Meet Shay Sova

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shay Sova.

Shay, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story started in a really cool way, or at least, I like to think it did. My Dad saw my Mom while he was Dj’ing at the Playboy Club in the early ’80s and told his friends he was going to marry her; three months later, he did just that. I was raised by a DJ and dancing queen so my childhood was a ton of fun. I played with my dad’s turntables. I remember climbing into the high racks of vinyl stored in dusty milk crates in our basement to grab an album to play. I think it’s safe to say that music and its many genres raised me, and made me into the person I am today.

Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road and I still have a long way to go. I remind myself that nothing ever worth having is easy, otherwise, everyone would have it. Putting myself out there for the world to see, proving myself worthy and just going for it has definitely been struggles I’ve had to deal with. Building a career out of what you love to do takes time. You need to perfect your craft, network, market yourself and put yourself out there. The vulnerability of being exposed and putting your all into something, be aware that everyone may see you fail is one of the main reasons some people never go after their dream. Sometimes, I stop and think, “What if I fail horribly?” it’s a legitimate fear of mine. Honestly, though, the fear of never trying and regret scares me even more, so that’s why I push forward.

Proving yourself is something everyone has to do, but I feel like women in this industry really have to prove themselves twice as hard as every individual male’s efforts. The DJ community is mostly men, so when a female wants to join the club we have to work at it. When a woman gets booked, people seem to wonder if she was given that opportunity because she is a woman… or because she’s talented. You usually find out within the first 30 seconds of her mix which reason it was. Although, I’m happy to see that these thought patterns are shifting because so many badass female DJ’s are coming out and making massive strides. When people see a female DJ now, most know she’s worked hard as hell to get there and she’s not just there for the gender diversity in the lineup.

Last is just going for it. It sounds easy, but it’s not. In the beginning, I would take any gig I could get. My instructor once looked at me and said: “Wow, you really have no fear.” I was taken back. It’s not that I have no fear; I’ve been terrified on stage before, mouth dry, shaking, etc. I just look at it this way: if I mess up, it’s a learning experience. I just make sure I prepare myself and go at it like there is no failing. If I go in thinking that failing isn’t an option, I usually come out unscathed on the other side.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I DJ and started to recently produce my own tracks. I like to play mostly Electro and Big Room, but when it comes to the music I make it seems to shape shift a lot depending on my mood. Creating a defined sound as an artist takes time, so I’m not rushing myself. Right now, I’m learning and working with other producers; building my style and constantly learning from them is an amazing experience. I have a feature on a track coming out April 26th called ‘Nothing But All.’ I also have a single coming out May 10th called ‘Bloom’ which I put a lot of my own emotions into, so I’m definitely excited for that to drop. I’m really eager to see how crowds react to both of them.

I think I’m most proud of just being here, pushing myself, and staying true to myself. I share my positivity, spirituality, and quirkiness with the people that follow me while keeping it as real as I can. Life isn’t always flowers, filters, and smiles. Sometimes, experiences seriously suck and take an emotional toll, and I don’t hide that aspect of my life. I think that’s something people appreciate.

Besides DJ’ing, I guess I’m also known for loving owls. I think they are the cutest and hope to build my own sanctuary one day. People send me owl pictures all the time saying it reminded them of me, which makes me super happy. Keep them coming.

What are you striving for, what criteria or markers have you set as indicators of success?
Defining success is hard. I think we all sometimes look at social media and lose ourselves in the comparison black hole. We have to stop comparing our journeys to anyone else’s. Ask yourself, are you improving and growing as a human being? Good, then you’re being successful. I define my success by how happy I am and if I am moving forward. If I am happy doing what I am doing and I am improving and progressing, then I see that as a success.

Contact Info:

• Email: sovamusicmgmt@gmail.com
• Instagram: shaysova
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sovamusicofficial/settings/?tab=settings
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SOVAmusic?lang=en
• Other: https://soundcloud.com/sovaofficial

Image Credit:
Roman Cole, Joshua Andrews

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