SELF-funded recording artist, Shaima, revealed to The Sun how she has been able to maintain her creative autonomy by investing her own money into her musical pursuits.
Shaima said in “university I studied accounting and finance in business school.”
She took her education and applied what she learned to start her very own label.
“I set up my own record label, M Dynasty Records. The purpose of M Dynasty was to give me that independent, creative freedom and that visual freedom in my art.”
While having her own record label has helped her be able to put out her own message, she acknowledges it is an expensive endeavor.
Shaima estimates that she spent around $50,000 on her first music video alone.
“I shot my first music video Morocco, so there was a lot of different expenses like we had to like fly out the film crew and extras.
“I got some friends in there as well to try and save a bit of money and then obviously all the travel, the cost to get ready, the makeup artists, the outfits and the stylists.”
“Then you have to deal with the post edit as well… web designers, producers and studios.”
Shaima noted “some people spend money on material things like watches or like with Jeff Bezos traveling to outer space.”
The recording artists estimates she’s spent over $1million on her music career.
“I want to spend that money on music and to make a message of peace and unity through my music- that’s just so important for me. It’s invaluable.”
The artist feels music is a powerful tool that can help unite people.
“I want to talk about current things that are happening and what it’s like to be an ethnic minority, and to try and take that positive spin into unity.
“I think being half English, half Pakistani Indian, I feel like I’ve got my foot in both worlds. I feel like that’s my destiny- to try and bring people together through my music.”
Shaima’s newest single, Gas Me Up, has just been released, and can be listened to HERE.
Alongside her music, Shaima also works to grow Boom Zone.
Shaima explained that Boom Zone, is an increasingly popular co-working space in London.
Shaima, who is the daughter of a Pakistani real estate tycoon and British mom has previously said that she “grew up privileged enough to think about what she’d do if she could do anything at all.”