Electro-Pop Trio SHAED Holds Us Captive & Captivated in Eerie "Thunder" Video [Q&A]
Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez
Chelsea is married to Spencer, and Spencer is Max's twin brother. In 2016, the three joined forces, as musicians, to begin SHAED's thrilling journey that led to selling out massive shows and reaching the top of the charts. SHAED's electro pop continues to turn heads worldwide as they unleash the inky "Thunder" video.
Appropriately set in a spooky warehouse, the "Thunder" visual shows a much darker side to SHAED that we've never really seen before. With lead vocalist Chelsea Lee strapped at her wrists, it's quite clear that she's been imprisoned for something devious. Her Grudge-like wig intensifies as Lee becomes more and more determined to break free from the chains and retaliate against her captors.
Enter SHAED's post-apocalyptic warehouse in the "Thunder" video below:
To celebrate the enticing new video, we recently chatted with SHAED about their rise to fame, future plans, and of course, "Thunder."
OTW: Your band name is a reference to a fictional cloak; can you expand on this?
SHAED: We found our name in one of our favorite fantasy novels - a SHAED is a protective cloak woven by a goddess out of shadow and light. We really loved the concept and the spelling.
OTW: It's indisputable that you guys are majorly talented, but what exactly sets SHAED apart from the rest of the modern electro pop scene?
SHAED: Thank you! Well Max and Spencer are twins, Spencer and I are married, we all live together in a house in the suburbs, and work on music in our studio all day… I think that’s what sets us apart. That fact that we spend 99.9% as a trio is very unique.
OTW: "Trampoline" is the song that really launched SHAED into the international spotlight. Now that it's been out for a year, can you reflect on how "Trampoline" shaped the past 12 months of your musical journey?
SHAED: Having "Trampoline" in the MacBook Air commercial really launched us into a whole other dimension musically. It opened so many doors for us - "Trampoline" is still crushing at radio, we’re doing features with some of our favorite artists, and we’re getting to travel the world.
OTW: Can you explain the significance behind the title "ISOU" instead of "I'm So Over You?"
SHAED: We wrote "ISOU" in Toronto with our friends DCF and Herag Sanbalian a couple hours before flying home. We wanted to write a song about getting over a breakup and "ISOU" stuck. "ISOU" seemed more playful as a hook then saying the whole line.. because what's the fun in that.
OTW: What's your favorite memory from shooting the new "Thunder" music video?
SHAED: The energy was really amazing during the shoot. I was incredibly nervous before shooting, and it helped having a hardworking crew that made us feel comfortable and inspired. I think my favorite thing was the hair - It was super heavy and took hours to get on, but it was really fun to work with, especially during the high power fan moments.
OTW: Do you see yourselves releasing a full-length album in the near future?
SHAED: Very, very soon. We have been writing new material for the past year and can’t wait to share it with you all!
OTW: Who are your Ones To Watch?
SHAED: ODIE, emawk, Andrae Valle, BENEE, and Kyle Lux.
For more on SHAED, revisit last year's Tour Diary piece.
+ Catch SHAED on their headlining tour this fall!