Shee Ma is a really powerful and fresh voice in the independent electronic music of Ukraine-well, the world she embraces as experimental and emotional. That is meant to say she lives in the city of Yalta, a town located in Crimea, where she began singing very early, wrapping herself deeply in opera. Thanks to all this, classical training-the aspect that gives her proper grounds for exploring the many subtle nuances of vocal expression-her definition is more unique, precise, and deep. In reality though, it is sonic experimentalism that distinguishes her.
Yet it will transpose a specific feeling with her conceptual music and bring emotional naked truth from her works. Her lyrics venture deep into the personal, often expressing the natural beauty and historical complexity of her homeland. Shee Ma has grown a gloomy and mesmerizingly beautiful musical world that is very attractive to listeners, brushing through her operatic background into industrial sounds. Her music does not only consist of sounds; it is, in fact, an inquiry into what one would mean when pursuing independence and self-awareness in a world that keeps changing.
Shee Ma’s first single, “Бути Нaм,” unveiled on July 19, 2024, is an intriguing listening experience that catches a listener’s attention through its full-bodied acoustics and emotional depth. Translating the this title as “We Shall Be,” the single hints at a contemplation of self-determination, death, and rebirth, or uniting with nature. The juxtaposition of Shee Ma’s opera-flowing voice to harsh, electric sounds makes this darkly but enchantingly sad track, scored against the wild terrain of Crimea.
“”Бути Нам,” takes its audience on a promising journey, touching the emotional nature of Shee Ma, while amplifying what history is set to repeat and chances to break from it. This is an entry into the beautiful world of Shee Ma, making her the youngest artist who dares to push limits and delve into the highest of human emotions.
The moment I pressed play on Shee Ma’s debut single, “Бути Нaм,” the song immediately swept me into surprise-withering etherealism. At first, it starts like a melancholic breeze with noises recalling a little wind sweeping across the ocean surface, almost giving an other-worldly feel to it. It made me feel that the song was calling me to some other time dimension where nothing has happened and every note hovers like a soft whisper. By light percussion sounds that followed and added an air of suspense, building expectance for what was to come, I knew I was about to have an interestingly unconventional experience when it finally spilled out at the 0:17 point.
The tracks started recording entirely, and I found myself totally immersed. It was witnessing a perfect synthesis between EDM-influenced beats driving a typical rhythmic, something serious guts, and sophisticated movements of a synth lay quite a thin sound in itself yet incredibly modern and antique. Ethereal, opera-like vocals added depth when they phrased some melodies and lifted the whole track to another sound level. Blissful ambience washed over me, and each note and melody made placed points of reference into that calmness and serenity. The simple but sweet-sounding piano melodies and the classy bass sounds built a very effects-leaden base from which the whole rest of composition flourished. It was a perfect blend of elements, each complementing the other to create not just a sound but an experience of music.
To me, what really made “Бути Нaм” special was Shee Ma’s voice. It was quite heavenly and conveyed the lyrics with such emotion and grace that I couldn’t help but fall under her spell. Even those who did not understand the language could feel the emotion in her words. She was palpable. Every note rang out with meaning, and her proficiency on the near-impossible lines of melody was unmatched. Listening to her voice felt as if it was discussing something with me closely; she was apparently inviting me to share this whole piece of emotion with her. It reminded us of the deep connections we can sometimes find through the human experience of music, regardless of language.
The development of that song struck me, only to become more beautiful with the passing second. The way the various instruments interacted with one another was really mesmerizing. Sometimes they went into the foreground, then into the background for another moment but always in perfect harmony. That song seemed to make one think of a living, breathing creature because of how seamless the beat and melody would keep continuity. As if the music was telling a story that was both highly personal and broadly applicable. Because it seemed as if every note, every rhythm was holding me further into the narrative, I wanted to stay until the very end.
It had reconstructed the entire phenomenon called electronic music for “Бути Нам.” Shee Ma put warmth and soul into her music that is mostly devoid in the electronic field. This genre more often than not is linked with being cold, mechanical. Neither have I heard nor do I think could further happen, with the otherworldly, exquisite aura she created because it has opened my eyes to the versatile range electronic music could lend when telling stories and speaking emotions. This is a message to remind that the notes and rhythms would not be enough since music would inspire emotions and experiences just as important. I really got connected to and understood “Бути Нам.”
The end of the song pretty much left me speechless regarding what Shee Ma has managed to do, and it is more than that. It is something beyond a song: “Бути Нaм” actually is an artistic creation that embraces her wonderful capacity and vision. The way she blends electronic sounds, opera, and classical music is astonishing and creates a novel piece of music, which is lovely in itself. Shee Ma’s “Бути Нам” is the rare kind of first song that is so entirely realized; it adds up to what she has accomplished in something really unmatched.
I really believe that “Бути Нaм” is among the most engrossing pieces of music into which I have ever listened. Long after the last notes have faded, it reverberates more in one’s mind with astonishment, and with longings for more. Shee Ma holds high promise for future works, as her first established leaves very high standards, and I look forward to seeing where it goes next. The song “Бути Нам” is a must for all who like music that is not only aesthetically but also emotionally touching. It strikes a chord that music creates even more in the fine acts than mere words when it comes to inspiring, moving, and uniting people.
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Listen to Бути Нaм by Shee Ma and many more on our Electronic/Synth-pop/Experimental Playlist
Amazing write up