At Songfinch, we wouldn’t be able to deliver radio-quality personalized songs without a Songwriter Community filled with incredible artists. To help show them the love they deserve, we bring you our Artist Spotlight series. To kick off August, we bring you Hello Shannon.

When we first heard Hello Shannon’s song “The Tide,” we were drawn into the lead singer’s vocals. Shannon’s voice is so distinct and it makes you feel something while listening. They mix electronic pop elements with jazz and alternative which makes their sound unique and something that you don’t hear on a regular basis.

Shannon had some time to sit down with us to bring us behind their sound, what they have going on and more.

First off, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Tell us about Hello Shannon, who you are and how it came to be.

My name is Shannon Camacho and I’m a 28 year-old singer and songwriter from Dallas, TX. I started Hello Shannon in 2014 with the release of our first EP, “The Tide,” though I had been writing songs for years. What started with me and a piano and a ukulele, in collaboration with my husband and producer/guitarist/keyboardist, Jonathan Camacho, eventually evolved into a fully produced sound combining elements of all of my musical influences.

What are you trying to achieve with your music? What do you want people to get or feel after they listen to a Hello Shannon album?

My goal is for people to connect with my songs as they hear them. My favorite songs are the ones that make me feel something, that draw me in and tell me a story. And my favorite artists are the ones who unapologetically make music that is both interesting and meaningful. That is the kind of music I try to make. I hope that my songs draw people in and make them feel.

You have such a unique voice and sound. What artists, songwriters or producers do you pull inspiration from to help create your sound?

My first songwriting inspiration was Regina Spektor. I always felt that my voice was different and it wasn’t until I discovered her that I felt my voice made sense. Her songwriting style was so interesting and weird and I fell absolutely in love. My second major influence was Frou Frou/ Imogen Heap. Her lyrics, vocal textures, and production struck me and from the first time I listened to “Let Go” I haven’t been the same. My other influences include Gungor, Kimbra, Florence + The Machine, Sohn, and James Blake among others. I studied both jazz and classical music at the University of North Texas, which have both played a huge part in my musical influence.



What is your favorite song you’ve ever made and why?

That is a very tough question. It almost feels like trying to pick your favorite child. But if I have to choose, I think my favorite song that I’ve ever made is one called, “Asleep” which is on the album that we are currently recording. It’s one of the most vulnerable songs I’ve ever written. I am an over-thinker and I often have a hard time writing lyrics because of my tendency to over analyze everything. At the time, I was struggling to finish writing another song, and in my frustration I was looking through sounds on my production software and came across this ethereal, sweeping sound. I hit one note and wrote the entire song over it in the span of fifteen minutes. I didn’t really even have to think about the lyrics, they just came out because they were exactly what I was feeling at the time. I love it because it wasn’t something I had to struggle to write. And the result is something that feels honest and real.

Explain your process of making a song.

I consider myself to be a melody person. A lot of my songs stem from just singing melodies all of the time (especially in the shower) or playing around with sounds on instruments or music software. I wish I was one that could write lyrics absent of melody but my brain doesn’t function that way. I have to have a melody to even begin thinking of lyrics. However, when I have an idea but I don’t have a melody, I like to free-write or write out all of my ideas. It’s a good way for me to process my thoughts and emotions without the pressure of writing lyrics. Then when I have a melody, I can go through my ideas and form lyrics. A large part of my songwriting process is also in the production. It’s in using intentional sounds to convey a specific emotion or idea, which often takes what feels like an excessive amount of time. However, when you’ve obsessively gone through hundreds of sounds and find the right one, there is no greater feeling than that of hearing your song sound the way that it was always meant to.

Who is your favorite artist right now?

My favorite artist is always going to Imogen Heap. But lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Sohn and Kimbra.

What are you currently working on at the moment and what plans do you have in the future for Hello Shannon?

Right now we are finishing up our first full-length album, which will release in the fall of this year. This album is three years in the making and is a result of my journey of self-discovery as a person and as a maker of music. I’m so excited for this project to be completed and for everyone to hear it. Honestly, I have no idea what our future looks like. It feels like the only thing that we’ve been thinking about is finishing the album. It’s been at the forefront of my mind for so long that I’m just excited to see where it goes once it’s released. And I guess we’ll just deal with life post-album as it comes.



Where can fans find more information about current & future Hello Shannon happenings?

You can find all of our info at our website www.helloshannonmusic.com. We’re also on every form of social media (all accessible through the website).

Anything else that you want to say?

I want to thank Songfinch for the opportunity to write music for people. There are so many different styles and influences that I enjoy writing that don’t always fit Hello Shannon’s sound. It’s great to have an outlet to write in different styles and to know that you’re creating something special for someone.



Above is a personalized song that Hello Shannon created from scratch for a mother-son dance at a wedding. It turned out to be a very unique song that represents everything the groom wanted to tell his mother during their special dance.