Shantaia is entering a new chapter in her music career.
The Spiritwood, Saskatchewan bred, Nashville-based country artist introduces her fans to a smoldering new sound with the release of her first song in over a year titled “What I Wouldn’t Do.”
Available now on all music streaming platforms — and currently spinning on Canadian Country Radio — the track was co-written by Shantaia with longtime collaborator Ryan Sorestad, and Grammy Award-winner Curt Chambers. According to her team, What I Wouldn’t Do” oozes with creative confidence as Shantaia raises the bar on her artistry. The track is paired with the release of a stunning performance video, bathed in the warm glow of vintage nostalgia.
Of its creative process, Shantaia tells Celeb Secrets Country, “Writing it was so cool, Curt started playing the bass line and I just started singing ‘What I Wouldn’t Do, oo, oo, When it comes to you, oo, oo’ and from there, Curt, Ryan and myself had a song finished within an hour. Making the demo was so much fun as Curt can literally play any instrument. Bringing it into the studio with Curt and Brad was extremely fun. It was like putting a unique puzzle together, blending all of our ideas and genres together. I couldn’t imagine working on it with anyone else!”
Celeb Secrets Country sits down with Shantaia (virtually) to learn more about the song, her new sound and era of music, and what she hopes to achieve this year. With a jam-packed summer ahead of her, the country songstress is set to release new music as well as bring her fresh new vibe to festival stages across North America.
For more on Shantaia and her music, keep scrolling for our Q&A below, and don’t forget to spin “What I Wouldn’t Do” and let us know what you think of the song by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecretscountry.
You can connect with Shantaia by giving her a follow on TikTok at @shantaia.music and Instagram at @shantaiamusic.
Celeb Secrets Country: For those who are just getting to know you, who is Shantaia?
Shantaia: “Just a small town girl from Spiritwood, Saskatchewan that has been residing in Nashville Tennessee for almost 4 years now! I grew up riding horses, singing country music and it’s brought me to so many cool and amazing places!”
CSC: Can you briefly touch on your musical beginnings and how you got to where you are today?
S: “My parents put me in singing lessons at the age of 3, piano shortly after and guitar at 6. I started writing songs at age 9 and I guess you could say the rest is history! I’ve been lucky enough to have a top 40 single at Canadian Country radio, and recently won the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase which lead me to work on releasing this next single with Universal Music Canada. I get to play some incredible festivals this summer like main stage at Cavendish Beach Music Festival and Boots and Hearts, as well as the SCMA awards broadcast where I have 5 nominations!”
CSC: Your new single “What I Wouldn’t Do” is officially here. How does it feel knowing that the song you worked so hard on is finally out for people to hear?
S: “Scared, and anxious, to be completely honest with you! It’s a new sound for me and even though I love it, it’s scary wondering if fans will also love it or reject it.”
CSC: We know that it’s been a year since you’ve released music, and “What I Wouldn’t Do” ushers in an entirely new era and sound for you. What made you come to the realization that you wanted to shift gears from what you’ve previously released and how did you settle on this particular sound?
S: “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do but felt I was leaning more into playing ‘the game’ and tailoring my sound to something that would be more likely to get played on the radio or put on a playlist. It’s a risk I decided I’m willing to take now, as I’ve realized that you can mold yourself into what you think other people want but there’s still no guarantee it’ll get played on the radio or make its way on a playlist. So I decided I might as well be different and carve my own path, even if it’s not the popular route! I’ve always had a soulful voice, it’s just something that comes naturally to me to it was a no brainer to go into this direction!”
CSC: What was it about “What I Wouldn’t Do” that made you want to release it now?
S: “The world needs more vibes! It just felt like the right one to launch me into this new era of music!”
CSC: Can you tell us more about the creative process behind the song — working with Curt and Brad — and how it came about?
S: “Writing it was so cool, Curt started playing the bass line and I just started singing ‘What I Wouldn’t Do, oo, oo, When it comes to you, oo, oo’ and from there, Curt, Ryan and myself had a song finished within an hour. Making the demo was so much fun as Curt can literally play any instrument. Bringing it into the studio with Curt and Brad was extremely fun. It was like putting a unique puzzle together, blending all of our ideas and genres together. I couldn’t imagine working on it with anyone else!”
CSC: What are some of your favorite memories from making “What I Wouldn’t Do?”
S: “I loved every moment of it. I was so excited to be so heavily involved in the production side of it that we even credited me as a co-producer on the track. So I don’t think I can pick a specific moment, there were so many!
CSC: Is there a certain story or message you are trying to portray with your music? If so, what is it and why?
S: “This is a desperate love song. It’s having that “id die for you” kind of love for someone and how you’d go to the ends of the earth for them.”
CSC: Can you tease anything else you have coming up for the rest of the year?
S: “Nothing to tease! The video dropped with the single, the tour dates are announced for the summer, and I can’t wait to see everyone out on the road!”
CSC: What’s one thing or goal you’d like to achieve this year?
S: “So many things! haha! I’d love to see if we can get this song to top 30 on the radio charts in Canada, and would love to see it get some love on social media!”
CSC: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have a secret (fun fact) about both yourself and making “What I Wouldn’t Do” that we wouldn’t know just by following you on social media + listening to the song?
S: “I’m a pretty open book with my fans, but a little secret about me is I love chocolate and while producing WIWD, Brad had mint chocolates at his studio and I would steal 2 every studio day. Oops!”
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