An Interview With Taydem Shoesmith, a Singer, Songwriter & Actress
Taydem Shoesmith is a new artist who fell in love with music from a young age. Her father would sing to her every night and from that sparked an interest in Taydem. She found comfort in writing music during her freshman year of high school. At first she was afraid to show others her music, not wanting to be judged about her thoughts and feelings. But as time went on, she realized that others felt the way she did and knew she should keep sharing her creations.
Her music ranges from singer-songwriter to pop to alternative. Recently, she released a new single “Are You Clapping?”, a song about accepting yourself and not letting people change who you are or want to be. Her biggest influences are Michael Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Billie Holiday, Sabrina Carpenter, Camila Cabello, among others.
Alongside her passion for music, she also has a great interest in acting. Her acting debut was in 2020, when she was casted for a role in the short film “In the Dark.” She has been cast as the lead in multiple films, and has created music for films as well; one of those being a theme song for a short series.
How did you first become interested in singing, songwriting, and acting?
I’ve been singing for as long as I could talk. That is something that has been constant my whole life. I didn’t get into songwriting till about my sophomore year of highschool. I attempted song writing when I was in middle school but I was absolutely terrible! It’s definitely taken some time to develop that skill, and now it’s one of my favorite things to do. When it comes to acting, I first started in middle school. My mom’s friend opened an acting studio so my mom signed me up for it even though I seriously did not want to join. I was a very shy and introverted kid so the last thing I wanted to do was join an acting club. I went to the first class, and I think I instantly loved it ever since.
What type of music inspires you the most?
I love all types of music, but when it comes to being inspired, I think I would have to say alternative music. A lot of the time alternative music has clever and deep lyrics that get me thinking. Really I don’t think the genre is important as long as the lyrics speak to me.
Can you describe your songwriting process?
I don’t really have a specific songwriting process. Generally though I try to figure out a concept or theme to build the rest of the lyrics around, and go from there. Sometimes I start by writing the first verse, other times I start with the chorus. It just depends on how it flows!
How do you handle constructive criticism when it comes to your work?
If I’m talking honestly, I don’t love hearing criticism haha! But I also know that I need criticism to get better. I know I’m lacking in a lot of areas so I want that criticism so that I can become the best version of myself. They might not be the best things to hear, but those criticisms are important.
Can you walk us through your experience working on a film or TV set?
Working on set has a different experience depending on what you’re cast for. If it’s for a commercial and you have lines, then usually you show up and get checked in. After that there’ll be a small team for wardrobe and one for makeup. Once those are done, they’ll get a microphone hooked up on you. And then usually you’ll have to wait for cameras, sound, and lighting to be set. We’ll do some takes from one angle and then everything has to move again for the next angle. Being an actor I feel is the easiest part about the whole process! When it comes to films, the days are usually very long. Like this last one I was on started at 8 AM and we wrapped up the day at 1 AM. You’ll eat on set with the cast and crew. With long filming days like that there is a lot of chatting and working because if you didn’t those days would feel so much longer. I’ve met a lot of different and fun people on sets.
How do you ensure that your vocal performance is consistent each time you perform?
I haven’t actually performed my music live yet since I’m pretty new to all of this, and only have one single out. I have thought about this though, how I would make sure my voice is in good condition every time I sing. When I sing in general I make sure to warm up my voice, and make sure I’m breathing correctly. I have a tendency to breathe shallowly which affects my voice quite a bit. I guess it’s something I’ll have to learn with time, or maybe get advice from other artists.
Can you share an example of how you collaborate with others in the creative process?
I haven’t collaborated with other artists yet, but working with the producers was a new challenge for me. Trying to describe the vision I had in my head for this song was more difficult than I anticipated. I’d never really had to describe what I wanted cause I would piece together songs myself. But actually going to a professional studio and working with people is a whole different experience. I learned that I needed to communicate more, and any random ideas I get, I should make sure to say something. They can’t read your mind, so it’s important to talk things through.
Can you describe a time when you faced a challenge while performing on stage, and how you overcame it?
I’ve only ever performed on stage in highschool for the musicals. I can’t specifically remember any major challenges I faced. I remember a few times where I sang a bit off or maybe my voice cracked. And I learned with those kinds of things, you just have to move on. Don’t let your mind stick onto those moments because it will affect the rest of your performance. So you messed up a little bit. If you keep going and giving a hundred, maybe people won’t even remember your mistake because you made the rest of it more memorable and entertaining. I can’t take every mistake so seriously. No one is perfect, and it’s part of growing.
What do you think sets you apart from other singers, songwriters, and Actresses?
I wish I could say I have this incredible singing range, or that I’m super natural when acting, or that my lyrics are extremely clever, but I don’t think I can say those things. I have no idea what sets me apart from other artists. All I have to offer is my voice, my songwriting, and my love for music. I guess I have to hope that that’s enough. I’ll keep working hard and try to improve my skills, and maybe one day I’ll be able to answer this question a bit better!
Can you talk about your long-term career goals in the entertainment Industry?
There are many things I want to achieve in my life in general, but I try not to get so fixated on them. I’ve started to realize that I don’t like setting long term goals. It might sound ridiculous, but it’s actually kept me from experiencing other things. I think I get this sort of tunnel vision when I create long term goals. When I don’t set those goals, I tend to let myself be more open minded to new things. Being more open minded actually led me to try to pursue a career in music. Because “long term goal” me only had acting as her main priority. Overall I want to try many different genres of music, and hopefully get some music videos out there too! I’d also like to be more involved with the producing side of music, and maybe hold some live concerts when I have more songs!
