Sherise D’souza is a dynamic vocalist and songwriter based in Mumbai, India. She writes and performs songs in various genres including Funk, Pop, Country, Blues, Rock n Roll, Reggae, Pop, Western Classical, Jazz, as well as her own compositions. She has performed all over India, as well as in Germany, France, Ireland, and London as part of various choirs and collectives. Most recently, she has collaborated and performed with world-renowned multi-instrumentalist, Shaun LaBelle. She currently leads the ‘Sherise Collective,’ a high energy and versatile band that delivers super-charged soul-stirring performances.
With that said, The Crafty Musician Blog is very proud to feature Sherise D’souza in this month’s edition of Artist Spotlight…
So what got you into music in the first place and how long have you been writing and performing?
The first thought that comes to mind is – my parents and my grandmother. My dad was always an entertainer with his guitar and my mom was in a band too. My grandmother was a western classical singer. My parents encouraged me to sing in church, join professional choirs, from when I was around 8 years old. It’s been more than 20 years, developing my voice. Being in singing groups and choirs taught me to listen and blend with multiple voices and personalities. I decided to also grow as a solo artist, pursue my passion, and trained with some local experts to have the vocal strength and ability to perform for long periods of time. As a solo performer with my own curated setup and bands, I have been performing for 5+ years.
It sounds like you grew up surrounded by music. Tell us more about your time in the singing groups and what you learned from that experience…
I was in various music groups for about 15 years before starting my own band. It was a fabulous experience as I got to tour around the world with these groups. We performed all over India, as well as Germany, France, London, and Ireland. I gained a greater understanding of the planning and execution that’s required to make a large scale performance or tour possible. It was also great to learn how to adapt to different personalities and be part of a collective sound.
So you were in various groups for a long time. Were there any challenges you ran into while transitioning to a solo artist?
In the groups I had to learn all the singing techniques; controlled breathing, correct pitching, and timing- now there was no one to coach or correct me but myself. I also had to build confidence in myself and my own image. I suffered from low self-confidence due to peer pressure and many of my friends and neighbors knew me as a shy and quiet girl. It took a lot of courage to convince myself that I needed to speak out as I had a lot of positivity and goodness to offer. My goal was to get on stage in front of a crowd of strangers and turn them into my new best friends. It was a tough ask – a big risk.
Wow, that’s pretty amazing that you’ve been able to overcome your struggles in confidence and self-image and perform in front of complete strangers. What was your first solo show like?
My first show was at one of the best clubs in the city. It was a five-piece band show and my friends who were already doing a lot of shows very politely agreed to play with me. I was very nervous before the show, but as soon as I got on stage I transformed and felt a natural transition into that role. Also, since I had trained to be a trainer, I already possessed the skill to make an audience feel at home and happy with my presence. The show turned out to be a success and the audience enjoyed every bit of it. From then on, I started gaining more confidence and improving my stage presence and performance.
That’s awesome! Was there anything you learned during this transition that you can share with other artists in groups that may be aspiring to go out on their own?
I learned that there is a lot of trial and error whilst getting into the music scene alone. There are a lot of times when mistakes are made; bloopers happen. Sometimes even bad decisions are made, but one should not lose heart and must learn from those mistakes. Those mistakes are ultimately blessings. Without mistakes, I would just be trudging along in the dark with no idea what I did correctly and what I avoided correctly.
I really like your positive take on mistakes. So do you do anything else for income besides perform?
Yes, besides my music I also have a corporate job where I’m an innovator, Instructional Designer, Developer, and Technical Writer. My work is very creative and it varies. I have backgrounds in technology, Human Resources, Instructional Design, Game Design, Training, Voice Over, and many other spheres, so my deliverables for the corporate world vary. I believe in being flexible!
It sounds like your corporate job is just a cool as your music career! How are you able to balance both music and the job?
It’s because I have a passion for both spheres. I take it all very seriously. It’s like having a family and having a job. Both are responsibilities that need to be tended to separately. But they need to be nurtured equally. For me it has always been about caring and leaving my mark and my signature in everything that I do – writing, cooking, making music, communicating, making learning material, training, modeling, lending my voice for ads or corporate trainings, etc. There is always an element of “Sherise” In everything that I do. I have always believed in listening to my inner voice and my intuition and having faith in God. My faith and religious beliefs have kept me steadfast and logical and kept me on the right path throughout my journey in the entertainment and corporate industry.
It also sounds like for a long time you were just singing covers but have since started writing your own songs as well, is that correct?
Yes, it is always simultaneous for me. I love doing both. Performing covers of brilliant artists have inspired my own writing. It has given me a pattern to follow while writing as well as the balance of various instruments and the reasons for having certain instruments in certain parts of the song.
What types of venues do you typically perform at?
I perform at restaurants, clubs, and casinos, as well as five-star hotels, weddings, corporate exhibitions and shows, music festivals, and cultural exhibitions. I also do private shows at client’s homes. I love performing for all types of audiences and I tailor my setlist according to the audience that’s at the venue.
How do you go about booking your shows? Do you do the booking yourself or does someone else do it for you?
Currently I manage my own show schedule and I many a times work with event companies and booking agents to slot me into their requirements.
Is there anything you’ve learned from the booking process?
I have learned how to negotiate and work with budgeting. I have also learned where to draw the line on what I am worth. I am a fair agent and a hard taskmaster where it comes to quality. I believe in giving the audience something spectacular which they can take as memories forever. When I negotiate with venues and agents, I always tell them straight up what my plans for the show are and give them a picture of what the show will be like and why it’s worth that much.
+ Related Article: 5 Elements of a Strong Booking Pitch to Get More Music Gigs
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What are some challenges or obstacles that you’ve had to overcome on your journey as an artist?
1. Finding my style and my voice: Whilst singing with various groups and choirs, I ended up doing so many different types of music in a group format. I gradually discovered I had a voice that I could share with others. Being influenced by some of these great songwriters of the world like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Shania Twain, etc. I began writing my own songs.
2. Balancing music and a Corporate Job: There were times where I was faced with tough choices whether to devote my time and energy to my corporate career or pursue music. However, I’ve succeeded at both.
3. External conflicts: Some other obstacles include: unco-operative venues, teamwork challenges, deferred gig payments, fake middlemen and event/artist managers, dealing with music contracts with unnoticeable fine print, etc.
You listed a whole bunch of conflicts you’ve run into. Can you tell us more about any of these that were really bad?
When venues or clients don’t treat artists with the respect that they deserve and transfer payments on time, it becomes very difficult for the artist to manage payments to vendors that he or she has hired such as a live sound engineer, rented sound equipment, and especially band members. There have been many instances where I had to pay out of my own pocket before the venue could complete the payment. Sometimes the payments take more than three months to clear.
Yeah, we’ve had people take 3 months to pay us before as well. What are some things you’ve learned from these experiences?
I have learned how to be assertive and manage expectations and deal with both clients and vendors. I have also learned how to ensure that all parties are happy to have an association with me
You also mentioned teamwork challenges…What are some things you’ve learned when it comes to leading a band?
1. Everyone has a valid point, so you should listen and learn. No one person is most important in a band. All members are equally important. If someone wants the take the lead with a great idea or execution path, others should listen. Its the agile way!
2. Everyone should be equally motivated in the band’s cause and vision and it’s the leader’s job to build that motivation. At any point, leaders can become followers and vice versa because situations change and people have multiple priorities.
3. Be practical. Sometimes things don’t work as planned. Improvisation is key – on stage as well as off stage. It’s important to handle things sensitively and gradually. Being direct and task-oriented is not always practical. There has to be people orientation in equal proportion to the task orientation.
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. What are some of the accomplishments you’ve had in your music career thus far that you are most proud of?
I’ve completed around 600+ shows and have performed at some of the premier music venues in my city such as Hard Rock Cafe, Stables, the Finch, as well as Weddings, Corporate shows, and private parties across the country. l enjoy satisfying the taste of various types of audiences and making them groove to my music.
I also enjoyed performing my original music at singer-songwriter showcases. My covers as well as original compositions are trending on YouTube. I have managed to creatively capture various themes and moods for various songs through my music videos. I have 20k+ fans of my music across platforms.
What advice do you have for people looking to pursue a career in music?
Believe in your own abilities and your own gifts. Everyone has their own journey. Don’t sweat the small stuff and look at music as an art form and not as a competition.
Can you tell us about some projects you have in the works and where you would like your music career to be in 3-5 years? (Assuming the Coronavirus will be over soon and that things will shortly thereafter go back to ‘normal’)
I have released some singles along with their music videos and I look forward to releasing a full-fledged album in the coming years.
I have band projects in the works and I would love to be able to represent my work at various music festivals across the globe.
What is your favorite equipment to use for either performing or recording music or videos? (Please try to include make and model)
For home recordings, I use a Shure SM58 microphone, a Steinberg Ur22 audio interface, a Windows Laptop, a Bose Home Speaker 500, and Shure SE215 in-ear monitors.
For shows, I again use the Shure SM58 microphone, Shure SE215 in-ear monitors, and an iPad.
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Where can our readers find you online?
You can find me on my website. I’m also on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, and Instagram.
Well thank you so much Sherise for sharing your story and we wish you the best!
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