Q&A with rising American artist Shane Rennison

 

Can you tell us a bit about your musical journey and how it led you to become a singer-
songwriter?

I’m kind of a late bloomer when it comes to being a musician. I played the trombone when I was younger but I never took it seriously. Then in 2018, after dropping out of the University of Florida, I hit rock bottom. I was an unemployed college dropout with no direction. I was searching for something that would give my life meaning.
After a lot of soul searching and spiritual development, I decided to give music a try. Funny enough I started out as a rapper in NYC so the first few songs I released were rap songs under the moniker RENNII. However, that music never felt authentic to me. So in 2019 I bought my
first guitar, along with a keyboard, and dove head first into music theory. This coincided with the COVID-19 Pandemic where I was fortunate enough to have ample time to develop my craft.
It all culminated with my first paid gig in May of 2021. Now, three years later and roughly 200 shows in, I still firmly believe this is only the beginning for me.

How has your upbringing in the Catskills influenced your music and style?
Growing up in the Catskills, I was inherently connected with nature. To this day I am an avid outdoorsman, hiking as often as I can. This connection with nature has brought a certain serenity to my life.
Living in the Catskills today allows me to connect deeply to the creative pulse of the universe.
This in turn guides my creative process. This isn’t to say that I’m incapable of creating away from the Catskills but it just makes it so much easier for me as it truly is such a peaceful and reflective space.

 

What inspired the decision to record a live EP at the Outlier Inn Studio?
The desire to work on a live EP really came from the question of whether or not I was capable of playing with a full band. Up until this project, I had only ever done solo gigs so it was really just a way of proving to myself I could do it.
When it came to choosing a location, it was an easy choice. The Outlier Inn is such a beautiful space and it was an absolute honor to record there. The space just exudes creative energy.

How does the live setting contribute to the dynamic energy of the EP?
Touching on the last point, The Outlier Inn just has this energy about it that influences everyone that walks in. There’s just a certain level of comfort you experience there and it makes the whole creative process smooth and satisfying. I feel this greatly influenced our sound that day.

Can you share some memorable moments or challenges during the recording process?
At one point Eamon, our lead guitarist cracked a joke that made Julian spit coffee out all over his pants so then we had to make some adjustments with the camera and seating arrangements so that the stain wasn’t as noticeable.
As far as challenges there weren’t too many. I was the least experienced musician in the room by far so it all came together really smoothly. The same can be said about the video team of Mike Bloom and Josh Baron. Everyone in that room is so good at their craft that it was just pure
efficiency.

In what ways do you feel you’ve grown as an artist through this project?
Now that I’ve proved to myself that I’m capable of playing in a full band setting, I’m eager to take it a step further. We’re currently planning new recordings with the band using songs off my new album while also talking about putting together small tour runs in the near future.
That’s something I never would’ve been confident enough to get into before this project.

With the debut album set for an early 2024 release, can you offer any insights into what
listeners can expect?
Oh man this album is something else! People have been raving about the Nice to Meet You EP and this live project but all of those songs have been written for years already. The album is new songs I wrote after an intensive music theory study and I feel the songs really reflect that work I put in to better understand the songwriting process. To me; they’re just a step up from any of my previous work and I can’t wait to share it.

Looking ahead, are there specific goals or aspirations you have for your musical journey?
I’ve realized I’m actually already living my dream. I’m a musician profiting off my work. Granted it’s still at a small scale but my goal now is just to scale out what I’ve been doing and build on it.

I look forward to soon going on tour and sharing my messages of love, positivity and self-awareness with the world. I’m grateful for this moment and for the opportunities before me and I will continue to surrender my platform to the universe so that I may be used as an instrument of love to help heal and serve the world.