was/is your coolest fan experience?
Shay - My
coolest fan experience was after a speech and performance I did in Grand Prairie as a
junior high school. There was this group of girls that just latched on to me
after the show like I was a friend they’d known their whole lives. It’s a great
feeling because that shows me that I really connected with them on stage and I
got through to them on an emotional level.
SMC - What was your worst or scariest fan experience?
Shay - My
scariest fan experiences have all happened over twitter. I’m sure everyone can
relate to this. Guys are very direct and very creepy over twitter.
SMC - Tell us 5 things that no one knows about you
Shay - Five
things that no one knows about me.
1. I love to
take baths. They’re my favorite pastime, I seriously take one
every day. I
will put off going out with my friends because I haven’t
taken a bath
yet that day. I will refuse my Dad’s amazing cooking
because I
want to take a bath.
2. I’m an
anime fangirl. Always have been, always will be.
3. I’m
terrified of moths. And I mean terrified.
4. I’m in
love with penguins. I want like at least eight.
5. While all
of that makes me sound like a dainty little fragile girl, I’m also one of the
most fiercely protective people you will ever meet. That means you do
not mess with the people close to me because I will end you.
SMC- Who would you
like to thank for getting you to where you are today?
Shay - I
would like to thank my parents and my sister for always supporting me and pushing me to
work hard. Bernard Quilala for being my vocal coach for years and helping
me realize my sound. Trey Mills, my producer, for being a great mentor and
friend throughout our working together. Bryan Hetherman for seeing
potential in me and putting me in touch with the people I needed to take my
career to the next level. And finally, every fan, friend, or family member that
has ever believed in me and stood by me whenever I needed them. Thank
you!
SMC - What would you call your fashion edge?
Shay - I
honestly don’t know, I’m pretty hopeless when it comes to fashion. Maybe that’s my
edge. “I don’t know what I’m doing but it’s kind of working for me!”
SMC - Any tattoos? If so, what are they are what are their
meanings?
Shay - I
have one tattoo (so far) and it’s a bow on my left index finger. I got it to represent a
promise I’d made to myself to never self-harm again.
SMC - What have you
noticed is your audience range?
Shay - My
audience range is fairly broad. I’ve found that I can direct my music at teens, and
gain an even larger following by enveloping their family members, parents,
teacher and peers into that equation.
SMC - Any new videos
coming out soon?
Shay - Right now I am working on some my EP so that
is going to take priority. Once my EP
is done I would love to create a music video for one of my songs. That said if
the right opportunity presented itself to do a new video on one of my current
songs I would seriously consider it.
SMC - What qualities do you dislike in others?
Shay- Pretentiousness, the need to demean, the need to feel superior, and general selfishness.
SMC - What qualities do you admire?
Shay - I admire honesty. “Honest” is probably one of the
hardest descriptions to pin to someone without any doubt.
SMC - Do you feel you have gotten a lot of peer support over
the years?
Shay - Peer support is tough because when you’re growing up,
your peers don’t want to see you succeed more than they have succeeded. That
being said, I have a few very close friends that have supported me unendingly
from the very start. Those are the type of friends you shouldn’t ever let go
of.
SMC - How
was/is it like attending school knowing your vocation? Are your friends
supportive of your career
choice?
Shay - My friends are very supportive. That’s why they’re my
friends. In high school, you meet people that have common interests with you,
and I spent all of my time with the music kids because they understood me and
supported me. Everyone always has those few people that don’t believe in them
or think they’re not going to succeed, and maybe it’s worse when you’re still
in high school, but it’s easy to ignore when you have as good of friends as I
did.
SMC - What
advice would you give to children or teens wanting to pursue a career in the
music industry or
the arts?
SMC - Where do you plan on touring with your public speaking
campaigns in the future?
Shay - I would like to do a cross-Canada tour. That’s my
first goal because if I can touch a nation, I can change an entire generation’s
views on mental illness.
SMC - Name three quirky things about yourself that fans
would find interesting
Shay - Three quirky things about me:
1. I am
obsessed with the Legend of Zelda. I’ve played Twilight Princess seven times.
The only Zelda games I haven’t played are the Gameboy advance games because I
never had one BUT I’m an adult now and I can buy myself a Gameboy advance so
just you wait.
2. I love
books. They’re the perfect escape. Also, I fall in love with book characters
and I am not ashamed.
3. If you haven’t caught on already, I’m
actually a real dweeb and the fact that so many people tell me “it’s so ‘cool’
that you’re a singer” and “oh you’re a public speaker? ‘cool!’” is actually
hysterical to me. If only they knew.
SMC - What is the first five songs playing in your iPod?
Shay - Alright, I
shuffled my music and these are the first five songs to play. (1) Skeleton Key
by Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s (2) Self-Disclosure by A Bullet for
Pretty Boy (3) Windows by Awolnation (4) In Your Eyes by Kate Boy (5) Million
Dollar Man by Lana Del Ray.
SMC - If you had to do it all over again, would you? What
would you differently?
Shay - I wouldn’t do anything over again. Every mistake I’ve
made has made me who I am, and I like who I am today.
SMC - How do
you feel about winning October Artist of the Month AND being featured in the
first ever Edition of
Starlight Music Chronicles Magazine?
SMC - Are there any
final words or things you would like to share with your fans?
Shay - Just thank you for supporting me, I wouldn’t be where
I am today without all of my amazing family and friends and I feel incredibly
honored to know that you’re all rooting for me!
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Upcoming Live Show Dates for Shay Esposito:
October 10th - Judge the Grand Finals - Edmonton Singing Competition
October 27th - Emcee, speaker and performer and HASS (Healthy Active School Symposium)
October - November - 5 day tour Northern Alberta Schools - dates TBA
November 16th, 2015 - Invited to sing on stage with Robb Nash at one of his concerts.
___________
BIO (as per the Artist`s website)
Shay Esposito – Bio Shay Esposito has been singing and
writing her entire life. She has had the honor of singing at many fundraising
events, helping to raise money for various charities and has become a strong
advocate in the youth mental health movement. In 2013, 15-year old Esposito
became the youngest Artist to receive a Rawlco Radio 10k20 Project Grant. As a
result, Shay recorded and released her debut album in June, 2014 and has gone
on to receive worldwide recognition. Esposito was nominated for “Best Underage
Recording of the year” - Edmonton Music Awards, 2013, “Rising Star” – Edmonton
Music Awards, 2014 & 2015, “Rising Star,” semi finalist in the 2013 &
2014 International Songwriting Competition, and her song “Medication” was a
finalist in the 2014 UK Songwriting Competition. Esposito was also a Top 5
Finalist in Canada’s “It’s Your Shot” Songwriter Competition which is run by
Slaight Music, in partnership with Warner Music Canada. In addition to singing
and songwriting, Esposito is an inspirational speaker, speaking to teens,
educators and healthcare practitioners on the importance of being yourself,
following your dreams, never giving up, anxiety, mental illness, and
depression. She believes strongly that by sharing her own struggle,
perseverance and triumph over depression and anxiety she can bring some
awareness to the issues surrounding youth mental health. Shay was a keynote
speaker for the Dream Big conference and Shaping the Future conference as well
as the Jack Satellite Summit. She has traveled throughout Alberta speaking to
students and educators in the school setting about this very important topic.
As a result of her work she has been nominated for Alberta’s Great Kids award
in addition to Emerging artist – St. Albert Mayor’s Recognition of the Arts
Award. Esposito is a gifted singer, and thoughtful lyricist with an important
message for her peers. Her lyrics are honest and real and touch on subjects
more typically uncommon in popular music. Big things are in the future for this
young artist.
_________________
Shay`s Social Media:
Website: www.shayesposito.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shayesposito.music
Twitter: @Shay_Esposito
Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/shayesposito
