Action !
Photo credit Jadedamico
Sheph.ART & Barry Saleh are no strangers to music releases, the two producers have steadily made a name for themselves in Sydney producing a multitude of talented acts out of their BeatswithSheph studio, including A.Girl, Youngn Lipz, Pistol Pete, & more. Now they have come together for ‘Action’ The two talented hit-makers are debuting their first single as artists in their own right and it’s just the beginning. We caught up with Sheph.ART & Barry and asked them about ‘Action’, the producer vs artists label, and their thoughts on streaming.
Congratulations on the release of 'Action', your first single as artists. What made you decide to step around to the other side of the table and become the people you have produced so successfully?
Barry Saleh - “Thankyou! It has been awesome to share our debut single! Actually, it has always been on par, as we started off producing for our own artistry. We opened up our studio, Beats with Steph, to the world after we had realised the talent that existed across Australia and wanted to share our expertise with the Australian Hip-hop community.”
Sheph.ART - “Hey Michelle, thanks so much for having us here! I have never considered myself as one or the other, I have identified as a musician - I always found that I am not limited to one or the other. The reason that we opened our doors as producers was because of the talent in Sydney, but always having the innate feeling to work full time under my own accord, and by having sat on records for such a long time, it was the perfect opportunity to let our community know that we are also artists!”
Tell us about 'Action', what was the inspiration for the track? What does the song mean to you?
Sheph.ART - “Action’ is a reference to the people who have doubted my musical, creative and business abilities, always being nowhere to be found when crunch time was imminent and now would like a seat at the table to bear the fruits of my labor. I specifically made the production as gritty as possible without losing its melodic essence in order to take the listener through an emotional rollercoaster to feel the hunger that I felt going through the motions of being able to get to where I am today and looking to go forward from here.”
Barry Saleh - “In the opening verse I wrote through the eyes of my brother and the experiences that I witnessed him live through. I paint a picture of unhealthy memories in a reminiscent/braggadocious manner and take listeners all the way through to the present moment of growth and obstacles that are faced when it comes to people doubting and having ill intentions. The first person writing approach we took throughout the track strengthens relatability and understanding as it allows listeners to consume our lyrics as if they are the personas living the narrative or as if we are speaking directly to them in conversation.”
Who came up with the concept for the video? Were there any memorable moments during the making of it?
Barry Saleh - “We came up with the concept of the video as a collective. We wanted to portray the negativity and doubt that one could face and let it feed the “fire” so to speak as this was a common theme throughout the record. My favourite part of creating this video was that it didn’t feel like one at all, it actually felt real as the things we were burning in the fire meant something to us - almost feeling like a manifestation.”
Sheph.ART - “I wanted to really emphasise placing certain objects into the fire and personally wanted to showcase “Stick to Producing” as something that fuels my drive and to let my audience know to not label me as just a producer.. We actually had quite a few memorable moments throughout the making of the music video, we burnt a lot more things than was showcased in the video! Barry’s right, it did feel real and almost therapeutic in a way!”
Can we expect a full length album or EP out soon or are you going to be sticking to single releases?
Sheph.ART - “We probably have enough records to drop a whole project but right now it’s all about building our audience so for the time being we’ve got blue prints to drop singles and an EP that will follow through after.”
Barry Saleh - “We are focusing on showcasing our musicality together right now, but we are looking to soon expand out and showcase our own individual records as well.”
You are now both Artist and Producer, are you preferring one of these roles over the other?
Sheph.ART - “For me personally, I can’t have one without the other. I find that being a producer makes me a better artist and being an artist makes me a better producer. For example, Being a producer/artist, I used the melodies in the chorus and my verse of “Action” to tell a story in itself. Although the beat and the main vocals can sound upfront and in your face, the listener has the option to listen a little more in depth and find that there is a flow of movement in the record that showcases the euphoric feeling of success through grit, hunger and hustle.”
Barry Saleh - “I personally can’t choose one over the other. The feeling of laying down a mad verse and getting a message across whilst having my audience relate to it, is the same feeling that I have when an artist hears a beat that I have produced for them for the first time.”
“I put an equal amount of pressure and expectation on myself when I am producing my own record and my artists’ records as any music that I touch is important to me, whether it be as an artist, a producer or both!”
What are the bonuses and drawbacks of producing your own music? Is there an extra layer of pressure or expectation working with your own material?
Barry Saleh - “It can be exhausting creatively to jump straight into writing after you have spent hours producing the beat, but then again, since it is coming from yourself, you are able to create exactly what you want as a piece. I haven’t felt an extra layer of pressure or expectation working with my own material as I know the ability that I have as a producer and engineer in order to make the vision of the record come to life.”
Sheph.ART - “There are drawbacks but nothing that can’t be worked through. One of the biggest advantages that we have is that we are able to come up with an idea and be able to produce, write, record and engineer the record to a distributable level without having to rely on anyone else. Though one of the drawbacks as Barry mentioned earlier is creative fatigue that can sometimes lead to being overly subjective, but usually, all it takes is a few moments away from the record to come back with a fresh perspective. I put an equal amount of pressure and expectation on myself when I am producing my own record and my artists’ records as any music that I touch is important to me, whether it be as an artist, a producer or both!”
You both met working out of the same studio, was there a friendly rivalry before you partnered up?
We actually didn’t meet out of the same studio, we met years earlier, both on a construction site as electricians before we both made the decision to go into a partnership to create our studio together from ground up. We’re basically family, so the rivalry is quite brotherly!
Are there any plans to open your own studio or start your own label?
We work out of our own studio, BeatswithSheph. We created the space in 2019 but opened our doors to the creative market of Australia in 2020! In regard to our goals and future plans, we aren’t just producer/artists, we are also involved and passionate about business, so we are always investing and looking for new ventures! You’ll be seeing more of this in the coming months!
Are there plans for the two of you to get out on the road and tour now you are wearing the Artist title?
Barry Saleh - “I definitely have plans to tour as performing has always been part of my life since a young age whether it was with the school band or as a sportsman on a pitch, there is no feeling like performing and seeing your fans in the crowd singing the words of your records!”
Sheph.ART - “Touring is definitely on the to do list, right now, for me, it is more about creating a strong digital presence and growing my skills for when it’s time to perform.”
Who do you credit as your musical influences?
Barry Saleh - “My father is a big musical influence for me, he often played Middle Eastern string instruments like the Saz/Baglama and Oud during my childhood. I’m also inspired by The Weeknd’s ability to channel the highs and lows of his life into his music”
Sheph.ART - “I look at the ways Kanye West, J. Cole and Dr. Dre have combined their talents as artists and producers and aim to bring the same energy to any piece of music I touch.”
What was the first album or song you remember buying that made an impact on you personally and lit the fire of music inside you?
Sheph.ART - “There are too many to name but a couple that I can think of off the top of my head are the 2001 Album by Dr. Dre, College Dropout by Kanye West and Timberland’s Shock Value album. These records had such a big influence on me as a child because I thought the only way to be an artist was to also be a producer. It shaped my entire life really!
Barry Saleh - “The Eminem Show by Eminem was really the first piece of music that I properly listened to and loved showing me the creativity that Eminem had! The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind The Madness really paved the pathway for me to be a singer and loved how Ed Sheeren was part of this album as it showed me how magical it can be for two genres to fuse together.”
If you weren’t professionally working in the music industry, what else would you be doing now?
Sheph.ART - “I’ve always seen myself as a lover of business, so if I wasn’t in the music business, I would be on the road to creating another business.”
Barry Saleh - “I think if I wasn’t working in the music business full time, I would continue working in trade during my weekdays and live my music through doing gigs on weekends.”
Will you be looking to do collabs in the future, especially as you have direct access to some big names in the industry?
If the time is right and it suits the record then of course!
“I definitely think that we should have Aussie music only on radio stations”
Do you think the 25% minimum quota of Australian music on our radio stations is a fair number given the ever-expanding talent pool we have in this country? Would you like to see that number increased or even a dedicated Aussie station?
Sheph.ART - “25% as a minimum quota is just not enough! This is something that our artistry and Production House really cares about. We want to make sure that the whole of Urban Australian music grows rapidly and with such quality that major radio stations pay attention to Australian Music. ”
Barry Saleh - “I definitely think that we should have Aussie music only on radio stations. For major radio stations, having other countries’ music on our radio stations pushes Australian Music further for the public which is great and having a minimum quota percentage showcases to the Australian Industry that there is a push for our music to be heard, however, I do feel like this should sit at a higher foundation.”
What are your thoughts on streaming services? Are they helping or hurting the industry?
Sheph.ART - “Streaming services have made it possible for more people to be heard as artists, although this comes with a caveat that it has also increased competition rapidly. Being in the music business, you must be adaptive towards the rapid and ever-evolving growth of technology in order to stay relevant.”
Barry Saleh - “Streaming services are great when used by artists properly and can really be a platform to create a network of fans. However, I do feel like because music has become so accessible, many artists don’t go through the process of utilising professional services prior to distributing their records and this part is really important in order for Australian Music to have a better chance as being a global dominator.”
What is to come from you as a duo moving forward? What can fans anticipate?
Barry Saleh - “As an independent artist, I am preparing to share more singles, music videos, and tour. My upcoming music is a chance for me to share myself with the world as well as my real-life stories and experiences. I’m excited to share this journey with you all!”
Sheph.ART - “We’re not actually a duo, we released our first single together as we are always together and create music in the studio! I have a hot catalogue of solo records that I’ll be releasing in the coming months and can’t wait to show my fans the music videos that are lined up with these releases!”
Sheph.ART Instagram | triple j Unearthed
Barry Saleh Instagram | triple j Unearthed
Interview by Michelle Symes
July 2022