Isla Noon has quickly become one of this year’s most exciting fresh artists, with her touchingly introspective and ambitiously cinematic debut track ‘Summer in August’ released at the very end of 2020.
Now Isla Noon, real name Shani Sauerman, is almost ready to follow that track with ‘Talk About Us,’ an even gutsier, more refined single, showcasing her growth over the past several months. ‘Talk About Us’ takes a poppier, more sophisticated approach to her production style, presenting an even greater range of emotion and personality than her previous single.
Bigpop has been stoked to accompany Shani on her journey over the past three years, developing her songwriting ability and building a close relationship with producer and engineer, Maude Minnie Morris. Throughout our partnership, Shani continues to surprise and impress, already pulling interest from commercial radio even before the track’s release.
Shani’s love for music has organically drawn her into the Bigpop orbit; “I wrote little songs as a child, just singing,” she said. “A few years later I picked up guitar so I could play what I was writing.” That passion for songwriting soon pulled Shani towards a Bachelor of Music at the University of Auckland, where she was first introduced to Bigpop.
“That was when I really stepped into a more professional work ethic,” said Shani, “as I met more people in the music industry, I was referred for vocal work at a few studios in Auckland, mostly with Bigpop.”
“I signed onto Bigpop Records in 2017 and have been developing under this label ever since.”
That’s far from the end of Shani’s story, though. We’ve provided full studio access and an unrestricted time-frame for her to develop her artistic voice, allowing her to refine herself to a precise edge.
Integral to her process is creative freedom; “once I’ve figured out a vibe, I do some free writing of lyrics,” said Shani of her process, “I often have visuals in mind based on how the idea is sounding: landscapes, people, and colours that feed into the imagery or mood of each line.”
In allowing Shani to develop herself naturally and without restriction, she’s been able to premiere herself wholly and authentically, confidently standing alongside her work, rather than behind it. In this way, Isla Noon has proven herself to be a one-of-a-kind talent that can’t be ignored.
‘Talk About Us’ is due for release in July, accompanied by a fantastic music video directed by filmmaker Mareea Vegas, the creative mind behind her previous video release for ‘Summer in August,’ filmed right here at Bigpop Studios.