shazza: Lyrical Storyteller

Photo of shazza, courtesy of Cross Ratio Entertainment

Shareefa Aminah, better known as shazza, wrote her first song at 11 years old. Twelve years later, she released her debut album, Chapter One.

It is a combination of her catchy tunes and lyrical storytelling that saw shazza shooting to recognition. shazza has since headlined at the Esplanade, went viral in Canadian pop duo Crash Adam’s TikTok for her impressive vocal prowess, and even been featured on the iconic New York Times Square billboard. Now managed by local music label Cross Ratio Entertainment, shazza is juggling completing her university degree with her burgeoning music career.

Influenced by her personal experiences and the likes of Norah Jones and ABBA, shazza’s defining tunes tend to feature a melancholic guitar backing track accompanied by her soulful voice, evident especially in her debut album. That’s not to say that she shies away from experimenting with genres, with tracks such as None Of My Business featuring salsa beats.

“I tell stories through my music, so it means a lot to me when people can connect with my work. It isn’t an easy career, and I truly believe that musicians deserve full credit for their creative works, and having ownership over the IP of our work helps.”

Motivated by both her love for songwriting and the desire to help her fellow hijabi musicians feel seen and represented, shazza is actively and steadily building her listener base, and aims to release her next album in the near future.