INTERVIEW: The Shindellas

The Shindellas—the emerging Nashville trio blending soul, R&B and pop into what they call New American Soul—are set to release their anticipated new album, Shindo, on October 20 via Weirdo Workshop/Thirty Tigers.

The Shindellas! We are literally so excited to have you! As recent fans we are obsessed with your newest single “Juicy”– seriously, it’s been playing on our headphones at full blast! Now before the magic of this trio, each on your own individual career paths, what led to the crossing of your paths and the creation of The Shindellas? 

It’s starts with songwriting and production duo Chuck Harmony and Claude Kelly. Who wrote and produced for many big names in the music business yet still felt a need to break out of a repetitive cycle that stifled their passion for music. Before giving upentirely, they encouraged each other to do the music business their own way which birthed their company Weirdo Workshop. In this newly found freedom they thought of the idea of The Shindellas, brought it to Stacy first who was singing background vocals in Chucks band and developing as an artist. She loved the idea! They started what was nearly a two year long search for members. Chuck met Kasi years prior at a networking event. They kept in touch via social media and when he reached out, he found Kasi working in Japan and developing her artistry as a solo artist. His question, “How would you like to do this in a girl band?” intrigued her. Kasi came to Nashville to learn more, met the team, heard some music and fell in love. Claude found Tam on Instagram. Her viral singing video came across his page and he nervously messaged her. Tam called and spoke to the team, flew out, fell in love with the idea and a couple months later made the move to Nashville. The rest is history. We all came together, fell in love, and have been growing closer ever since.

Tamara, you were on The Voice. What an experience?! How was this experience? Was it everything you had dreamed and expected it to be? Or... not?

The experience was absolutely amazing! Learned so much about the business, made some lifelong friends and an awesome friend/mentor in coach Cee-Lo and I was able to share my gift on an incredible platform! Doesn’t get much better than that! 

The Shindellas becoming the first R&B group to perform at the CMT Awards ever is so ICONIC. This is a huge accomplishment for women in R&B, and the music industry as a whole! Coming from different backgrounds, how has the soul of Nashville inspired The Shindellas?

The soul of Nashville has definitely inspired us to hone in on our crafts. It has shown us the importance of diversity and perspectives in places like Nashville where the public persona is that country music alone calls Nashville home. We also believe Nashville’s standard of music is great and we uphold that standard and have been welcomed with open arms everywhere we go.

The Shindellas are spicy, sultry, empowering and absolutely f*ckn glamorous. What does it mean to each of you to “find your light?” When writing, how do you incorporate elements of joy in your lyricism?

Tam: Finding your light requires shedding fear and realizing that even on your worst day you’re the best to ever do what you do because no one can do you better than you and that’s your power. And when you’re standing next to two other women who understand and operate from that same place of knowing, it’s empowering and beautiful! A SHINDO. That’s where the joy comes from! Things aren’t always perfect in life, but when writing we’re either writing from a place of triumph or writing to encourage ourselves on the journey towards triumph. 

Stacy: Finding my light means finding the value that I and only I bring to the world and to existence. It means acceptance of self, which leads to peace, joy and so much love. 

Oh my goodness, Kasi here, I think Nina Simone said it best,

“My thing...what I hope to do all the time, is to be so completely myself...that my audiences, people who meet me, are confronted. They’re confronted with what I am, inside and out, as honest as I can be. And this way they have to see things about themselves, immediately.”
I know that the more illuminated I become by allowing my full light to shine, the more clear of a mirror I become for those around me and vice versa. My goal in everything is to allow myself to exist vividly. Full watts. 

In terms of joy in lyrics, it’s the same. there is always joy in the present, so when I am present it naturally becomes part of my expression.

Kasi! Your time at Tokyo Disney as a Jazz Singer sounds like a dream. What was this time like? What did you learn, if anything, at Disney that might be translated into your career now with The Shindellas?

It was!!! 

It was AMAZING! I learned the power of authenticity as an artist. That when you are truly connected emotionally you can transcend time, space, language. It’s all about giving and receiving love, baby. It was a transformative time for me and gave me the confidence to really trust my walk as an artist. I also learned Japanese, got to work with some of the most excellent musicians I know, and made lifelong friendships. I could write an essay on everything I learned working at Disney, but it all comes down to one thing—keep the magic alive. Disney presents a fully immersive magical experience every time. And that’s what I always try to bring to The Shindellas and our fans. Magic. 

Stacy! I’m interested in your work as a Jingle Singer for various commercials– Where to begin?! What was it like creating for sync and how did you first get involved?

Yes I did. It was so much fun. It’s a lot like creating music as an artist where you’re trying to evoke a certain feeling from the listener. I met a family who own a production company in Chicago. They built their business on producing jingles, doing voiceovers and various media productions. I came there for a song writing workshop and fell in love. They saw how passionate I was and invited me to come back. They became my
mentors and eventually God parents and family that encouraged me to express myself through music, playing the guitar, songwriting and performing. My first jingle was with McDonald’s. I sang a two second “bada ba bop bah!” and earned my first check and never looked back. I also did Cheerios and Pillsbury commercial jingles for radio personality Tom Joyner and so much more.  

The Shindellas are the embodiment of a supergroup, and it’s evident in the success of the track “Last Night Was Good For My Soul" which claimed its spot on the Billboard Top 20 R&B Adult Airplay chart earlier this Spring! Tell us about the night that was good for your soul. What does a great night out look like for The Shindellas?!

Being surrounded by friends and family, getting dressed up and enjoying each other‘s company, listening to great music, eating good food. The simple things. 

Lead  bass and glitter. “I’m on the floor with my hands up cause I ain’t afraid to get down,” straight up sounds like a time capsule anthem on your latest single “Ooh La La” What are a few of your favorite instruments to write with that sound both classic and modern? Do you ever record analog?

We’ve had the privilege of writing with our incredible brothers/label owners Louis York, comprised of Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, a super-writing/producing duo. All of our songs, since our debut album, Hits That Stick Like Grits, started around the piano. We come together and have conversations that turn into songs. Chuck will get on the piano and Claude sings down an idea or we take an idea to them and we build from
there. Then when it’s ready, Chuck will lay the piano skeleton first and we sing all of our block vocals and leads over that. Then Chuck takes it and adds all of his flair and by the time the song comes back to us it’s a whole orchestral masterpiece! We literally never know what to expect! But it’s always so exciting and inspiring! We’ve never recorded in analog but would be thrilled to try it! Lol

What is your Gold Moment? *pinch me I can’t believe this is happening, moment!* 

We’ve had so many moments that felt like pinch me am I dreaming?!  Being able to perform at the Black Music honors was one. And having SWV iconic girl group shout us out while accepting their award nearly sent us to heaven. Performing with The War and Treaty and Valerie Simpson at the Lincoln Center was another
moment; a perfect night filled with great music honoring the late Ray Charles. These are just a couple that stick out. And of course, having our single “Last Night Was Good for My Soul” top 15 on Billboard is a HUGE one. Can’t wait for all the *pinch me* moments our upcoming album Shindo brings.

The Shindellas—Tamara Chauniece, Stacy Johnson and Kasi Jones—made history as the first R&B band to perform at the CMT Awards in 2021. In addition to widespread critical acclaim, the trio has tributed Missy Elliott at the Café Mocha Radio Show 2022 Salute THEM Awards ‘My HBCU Joy’ Presented by Toyota Motor North America and AARP, performed at the 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting, Disney’s Dreamers Academy, ESSENCE Festival of Culture, TEDxNashville Women and the 2021 CMA Country Christmas.

Already receiving widespread critical attention, the Nashville Scene asserts, “The trio is a true vocal powerhouse, and they eschew the idea of a lead singer in favor of trading verses and singing in glorious three-part harmony,” while NPR Music praises, “Girl group vocal pop has evolved across many generations, without always getting its due as a legitimate musical tradition…As a sophisticated girl group rising out of the Nashville music-making community, the Shindellas are positioned to defy all these perceptions and more.”

UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

September 23 /// Nashville, TN /// AmericanaFest
October 20 /// 5th Anniversary for The Kenny Smoov Morning Show