Shalini is tonight's special guest at Friday Night Live at Lynn Valley United Church. Doors: 7 p.m. Show: 7:30 p.m. By donation ($10 suggested). lynnvalleychurch.com/programs/friday-night-live
These days, Shalini Kumar is firmly focused on her musical future.
A former beauty queen, she's been awarded a number of titles over the years, including receiving a first place crown at an international beauty and talent competition in Guangzhou, China in 2012. After that experience, which Kumar describes as an "amazing opportunity," she decided to put the pageant world behind her and instead turn her creative energies to another of her long-held passions: music.
"(I want to) focus on what's real to me, (on) more of an existential level, like why do I feel so heightened and in tune when it comes to creating music? Why is it so relevant to me? Why do I have these fairies or whatever whispering in my ear? All these ideas, all these inspirations, I'm focusing on that," say the current Vancouver-based singersongwriter.
One of Shalini's current goals is performing more and she's set to give a solo performance tonight, Friday, Jan. 17, as the featured artist at Lynn Valley United Church's Friday Night Live. Presented weekly at 7:30 p.m., the show features music and comedy improv by Ad Libretto under the artistic direction of Alan Marriott, along with a performance by a special guest. While held at the North Vancouver church, the shows aren't religious, however, each week tend to focus on a positive and uplifting theme.
Tonight Shalini will perform a few of her original works, accompanying herself on the venue's grand piano. She plans to sing songs from her last EP, 2011's Book of Dreams.
"FNL is more of a theatrical show where they get ideas from the audience and then make a song out of it randomly. It's really funny and cute and charming. I think my new music now is a little bit more sad-sounding," she laughs, "so I thought I would go back to my old EP and dig up some songs and do something a bit more happier."
The sound Shalini is finding herself gravitating towards these days is more mature in nature, she says. She feels as if she's evolved since her last recording project, which reflected more folk-pop leanings.
"I wanted to move away from there and go back to my roots and discover the real essence of my creation and how it's grown up," she says.
Songwriting is a strong focus these days and she's increasingly finding herself huddled up at home, penning new works.
Thematically, she's continuing to tackle topics she hopes resonate with audiences. For instance bullying is a topic she's written about in the past, reflecting on her experience of being victimized as a teenager in an effort to raise awareness of the issue as well as help empower other youths to take a stand.
Instrumentationwise, she's scaling back in her approach, using a less-complicated chord structure.
"I think simple music is the best music," she says.
Shalini's creative influences include Radiohead, Pixies, Mazzy Star, Nirvana, John Lennon and Billie Holiday.
To bring her new songs to the stage, she's in the throes of launching a new band, Layla Rosa, and is scouring the Lower Mainland in search of the right players to come on board with the project.
"I have my eyes set on this phenomenally talented guitarist and songwriter who I'd love to collaborate with and perform with, and I have a good feeling it will work out," she says.
Shalini hopes to release her next EP by June and then plans to travel to Toronto, Ont. and Los Angeles, Calif. in search of industry support.
Upcoming Friday Night Live special guests include actor Andrew Wheeler Jan. 24 and performing artist Jeff Hyslop on Jan. 31.
