I am so excited to be speaking with Multi-Award winning Artist Shani Rigsbee. After hearing her new song “Oh My,” I was intrigued to find out more.

I then discovered Shani is multi-hyphenate who does it all - Singing, Songwriting, Composing and Producing.

If that wasn’t enough, Shani also has her own non-profit, Voices Out, Inc, which gives voice and aid to children and animals in abusive, neglectful, and abandoned conditions.

In this interview, Shani answered my call to share:

• Her new music
• Why she likes working on both sides of the microphone
• What she gets from running her own non-profit
• How surviving Ovarian Cancer changed her life’s outlook
• So much more

Connect with Shani: Website, Facebook, Instagram

Shani’s new album The Moon Knows & latest single "Oh My" are available everywhere you get your music.

Shani Rigsbee performing on stage
Photo Credit: Narbeh Khodaverdi

1. Who or what inspired you to become a singer/songwriter? I don't know that any one person or event inspired me, but it was more a process through my lifestyle as a child with really great influences! My father's record collection, both in albums and with a jukebox we had in the home (which was filled with incredible music!) and we used to play music all the time with my dad playing drums and me singing. I loved singing with both the male and female singers.

I think it was also an understanding of the creative artists that had a specific sound, which helped me understand songwriting and artistry. I loved singing along with great singers who "delivered" their music, but I think as I grew, I started to want more — to be the creator as well and deliver the message that I had a part of creating directly, more than just singing alone.

2. You just released your newest single "Oh My." Why did you want this song to be your next single? It covered all of the things that I wanted to represent on the album: that "feel good" vibe with great musicianship and a solid throwback to a time when the song itself really led before the production of the track.

3. What is something these days that makes you say "Oh My”? Not to be too political, but I think the overall mystery of the state of politics. We just went through a big election where no one really knew what the outcome would be, and now that it's done there's a sense of "Where does it all go from here?" There is also a similar feeling in the entertainment industry: lots of change, and we are in transition overall.

4. "Oh My" is from the album The Moon Knows. What do you feel The Moon Knows that we humans don’t? For me, The Moon Knows represented this idea of an all-knowing sort of presence that, regardless of what is going on behind closed doors or out of public view, there is still a truth measure in some sort of cosmic or spiritual realm.

5. In addition to music, you also have directed and produced many of your music videos. What made you want to work on the other side of the microphone? I think just over time, getting to work with great people both in music and TV/film, you learn a lot of things. And sometimes there's a drive to experiment outside of your comfort zone.

I don't feel a need to always direct, but I know when I feel really drawn to something as a songwriter or feeling especially connected to the message, I feel it's maybe easier to just direct it than to try and give ideas or notes.

But I also really love to collaborate with a Director of Photography who also comes with strong perspectives technically and creatively, and there's a great exchange there that helps the original inspiration.

6. In addition to starring in and being one of the featured performers on the soundtrack, you are also the producer of the soundtrack to the new action thriller Dark Asset, now streaming on Amazon Prime. For those who don't know:

• Can you explain what you do as the producer of a soundtrack? On Dark Asset, I co-wrote the theme song, "Upside," with some wonderful guys at Kairos Music, who helped me achieve the approach I wanted for the film. The production of that song was very important because an end-title track on a movie is like an exclamation point at the end, summarizing where you just came from or what you want to leave people with on the way out. Knowing that script as I did, and being in the movie and also a producer on the film itself, I was pretty close to the material for a long time, so I was able to develop the song before the film was even shot.
• Are your roles as soundtrack producer different from being a producer of your own music video? If so, what are the differences? Producing, for me, whether it's an album, song, movie, or music video, is all about choices and direction. The people you choose to help you execute a vision. I strongly believe in collaboration and finding people who keep each other working at the most inspired levels, doing what they do best! And so going in on a project with a certain focus, based on the creative inspiration, with a team that will help you get to the finish line smoothly is key. I don't need to work with the most famous, the most established people always. I just want to work with people who really want to be there and are great at what they do.

Shani Rigsbee, Photo Credit: Narbeh Khodaverdi

7. Let's find out more about you using some more of the titles from your newest album The Moon Knows:

• "Get It" – What is something you still want to get in your life and/or career? Being honest, I think the thing I chase the most is balance! I have come to terms with the idea that I don't feel the need to prove anything to anyone anymore. A lot of that feeling has left me — maybe that's wisdom that comes with experience and time. And I think some of the best experiences I’ve had in my career have been the unexpected ones and the things that have inspired me through just organic circumstances, so I think this will continue. In life, I'd just like to find a way to slow down time and be able to still feel life and experiences with those I care about, but I always feel so challenged with the clock and calendar!

• "Giving Up" – What have you tried in your life, but eventually knew it was time to give it up? Perhaps I just hit that in the previous question, which is trying to prove myself. That’s what the song actually was about as a twist on the phrase. In this case, meaning giving up on the worry — the need to prove yourself or be what you think others want you to be. I feel more like just being free and trusting that those who really appreciate that will be with me on the journey.
• "Upside" – How do you keep a positive outlook when life gets tough? I try to remember that "tomorrow is another day," that we can't control everything, and that while we get into some really rough spots sometimes, it's a universal thing. We have to sometimes just take one day at a time. It's also important to have goals or just things to look forward to — which don't have to be material in nature. They can be just looking ahead to being able to finally connect with a friend or relative you’ve not seen for a long time or manifesting something you'd like to do, as these things keep us inspired and remind us of the simple joys in life.

8. Outside of performing, you are an ovarian cancer survivor. How do you feel your career choices have changed since having ovarian cancer? I think having gone through that experience at a young age, I learned that we can't just assume life will go exactly as we lay it out. It's important to not take things for granted. So I have tried to focus on things that mattered to me as much as I could. I wanted my time spent to be on things that felt the most valued. And I wanted to give a piece of myself back to the world that was holding a place in it still for me. I hoped to give good messages, good feelings, and truthful work as much as I could.

9. You also are the Founder and President of a Non-Profit organization, Voices Out, Inc, which gives voice and aid to children and animals in abusive, neglectful, and abandoned conditions. What made you want to start this non-profit? I think it was a process, and if I were asked years ago whether I would have a non-profit, I would have likely said, "I don't know, really.” I didn't have that as a goal. I think it was the exposure to vulnerable children and animals. I love animals and have always cared about those who can’t speak for themselves. And not having children of my own, there seemed to be a strong pull to try and be a voice for those who need a real advocate.

On the animal side, I had already been a part of both dog and horse rescue and learned so much about the endless need. I wanted to be a part of the solution, and forming a rescue gave the formal aid that is often needed to help pull animals from the shelter that the general public cannot, in order to give them a fresh start.

I think also being raised by parents who gave me a solid foundation as a child, I've felt that it was my duty to help and give back of myself where I can.

10. What do you get from running a non-profit that you don’t get from your performing side? It’s a different sort of soul work. You know that you are making a direct difference in a living being who may not be able to live another day without your help. Performers try to bring joy and connection to people and help brighten lives or give comfort, and the same is true in the non-profit side. But it’s often about life and death, and that’s something very deep.

11. What is something we didn’t get to talk about during this interview that you’d like my audience to know about you? Well, this is a wild card question, and I have to ponder for a second.... ha! Maybe just the clarification that even though I have had a wonderful international career singing in other languages, collaborating with many artists, and traveling the world touring or doing films, I’m basically a small-town girl from Arkansas who is really quite content without a lot of fanfare more often than not. And that though I have been so fortunate to have been on some major stages in the world and in some incredible locations and events that seem to indicate I have this big life, I still really just appreciate the simple things—just being surrounded by my family, friends, and animals. That’s only something you can really discover in hindsight, but I’m grateful for it all!

Shani Rigsbee, Photo Credit: Narbeh Khodaverdi

More on Shani Rigsbee:

Shani Rigsbee (SHANI), is part of a rare power pack of American stars that are equally fluent  both on stage, recordings and on screen. A multi-award winning Artist, her credits as a Singer, Composer and Producer appear in major motion pictures and she has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues. Widely considered an International Artist, at the heart of it, she is just an American girl from a small town in Arkansas with a love for rhythm, melody and soul and a move to the big city of L.A. changed it all…  

After relocating to Los Angeles at the end of her high school years, she honed her talents and was introduced to a wide range of International music. She was then invited to tour, write and record with some of the entertainment industry’s finest Artists – globally famous such as International Pop Icon and Hollywood “Walk of Fame” recipient, ANDY Madadian, a Persian Armenian Superstar whom she has performed and collaborated with for years. Soon her work became featured in film and television with a special emphasis on globally diverse projects. With 4 Solo albums released Internationally, she has also released a variety of singles and collaborations and  recorded in multiple languages. Her award winning musical, humanitarian venture called We Hear Your Voice, was an original song penned, produced and performed by Shani and features some of the World’s greatest voices singing in solidarity and unity with top Producers and musicians in the industry lending support. It was chosen to be performed before a live televised audience for the One World Peace Concert with the Dalai Llama on AXS TV. Her single, “Changing Tides” was written and performed by Shani in response to the outcry of civil rights in America and around the world. She has written and performed an original Holiday song, “Light of the World” and a special collaboration Short Musical Film, Breathe Free which she also performed with ANDY about overcoming adversity and is paired with a state of the art music video with a 2 time Oscar Nominated Virtual Producer collaboration.

The Warner Brothers released feature film, AMERICAN WRESTLER features Shani as a singer in the end title credit song she co-wrote called “Rise” performed by ANDY. She also appears in the music video and directed it. She wrote the theme song “The Good Fight” for the film, AMERICAN FIGHTER. She has created and performed works for many other television shows and features which include her song, “El Llamar de Pasión – Call of the Wild” in the ACADEMY AWARD WINNER for Best Picture, CRASH.

On screen, Shani has played a variety of roles from a sultry femme fatale to a seductive ancient temptress. In GUARDIAN ANGEL, she plays a Detective and has also written and performed the theme/end credit song “Far and Away” for the film. Shani was the Featured Vocalist in the 20th Century Fox epic film, ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING and also appeared in and provided music for THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG (Dreamworks). In THE KEEPER – THE LEGEND OF OMAR KHAYYAM (Guide Company Films) with Academy Award Winner Vanessa Redgrave, she played  the exotic “Court Entertainer” and was also the Executive Producer of the film’s soundtrack and created original music for the film, From Here to Beyond. One of her first major credits was being chosen as the featured Vocalist for Sony Playstation’s PARASITE EVE, a mega popular and ground-breaking International Hit. Her debut film role was the feature film CROSSWORLDS with Josh Charles and Jack Black and she also has several episodic television credits in her archives from her earlier ingénue days in Los Angeles.

She has parlayed her skills both in the music world and her experience as both a performer on screen and stage into also producing and directing many of her own music videos. Her latest project, DARK ASSET is a feature film where she serves as a Producer and is also a featured cast member.  She also wrote and performed the film’s theme song, “Upside” which is also a bonus track off her latest completed album, The Moon Knows, a throwback to her earliest childhood inspirations and influences, drawing upon R&B/soul, old school pop and jazz.

Shani has also worked in many charitable, humanitarian and service-oriented capacities, and having her own first hand experiences battling a life-threatening illness with Ovarian cancer, she felt her path enlightened and has dedicated much of her personal and professional life to causes she believes in. She has served on Non Profits/Board of Directors such as the Women’s Clinic and Family Counseling Center in Los Angeles and been on prestigious Host Committees and performed in countless high-profile charitable events around the world. She also served as Producer of the 2008 Barack Obama Presidential Inaugural Purple Ball’s show in Washington D.C with featured Performances with IL DIVO and others. An avid Animal Welfare advocate and committed to those most vulnerable, she is the Founder and President of a Non Profit organization, Voices Out, Inc  which gives voice and aid to children and animals in abusive, neglectful and abandoned conditions.