In Conversation: Celina Sharma

Clash has partnered with WaterAid to launch a new fund-raising event, hosting a range of performances across the evening and collecting donations that’ll contribute to their Thirst For Knowledge appeal.

Across the all-female lineup, singer-songwriter and all-round riser Celina Sharma will be gracing the stage.

There is a youthful, bubbling energy that resonates through her music, one that isn’t afraid to experiment and re-imagine itself in new realms and alongside new faces.

Whether it’s co-writing and performing her original track ‘Nach Mera Hero’ for Marvel’s Eternals soundtrack, or merging forces with Ivorian Doll and Stonebwoy on the infectious ‘Lights Down,’ Celina seeks to venture into the unknown. It’s this same ambition that pushed the songstress’ move from Australia to the UK at just 16 years of age, in hopes to kickstart her career in music.

Narrating her life experiences and lessons through catchy hooks and a sparkling production, Celina simultaneously evolves with her sound.

Clash sat down with Celina Sharma to delve deeper into both a personal and artistic growth, 2021’s debut EP ‘CECE’ and navigating the vast world of pop music today.

– – –

– – –

How was your experience coming over to the UK at 16 and what led you to make this move?

I was still at school at the time and I was talking to my managers and they were thinking that it’s probably best for me to move, we were in the middle of discussing me getting signed to Virgin EMI, so that was quite a big opportunity. I was 16 at that time, I wanted to stay at school because everyone told me to finish my studies, but I had a feeling that I should move and I think it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve had so many opportunities that I’m grateful for. I’ve just been living my dream really.

Where does Celina Sharma’s love for music stem from? Is there a specific moment that pinpoints when music turned into something you’d want to pursue?

I feel like I’ve just grown up with music my whole life. Since I could talk really, my dad, as he’s Indian, he used to put Bollywood films and I used to watch that. In Bollywood films, there’s a lot of singing, dancing, acting, and that’s what really inspired me at first. I think growing up with that, and then watching Disney Channel and Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus.  

I started singing lessons at six years old, which is very young. There’s not ever been a time in my life that I really wanted to do anything else. It’s always been music.

During those formative years and up til today, who do you consider to be your role models?

My main role model is my mom. I feel like a lot of people say that but if it wasn’t for her, I definitely wouldn’t be sitting here in the UK, and wouldn’t be doing music really. She was the one who sacrificed a lot, I used to travel to Melbourne every second weekend to do singing lessons. And she was the one who would always take me and always the one that would support me.  

I would say another woman that’s really inspired me would be Beyonce. I mean, she’s my queen bee, but just her work ethic and she’s a triple threat, her dancing, acting, singing skills are just crazy. It just pushes me every day.

You’ve described your debut EP, ‘CECE’ as a project of self discovery. What do you feel the project taught you about yourself? What did you take away from that creative process?

It was my first introduction, which is quite important so I really wanted each song to have a different meaning and to be personal to me. The thing I love about this EP is that all the songs have a very different vibe and a different mood. You’ve got ‘Bad For You’, which is eerie, a different message that I wouldn’t really talk about but then there’s, ‘Lights Down’, which is just more of a vibey track and for people to dance to. I’m only 19 so I’m really excited to write about new things that I experience, I feel like that was like the beginning for me.

’24/7′ in many ways, is your breakthrough track and has launched you into an international success. How did the collaboration between yourself and Harris J come about?

I met Harris in Dubai through my manager, and they knew each other. So we met there and we went to studio, we recorded a cover that we actually posted on YouTube. He’s really become a good friend of mine. He’s taught me a lot, because he’s been in the music industry since a young age as well, he was the perfect person for it. And yeah, I mean, then it kind of blew up. It was so funny because that wasn’t really our lead song on the EP. It just started with a dance really, a seven second or 10 second dance on Tik Tok. And then it just blew up from like Indonesia to globally. So yeah, really grateful for that.

And within the vast realms of pop music, because it is such a massive landscape. How do you find your own individual identity?

Do you know what, I feel like I still haven’t. I definitely still am exploring and experimenting with my sound, I feel like it’s more pop with an edge of R&B. I’m kind of going through life and experiencing things. I have a type of sound that I like, even bringing my heritage into it, Indian inspired instruments which I really like to bring into pop music and is something that people don’t really hear often. But I think it’s just whatever I make in the moment I’m in the studio.

How has that simultaneous growth, both personal and musically, formed your journey?

I feel like I’m still the same little girl that’s always been into music. As I grow up, I feel like I’m gonna have a different approach to things, a different way of writing and I’m still learning. Even with social media and presenting myself in a way that inspires kids, I try to be myself as much as I can online. But I also had to sacrifice a lot of things, a lot of teenage stuff that I didn’t get to do. I guess the partying and doing all the fun stuff like uni, but at the same time, I’m sacrificing a lot to pursue my dreams and work hard. But it’s kind of like making me mature a little bit faster, but there’s still like, the kid side to me.

And what did it mean for you to co write and perform the only original track in Marvel’s Eternals soundtrack? Tell us about your experience?

Just watching the movie and then hearing the song, it was crazy. I’m a huge Marvel fan. The director asked me to basically describe the scene and that’s where it was a bit different to writing what I would do usually for myself, because it was for a movie, and I kind of had to set the tone for the scene. It was just so surreal to watch the movie and all the positive feedback.

Incorporating dance and experimenting with new aesthetics across your platform, that’s something that I think you’ve definitely been doing since the beginning. How important is the live experience for your artistry?

Growing up, all I wanted to do is perform. Writing songs, being in the studio is more my introverted side, my creativity side but when it comes to performing I just have this alter ego that comes out, that wants to do my own thing. I haven’t had the opportunity to have my own show yet and that’s when people are gonna see the real side of me. I just love dancing and giving energy and to make moments for people. I have a lot of involvement, even in my music videos, and creating the story of it and the mood boards.

And what does 2022 have in store for Celina Sharma, any new music, visuals, shows…

I’ve got a second EP coming out, hopefully this year. I’m already in the studio recording a lot of it and a lot more huge collaborations, more to come. I feel like it’s a different stage in my life now. Writing CECE, it was a two year process so I was still young at the time, but now I feel like I’ve grown up with a lot more to give so I’m really excited for this year. Alot more performances coming up, shooting a lot more music videos, I can’t say too much but there’s a lot coming for 2022.

If you could hand any advice to young females who are wanting to get into the music industry, what would it be?

I would say that for young women that are just starting out, I feel like you’re always going to face obstacles that are going to really push you down. At the end of the day, you just keep consistent with whatever you’re passionate about. There’s so much negativity in this world and you just need to make the sacrifices to get through that. I would say something I’ve learned is just to pick a role model and learn from that person. That’s what I did, which was Beyonce, and I’m here today pursuing my dreams.

– – –

– – –

Celina Sharma, Cat Burns, Foundation FM: Kennedy Taylor, Jaz Karis, Louisa, Mercedes Benson and Nadia Rose will play a special WaterAid x Clash party at Protein Studios, London on March 8th. To grab a ticket go HERE.

Words: Ana Lamond

– – –