Meet Shannon K, the talented daughter of legendary Indian singer Kumar Sanu. A versatile American Indian actress and singer, Shannon’s journey spans continents—born in India, raised in London, and now thriving in Los Angeles. A graduate of the prestigious AB-Royal School of Music, she made waves with her debut single, A Long Time, produced by Grammy Award-winner Poo Bear, famed for his work with Justin Bieber. Shannon’s rich background and artistry continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
- You have a diverse background, having been born in India, raised in London, and now living in Los Angeles. How have these different cultures influenced your music?
They have definitely been a huge part of who I am, especially my music. I was born in India and being a daughter of such a legendary singer, the Indian roots have just been within me. I’ve always been fascinated by Indian music. Then going over to London, that’s a whole different environment out there, and then coming down here in America, it’s completely different. So for sure, all these different places have influenced me and helped me become who I am, and what my song, what my style sounds like.
- Your father – Kumar Sanu, is a legendary figure in Indian music, known for his epic hit romantic songs. How has having such a renowned singer as a father influenced your musical career and personal life? Do you have any favorite memories or lessons from him that have shaped your journey?
I just remember being in this musical environment 24/7 waking up to his songs, have been inspired by him and watching him do his thing was the first time that I felt like, I want to be just like him. I want to follow his footsteps, and I want to leave the legacy ahead of course. It was incredible seeing him do recording sessions and performing live. I remember as a child, I would beg him to take me to his recording sessions and I would just sit there and observe.
- Your debut single, “A Long Time,” was produced by Poo Bear, known for his songwriting for Justin Bieber. How did that collaboration come about, and what was it like working with him?
It was a very unexpected meeting, because I had no idea he would like my song and my voice. He said, I would love to work with you. And it just happened so quickly. It was hard for me to process it. It felt like a dream. And we came up with this amazing, beautiful song called A Long Time, which has received great feedback from people. It was just a fun, fun experience. He himself is an amazing songwriter and producer, so learning from him was great.
- How does it feel to launch your new single ‘9 to 5’ alongside your father, Kumar Sanu? What was it like working with him on this project?
It was absolutely incredible. He’s a whole different person when we get into work mode. He’s no longer my dad. It’s very professional, two artists just collaborating and throwing in some great ideas. So I was very inspired. He just comes in like a flash, he looks through the lyrics, he gets the melody, he gets the vibe, and the overall story of the song. He just gets into the booth and he records it like it is just a one take thing. And we’re just shocked. I think that’s an artist. You just got to keep experimenting and exploring yourself. This is the first ever track in which he’s going to be singing in English, He has sung in 28 languages, but he’s never sung in English before. So, it’s gonna be super fun for all the audience and listeners to see that other side of dad too.
- Can you tell us more about this retro pop single? What inspired this song?
It’s an overlook at ourselves, our lives, how we’re stuck in this loop, in this same old routine. And a lot of times there are small little dreams and accomplishments or things that we want to achieve or do, but because we’re stuck in this loop, we’re unable to do that. So that’s what, basically, the song is about. It’s to break through that and do what you love. Basically, it’s to rebel against yourself, rebel against that little loop that you’re stuck on, and just following your dreams and following what you really love doing.
- Another of your songs – “Give Me Your Hand” made a significant impact as an anti-bullying anthem. Can you share the story behind this song and its message?
The song was produced by Kyle Townsend, who is an Academy Award winning producer, and my sister wrote the song along with myself. It’s an anti bullying song. The overall story behind the song is truly based on my experiences as an immigrant. You come into a foreign land and how you experience discrimination, being a person of color, especially a young woman trying to achieve her goals. So all those experiences I bundled them up, and one day, I just wanted to let it out. It felt like it was just too suffocating for me. Its way more serious than you think it is, and it affects you mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Those things led me to self harm, and it was not a very pretty phase. But fortunately, I had my parents and my sister who showed me who I am and believed in me and encouraged me, supported me to keep going and keep fighting for this. And that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to give the same thing back to those people who are still struggling out there.
- What are some challenges you’ve faced in the music industry, and how have you overcome them?
I’m not gonna lie, it is very hard at first, and it still is, because you always got to prove yourself, make yourself noticed in the room with a bunch of adults, mostly men. But I think being authentic and being true to myself and fighting for myself is something that I had been doing. There have been loads of times where people have tried to change me in terms of the way that I look, talk or behave, or even my music, trying to fit into a certain trend. And I never really felt comfortable and I spoke about and I’ve always been the odd one out. But I think later on, with the whole diversity scene, I’ve noticed a lot of change has happened within the industry, and I’m so happy to see that. We are finally acknowledging and embracing cultures from different parts of the world. It truly has been a journey of a very shy girl but I feel all these experiences, good and bad, have really taught me and have made me become who I am.
- What other projects or collaborations can your fans look forward to in the near future?
I’m really excited for people to see this new version of me, and hopefully they’ll like me, but 9 to 5 with my dad is like the biggest one. So super excited, and I cannot wait to see what people would say about that.
What advice do you have for others who are wanting to follow in your footsteps?
There are many advices I’ve gotten from my dad, so I would like to share them. He’s always told me to follow my heart and always stay true to myself, true to my art, to always be authentic and never change myself. He’s always said you should know the difference between success and fame. Success is a gradual journey that you go on to, you have to hustle. It’s like climbing up the ladder. Fame is like a 5 second thing, there’s no impact on people. If there isn’t any impact, then that’s not success. I take that very seriously and make sure that whatever is that I’m talking about through music, I hope that I’m able to change something in the society or the community.
