Shara Strand Reflects on Her Music Journey and What's Ahead

From early songwriting in kindergarten to creating her debut album, Shara shares her creative process and future music plans.

Today we have the pleasure to have Shara Strand on Goathead

GHR: Hi Shara, great to have you here. What inspires you to write music?

Shara: Life's beautiful moments inspire me to write music. I've loved being a songwriter since my earliest memories, writing songs on the playground at Kindergarten recess. I love telling stories about the highs and bumps of life. Music is magic, timeless, and a powerful proclamation of everything you believe as an art form. There's nothing better than figuring out a song and hitting the studio with a professional engineer to bring the vision to life. In the past year, I've had the chance to watch my visions come to life in the best way possible. When I started out, I had to rely on a team to bring the art to life, and we achieved some cool things. Now, everything is written and brought to life from my own vision. Over the past few years, I've gone through a significant transformation, and I want to share what I appreciate with the beautiful souls who resonate with it.

GHR: Can you share your journey as an artist and how you got started in music?

Shara: I started in professional theater at age 12, got my equity card by 14, and earned my BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. I was in a performing singing group when I was really young, performing all over my home state, New Jersey. By the time I graduated college, I wanted to take the next step and became a pop singer/songwriter. I'm pretty driven, so I dove right in, built a team, and toured all over the United States. Some of my favorite performances were at outdoor festivals like Market Days in Chicago and many Pride festivals, especially Atlanta. I also performed in dance clubs, with one of the most fun experiences being live performances with dancers at Rich's nightclub in San Diego. In NYC, I've had the honor of performing at iconic venues like The Apollo and The Bitter End, where I had a residency. With the D1 music label, I also did a promotional tour for my two Billboard dance/pop singles, "I Will Carry You" and "RSVP."

GHR: How do you get inspired when writing songs? Can you walk us through your creative process?

Shara: I get really inspired by hearing a track first. Music is everything to me, so that's where it all begins. After spending time with a track that resonates with me deeply, the themes for the song start to come to the forefront. I keep notes of everything, revisiting and refining until the song feels perfect. Watching a song come to life is incredibly exciting! It's almost like solving a puzzle in music form. Sometimes it takes months to finish a song, and sometimes it will be fully written in less than an hour.

GHR: How important is intention in your music?

Shara: Everything I do is with intention. At this point in my life, everything I want to say to the world comes from an authentic place. It's really important for me to share powerful moments that are life-changing and awe-inspiring. I ask my higher self what it wants other souls to hear, and I surrender to the process. I want my music to fill people with strength, love, and power. Creating art through my music feels like such a privilege.

GHR: What’s next for you in music? Any exciting upcoming releases?

Shara: I have some exciting single releases coming up, with the next one out in April! These releases will lead up to my debut album, and I'm currently editing all the songs in the studio. So much is happening, and I can’t wait for what’s next!

Don’t forget to follow Shara on Instagram and Listen To Anthem On All Streaming Platforms