Today we’d like to introduce you to Shontasia Brown
Shontasia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I come from a family who has a long history of musical talent and as such I began writing songs at the age of seven. My mother and grandmother were the two most stable influences in my life and they both passed when I was a teenager. My grandmother passed in 2020 and my mom passed in 2022 from a repeat occurrence of breast cancer. I graduated high school early in 2021 and entered cosmetology school to learn how to do hair. When my mom became ill I had to drop out to get a job to help us make ends meet. I continued doing hair as a side gig and worked at the Waffle House to help finance things with my music. In 2023 I appeared in Karina J’s “Women Run the World Cypher Part 3”, this gained me some attention and led to my signing with Strong Link Music Group. 2024 has been a big year. I have hit stages, done radio show and magazine interviews. Recorded numerous songs, been nominated for awards and accepted to prestigious workshops. Every lyric brings me closer to greatness and every song is a reminder that I can be something in the music business if I set my mind to it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is filled with many obstacles as challenges and as I mature it has become clear to me that regardless of what family, friends or haters do or don’t do to help you along your way you have to understand that this path in life is yours and you’re responsible for hurdling the obstacles and meeting the challenges head on. I could say that family and friends have not helped me in a way I would have liked but that lack of support has helped in making me stronger and gave me the will to push forward. Challenges arrive daily in my life and in everyone else’s. I meet them head on and keep it moving. I have also worked hard to not let my own lack of understanding and sometimes even my own motivation not become an obstacle. Every day I ask myself what I could be doing better to make my songwriting more prolific, my voice stronger and my rapping more deadly
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I would describe myself as a songwriter who can rap as well as sing. I would characterize my vocal style as melodic with a versatility that sets me apart from most. I have been told that my voice has a Nina Simone type vibe. I found that funny when it was first said to me because at the time I didn’t know who Nina Simone was, lol. When I hear music that moves me I can immediately catch a harmony and that leads me to begin writing. The decision to sing or to rap or both is part of what comes to me when I hear the melody in my mind. My production company signed me up for vocal lessons at the Cayce location of Columbia’s famed Freeway Music School as part of my artist development process. I have been learning how to match my vocal tone with the piano keyboard. I am working on my craft and getting better. I am presently taking part in the ASCAP writers’ workshop. I was blessed to be chosen as one of six writers from 150 applicants who applied internationally. I am now working with a platinum certified producer and we are working on a song which will be submitted at the end of the workshop for the songwriter’s competition. I just found out that I was nominated for three categories of awards at the Southern Plug Magazine’s Metro Music Awards. I am a winner in one of three categories, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best Female R&B Artist and Best Music Video. The awards are being held November 24th here in Columbia so root for me. I am working extremely hard at my craft in hopes that my talent will rise to the top of this crowded industry of professionals. The ultimate goal is for Strong Link to sign me to a major label. There are a few I’m interested in and although I won’t name any, I will say “They not like Us.”
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I give credit to God for giving me the musical talent I have, credit goes to my mother for teaching me to be strong and independent, I thank those family members who at times have stepped up to help the ( they know who they are), I credit Strong Link Music Group for believing and guiding me in a direction we believe will ensure I have a viable career in music and I credit myself for persevering.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/1tasiab
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1tasiab/profilecard/?igsh=MWxxd3VwejQ4bGl4NA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070177791240&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@tasia_b?si=y4wXInKugpb0IXIE
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/tasia-b/1748490936——and—–https://open.spotify.com/album/7xfGtdvjJX2SHuLmgsWTy4?si=YGcTBF1aQaSpCUzQTGFoAg
