Shawna Mann

There are moments where I’m reminded of who I am.

Like, when I listen to the songs I thought were the peak of music production in middle school.

(Find You by Zedd still remains to be an incredible song.)

Almost everyday I listen to an album I’ve never heard before.

Some of them, are by artists I know and love such as Chaka Khan, the Cocteau Twins, Paul Simon, and Empire of the Sun.

Others are a novelty to me such as Steely Dan, Grupo Frontera, and jazz legend Charles Mingus.

The art of the album is a storytelling means to step into another world.

I never know if I’m going to like it or not and that’s the most thrilling part. I recommend everyone to give it a try.

Sound is transformational and I like taking on new versions of myself.

Continuously expanding my musical library will also benefit me in case I ever get the opportunity to be a music supervisor for a film.

Feature me, supervising the music! I can see it now.

I’m already compiling the perfect montage and credit song playlists as we speak.

The psychology of music and its association to how we remember things is intriguing to me.

I know its powerful, because of the visceral reactions I experience, and you probably do too.

Some songs I listen to on repeat, and others I avoid at all costs.

What both of these groups have in common, is that I love them. However, emotional reactions may vary. Ha ha.

A lot of sounds inspire my visual creativity. And that’s where I begin to conceptualize videos.

What do I see when I hear this?

That question is the answer to why I love music so much.

It leaves room for interpretation and for my imagination to soar.

The majority of my life I’ve studied music theory and been a classically trained pianist. And for the past year, I’ve been learning guitar.

Understanding how certain chord progressions, dynamics, and accidentals shape songs allows you to listen more closely.

An informed, educated, sonic understanding, if you will.

It changes everything.