Words by Axel Metz
Ahead of the release of her debut video-single, ‘Time’, we sat down with rising London artist ShySava.
Grace Savva never pictured herself making music. Growing up in Southgate, the 21-year-old had always been a performer first, jumping between dance, drama and performing arts schools as she sought to find her niche. “Before music, I’m a dancer”, she says, “but I grew up surrounded by musicians.”
It was only as she experienced life as a teenager, encountering love, heartbreak and everything in between for the first time that music began to reveal its importance. “It’s really just another way of being honest. Music allows you to articulate those feelings and emotions that can be difficult to confront in everyday life.”
‘Time’, her debut video-single, lays bare that same sense of honesty. Directed by her cousin, Adam Savva, and produced by Powerhouse Records, it’s a faithful portrait of both inner-city London and the life of two young people as they navigate the tight-rope of their emotions – a will-they-won’t-they story which speaks to the experience of anyone who’s been caught in a hazy romantic situation. “I wanted to paint a picture of young love, a day in the life of teenage romance.” The song’s recurring hook – ‘We’ve been taking our time, and you’ve been wanting this for a while’ – nicely captures those bottled-up sensibilities of patience, excitement and giddy expectation typical of two people caught somewhere between friends and feelings.
In ‘Time’, ShySava’s dancing roots are clear to see. Shots of the young artist performing against an urban backdrop are skilfully cut against a fly-on-the-wall sequence following the two through London’s backstreet clothes stores, tube rides, and finally, a pink-skyed escape from the commotion of the capital. Throughout, she carries herself with the energy of a performer beyond her years. “I like to think I bring that Bad B energy; I pride myself on being my own woman. I have to be around people all the time, for sure – my friends are like my family – but I definitely have an independence that I hope comes across in who I am as a performer.”
With influences stretching across the musical spectrum, ShySava doesn’t want to be bound to a single genre. “I don’t want one single type of music to define me as an artist”, she says. “PartyNextDoor, Brent Faiyaz, IAMDDB, Summer Walker – I’m heavily influenced by these guys, but I don’t want to compare myself to anyone. What I respect the most is their honesty as performers; it’s almost as if they have no filters, a confidence to say whatever they think through their music.”
When pressed on politics, she’s quick to stress the importance of education in preventing the spread of misinformation. “Of course, I’m on board with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and would always support those denied a voice by our society – it’s not something that this song, in particular, focuses on, but my music is heavily influenced by Afroswing and I hope my appreciation for that culture comes through. What I would say on politics: think before you speak.”
ShySava is also intent on clarifying that she’s still an average girl, working long shifts with bills to pay, irrespective of her passion for music. “I work a whole lot”, she says, “and I want people to know that. It’s important to have realistic expectations when pursuing something you love – but it’s also important to maintain your ambition despite those expectations.”
So, naturally, we asked her to describe the dream in five years’ time: “I’m not waiting for something crazy, not on the edge of my bed waiting to become famous – to be honest, I’ve never been able to imagine myself having that lifestyle. I want to make music, and I want to know that people enjoy my music.” With the release of ‘Time’, ShySava is on track to achieve just that.
‘Time’ is available on YouTube, Spotify and other major streaming platforms now.
Follow ShySava on Instagram here: instagram.com/shysava