Shelectro On the Making of “It’s Creeping In”
How does "It’s Creeping In" reflect your musical journey and growth as an artist?
For years I’ve played and performed music as a band member or DJ but I never had the confidence to go solo. The Covid-19 lockdowns provided me with the extra time and need for focus, which I spent further honing my music production skills. During that time I self-produced and finished several tracks and released them, because I thought if I don’t do this now, then I never will! Following the initial release of my debut EP, ‘If Not Now, Then When?’ in 2021 I have actively sought to write about more causes that are important to me.
I chose the artist name ‘Shelectro’ because most of my songs have a feminist and inclusive message, while still being made to dance to.
As a music producer and lesbian I feel it’s important to raise awareness and explore issues that affect me and people like me. This song is about Impostor syndrome, and that is something that has really got in the way for me over the years. I spent far too long thinking my solo music wasn’t good enough to release, despite the hundreds of hours of practice on production techniques.
What was the initial spark or idea that led to the creation of "It’s Creeping In?"
This song is about impostor syndrome, which is something that has plagued me for many years. As a female DJ and now music producer, I have encountered lots of covert sexism over the years, and I feel that is a contributing factor to why I put off finishing and releasing music for so long. The main spark that led to the creation of this song was a series of all-female jam sessions that I was involved with last year. It was refreshing to be in a room with other women and I reflected on the different dynamic that this presented, rather that the male-dominated environments that I’d been a part of previously.
I also think it’s worth noting that even though now I’m older and more comfortable within myself and more confident in my musical abilities, that impostor syndrome can creep back in at any time and sometimes in the most unexpected circumstances. I need to work hard at keeping it at bay!
What impact do you hope this single will have on your audience?
I hope that the impact will be twofold. For women and individuals from minority groups, I hope it encourages more people to go out and follow their dreams! To not let imposter syndrome stop you from trying because you feel you’re not good enough.
For people in a position of power and privilege, I hope it will encourage them to reflect on their behaviour and the impact it can have on others. I believe that it’s important to raise awareness about the fact that less than 10% of music producers are female and GNC and the recent reports about the music industry being rife with sexism and misogyny.
Over the years, I’ve forgotten so many of subtle sexist encounters that can gradually erase your self-confidence E.g. music conversations being held around but not including me, technical questions being directed to male bandmates, and I’ve literally lost count of the number of times I’ve heard ‘oh, you’re the DJ’ or been asked ‘who produces the music for you?’
How do you channel your emotions and connect with your audience during live performances?
I focus on the reasons behind why I’m doing what I’m doing, and try to stay grounded and conscious of these while I’m performing. Between songs, I also share details about the inspiration for the lyrics and I encourage people to get up and dance!!
How do you balance incorporating new trends while maintaining a unique and timeless production style?
The majority of my Shelectro tracks are disco/electro house/electro pop and are firmly meant to be danced to. As my production skills have improved and I’ve explored other electronic/dance music genres these elements have also been incorporated too. I tend to not focus too much on new trends, because the electro pop and house genres are so varied that my songs all sit quite nicely into those boxes, and I want my music to be unique and stand out too!