SHY FLW TALKS LOTUS
"Releasing songs I’m genuinely proud of"
Daniel John
What is ‘Lotus’ about?
'Lotus' is about a connection that feels slow and intentional, almost like time stands still when you’re with someone. The lotus became a symbol of that, two people stepping into their power together and blooming in their own little world. It’s about being confident in what you feel and letting yourself be seen without on your own terms, knowing that the moment is fleeting and worth being fully present for.
What feelings come with releasing your music into the universe, is that a fleeting moment you feel confident navigating?
I feel like I’ve reached a place with my music where I’m only releasing songs I’m genuinely confident in and proud of, and it hasn’t always been like that. I’m really starting to find my sound and it means a lot to think there are people out there who might find joy in it too, so more than anything, I get excited to share my work with the world. Of course, there are stressful parts of releasing music, especially as an independent artist. I have to plan and schedule everything myself, plus I handle all the admin behind the scenes, not my favourite part, but it has to be done. I remind myself that the only person who can get me where I want to be is me. I just have to put in the work and I know it will all be worth it. My motto is “stay delusional.” Truly.
You actually wrote this song fairly recently, how did it come to bloom?
'Lotus' definitely wouldn’t exist without the songwriters James and Amy and Michael, producer. Before our session in August, James and I were walking around the Botanical Garden in Copenhagen, and when we sat down in the studio the first thing he said was, “What about lotus?” From there, the song just came naturally.
Does it usually come together that naturally for you?
In my experience, it totally depends on the day. Some days I feel really inspired and can write a song I love in one go, and other days I’ll sit for hours and still can’t even finish the hook. It is not something I can force, and that is okay. Sometimes you have to get all the bad ideas out to make room for the good ones.
Do you see most clearly focusing in on your own voice or do you prefer to bring with other people into your process?
When I am writing by myself, I can get stuck in my own head and have a hard time getting out of it. That’s why I love writing with other people, they bring a different perspective and help me see and hear things I wouldn’t notice on my own. I love being in a session where everyone’s just vibing and throwing out ideas without judgement, that’s how you really get to know each other and understand each other’s strengths. That said, it doesn’t work with just anyone. People are different, and some collaborations click better than others. I feel like I’ve found a group of people who really get my vision, and they’re my friends just as much as they’re my colleagues.
While I guess most of your growth as shy FLW has happened after you left, you did grow up in Norway, has your music managed to make its way back there do you feel like or are most of your listeners now away from home?
I feel very fortunate that people back home are so supportive and seem to be enjoying my music. It’s so fun when I get sent videos of people hearing my music on the radio. Norway is definitely one of the countries that stream my music the most!
How did you come to start making music, was it something you found early on?
I actually never planned on becoming a songwriter. Growing up, I only ever wanted to be a singer. I sang in cover bands and eventually got into musical theatre. Writing wasn’t something I even considered and I honestly just assumed I wouldn’t be good at it, it wasn’t until I had songwriting as a module at uni, and basically had to do it, that I realised how much I loved it. Now it’s one of my favourite parts of making music. I’m obsessed with catchy melodies and fun lyrics.
Being both unfiltered and confident in your music, neither of which comes easily to anyone, creating that space and making it look effortless, probably did take a lot of effort. How do you view what it’s taken to fully own your artistic voice?
Moving away from home has played a huge role in helping me grow, both as a person and as an artist. Being in new and challenging situations and having to build a life from scratch in a completely different place, pushes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to embrace change. My friends have been my biggest supporters and many of them are artists too, so we really understand each other and lift each other up. I make sure to surround myself with people who let me be fully myself and who hype me up when I need it. Writing music is what makes me feel the most confident. No one can tell me what my music should sound like or what I should write. It’s my space to let out a side of myself that doesn’t always get to shine in everyday life.
Do you feel that you truly have a grasp on it now?
I definitely feel I have a stronger grasp on my artistic voice now but I’m also always evolving. There’s always room to grow.
