Today we’d like to introduce you to Shayla Logan.
Hi Shayla, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born under a lineage of musicians. My Grandfather used to play woodwinds and brass for a at King Cole and other famous jazz legends. My grandmother played piano and used to teach me basic chords and beginner songs on her upright when I would visit (along with my uncle). My mother and father actually met in a band and later started a duo act called “Lady and the Sax”. As a young girl they used have me come perform with them calling me “Baby with the Sax”.
At 17 I started my own band and have been managing bands ever since.
I studied music in college and during that time I performed 6 nights a week on Bourbon Street in New Orleans playing pop, funk and soul.
Outside of developing my own entertainment and management company I also started more recently working as a recording artist. Over the last few years I have produced and recorded my original works with my first single release in 2024. I have sense put out and EP and will soon be dropping a full album project with a mix of funk, sultry soul and orchestral works.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think any business is going to be completely smooth and that’s what some business owners strive off of. The end and flows of business is part of what develops us as leaders. Learning how to adapt to change and face challenges.
Some of my struggles have set me up for later success. In my entertainment company I found a way to structure my rates and pay scales where musicians get paid well and so does my business. Where working musicians can make over their asking price and still have a percentage left to cover business expenses.
The music industry is changing almost weekly so that is a struggle in itself. Staying current and relevant is a big help to gaining the resources and connections you need to stay in the game.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a vocalist and multi instrumentalist primarily on saxophone and woodwind. I am also a songwriter and performer who produces and write my own original music. I am proud of the music that I have created these last few years and the fact that I have been preserving a live analog sound with little to no sampling. I appreciate all creatives but I will say one thing that set me apart is my raw approach in using live instruments and instrumentalists on my records. I am really proud of my recent releases and all that I have learned about recording music.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I have moved around quite a bit over the years and each time it is a risk. Hoping you will be accepted into a new community of musicians and find a place where you can follow your passions while having stable income. And let’s be honest, financial stability in the music industry is not easy. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and demand your worth. You have to really learn different avenues to stay within your craft and diversify streams of income. In this day and age being a musician is a risk. Many full time working musicians go without health insurance or even retirement funds to live off of as they get older. I recently started two company’s outside of just performing with my own rocking studio and entertainment business. I’m hoping that with those two companies I can later provide other musicians and entertainers a stable living and some form of benefits. In that it’s taking a lot of work setting a foundation and building the formation of my companies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Shayonsax.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayonsax
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shayonsax
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@shayonsax
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/shayla-logan/1477959099
Image Credits
Rusty
A&A Creative
