Swedish singer/songwriter Shalisa Taylor has recently dropped her long-awaited debut album, "When Time Belongs To You", which acts as a soundtrack for young adulthood, "when everything feels possible and every moment seems pivotal".
TRACKLIST
When Time Belongs To You
Oldest Story of Love
Luka
Bittersweet Aftertaste
It's Time
Guide Me Home
Mother
Shalisa Taylor comes from a musically inclined family, and has loved to sing since she was little. She sang in choirs, musical theatre, and other ensembles, and played the piano as well. Eventually she got into songwriting and lyricism, which has shaped her into the well-rounded artist she is today. She would post videos of her singing online here and there, but Shalisa officially debuted as an artist in 2017 when she released her first single, "Fight" which claimed a spot in the top 10 on the Swedish radio station P3. This led to Shalisa being signed to Rexius Records later that year, with another new single "Yours To Keep" soon to follow. Shalisa then went on to release a self-titled debut EP in 2019, with all songs gaining streams with 6 figures. Shalisa has spent the last 5 years releasing singles and preparing for what would become her debut album, which we will be exploring today! "When Time Belongs To You" was completely self-written by Shalisa (except for the cover of Luka) like diary entries from her mid-to-late twenties, exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Taking inspiration from the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Noah Cyrus and Taylor Swift, while intertwining tones from her Nordic roots, this album is about facing life's challenges head on, and embracing the beauty of both the ups and downs. Shalisa recorded her own vocals in Sweden, while Fabian Santacruz produced the album’s instrumentals at Green Music Studios in Barcelona.
When Time Belongs To You
We kick off the album with the title track, "When Time Belongs To You". Starting with acoustic guitar, and building just ever so slightly with piano and some soft folk electric guitar, "When Time Belongs To You" is a beautiful, almost melancholic song with nostalgic tones and so much catharsis that it brings a tear to your eye. This song is about the simple things in life that go unnoticed, but once you don't have them anymore you start to wish you appreciated it more while you still could. "When Time Belongs To You" is a reminder to slow down, and pause for a moment. Look around at what you have, and take it in, because one day it might not be the same and you're going to miss it. Shalisa sings beautifully in this song, with layers of country and folk inspired harmonies and vocalizations to back her up. It almost sounds like a lullaby, something too precious and innocent for this world.
Oldest Story of Love
Next we have "Oldest Story of Love", which highlights the aftermath of a typical breakup. It's that kind of cliché, where you know you should've seen it coming from a mile away. It almost has you saying, "did I really just let this happen to me?" It's the oldest trick in the book, when a guy leaves you for another girl and then you're left alone to fend for yourself against your own emotions. You try anything to distract yourself from the heartbreak - from watching trash TV, to dressing up just to nowhere, to listening to Taylor Swift and singing your soul out all night long. Even though the topic is kind of tragic, the music itself is fun and bright, reminding everyone who has ever been in this same exact scenario that you are not alone. The soundscape reminds me of an early 2000's country / pop song. The strong vocal approach Shalisa took here with just a little bit of twang made me think of Shania Twain.
Luka
Track three is a cover of Suzanne Vega's 80's folk/rock song "Luka", a track that brought light on the issues and dangers of emotional and physical child abuse. "My personal relationship with the song started when my dad showed it to me when I was younger. Ever since then, I've wanted to cover it. It's a song I love, and it has followed me throughout my life." -Shalisa Taylor. While Suzanne's version is filled with rock drums, electric guitar and retro synths, Shalisa takes a different approach with this rendition. It's a more tender, emotional ballad type of feeling that I think really gets the story across on an even deeper level. The acoustic guitar, piano, gentle drums and sweet background harmonies accompany Shalisa as her vocals soar. You can hear Shalisa embodying the character of Luka, singing as if she really is this child. The pain and raw emotion behind her voice brings this song to a whole new intensity. Shalisa took this song and made it her own.
Bittersweet Aftertaste
"Bittersweet Aftertaste" is about how it's impossible for things to be perfect forever; but the fact of the matter is, there wouldn't be such thing as good if there wasn't also bad. We learn lessons from the things we experience in life, and we move onto bigger and better things. The soundscape of this song is beautifully uplifting. It has a piano riff that catches your ear right off the bat. The rhythm and groove have a Celtic feel, and the production has a very optimistic, hopeful vibe with popping bass and bright drums. The layers of harmonies within this song are some of the most stunning arrangements I've ever heard; it sounds straight out of a modern Disney princess movie.
It's Time
"It's Time" is about that moment after a breakup when you realize you're finally at the point where you can move on. The tears have run dry, their name has stopped crossing your mind, and other people have started to interest you romantically. It's almost like a sigh of relief, because you know that they're not able to hurt you anymore. "It's Time" starts with a stunning, tear-jerking acoustic guitar picking-pattern. The song builds into this amazing, soulful soundscape, with a groove that made me think of the song "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran in the best way. Shalisa again, just sings with all her heart, and layers harmonies to back her up which adds to the already intense emotion.
Guide Me Home
Shalisa is seeking comfort and solace in "Guide Me Home" by talking to her old self and looking back on fond memories after moving away from her hometown in Sweden, all the way to London in the United Kingdom. She finds herself wondering if she made the right choice as she navigates the challenges of being a young adult all by herself in a brand new city. Everything feels so uncertain, and the stability we felt when we were at home is gone. We've all experienced this pit in our stomach the first time we left home; the feeling like we made a mistake, feeling like we should just turn back; but by the end of the day we just have to take a deep breath, close our eyes and appreciate the opportunities that lie ahead. Realize, you've got this. "Guide Me Home" is a gorgeously crafted, gentle folk/pop song that gave me the vibes of young Colbie Caillat. Shalisa shows off a quiet, whispery tone which is different from her other tracks. The guitar is sweet, the percussion is soft, and the song flows so smoothly.
Mother
We end the album with the song "Mother", which is a direct message to Shalisa's mom. She reminisces on the times and adventures they had together when she was a child, and all the lessons she had taught her. She sings of how everything her mom has said to her still sticks with her today, and how she can still feel her mom with her at all times. She can only wish to follow in her mom's footsteps, and to try and make the world a better place. You can feel just how much Shalisa's mom means to her within this song, the impact that she has made on her life. The stagnant, acoustic bass line leaves room for other instrumentals and Shalisa with her stunning background vocals to take over. This song has a very naturistic, cinematic soundscape with Celtic like harmonies that felt like it could be an arrangement for Celtic Women. I feel this was the perfect track to end this project on; sonically it's so strong and the lyrics are like a kiss goodbye.
Shalisa Taylor is no stranger to songwriting. She's been a hidden gem for years, and I truly believe that it is time for her to shine through. Her debut album "When Time Belongs To You" is filled with seven unskippable tracks with intelligent, poetically written lyrics and heavenly, perfectly crafted vocal harmonies paired with ethereal and cathartic melodies and instrumentations. This is the kind of music that grabs at your heart strings and makes you cry in a good way, because it's just that stunning. Each song has it's own unique story and soundscape to grab your attention, and then you can't let go until it's over. I don't think Shalisa knows just how good she really is, and I hope with the release of this incredible album she puts herself out there even more. If you enjoyed the songs on this album, I suggest checking out the rest of Shalisa's discography and kindly giving her a follow on her socials below!
Written By Kaitlyn Nicole
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