Sally Shapiro might just be the world's most reluctant pop star. After being discovered by friend and producer Johan Agebjorn, Sally was reluctantly coaxed into singing on a disco song. No biggie, right? To everyone's surprise (especially Sally), the song (the breezy "I'll Be By Your Side") went on to be an unexpected club hit. After even more coaxing, Sally was eventually convinced to make an entire record. Disco Romance, her full-length debut, has garnered praise all over the world and made the shy Swedish singer something of a reluctant media star. Given that Shapiro rarely gives interviews, declines being photographed and once showed up incognito at her own record release party, we were extra stoked and surprised when she agreed to take part in a little IM chat session with us. (Our first IM interview ever!)

SG: This is Cole, from Soundgirl. How are you?

Sally: Hi, sorry, I misunderstood, I thought it was in an hour from now. i´m fine, thank you.

SG: No problem. Is this time ok?

Sally: Yes, it´s fine.

SG: Well, first I just wanted to tell you how much I'm enjoying your record. Are you surprised by the reaction it has received?

Sally: Thank you! Yes, I´m very surprised that so many people like it. We only expected the italo disco fans to discover it.

SG: How did the record come to be? Have you always made music?

Sally: Johan {Sally's musical partner and producer} has made music for several years, although mostly in the ambient field. Me, I have just played music for "fun" with no ambitions. The record started with the single I´ll be by your side, witch was a try from Johan´s side to make something sounding 80´s italo disco, since he is a big fan of that genre. He asked me if I wanted to sing on it, and i said yes, since I liked the track very much. Then it became pretty hyped on the internet and we got in contact with some record labels. Diskokaine asked us if we wanted to make a whole album and we couldn´t refuse, of course.

SG: That's amazing. I love hearing stories of when things happen that way. Was it hard to make the record? You sound so comfortable singing on it.

Sally: Haha, yes it was sometimes quite hard for me to sing, to believe in myself. It could take Johan several days to convince me to sing on tracks. Today I´m feeling a bit more comfortable with recording.

SG: How do you feel about performing live with an audience?

Sally: I haven´t performed live yet and I´m not sure I will do it. I´m frightened of doing wrong, live performances seems very very scary.

SG: Well, I think you could do it....but I totally understand what you mean. Live performance is a whole different thing.

Sally: Yes, it really is, when I´m recording even not Johan is in the room...

SG: Wow. Did you grow up doing music or singing when you were a kid?

Sally: No, not creating music. But I grew up in a music loving family.

SG: Were you always a fan of pop music and dance music?

Sally: Yes, for example I loved Lili and Sussie which is Swedish 80s disco a lot, and Eurovision Song Contest I followed closely every year...

SG: I love the Eurovision contest. I wish they showed that stuff in America.

Sally: Oh I didn´t thought americans knew about it! How do you see it then?

SG: I follow it online, but it seems like the kind of thing that could easily become a sensation here. Americans seem to love any kind of talent contest or music competition.

Sally: Haha, nice!

SG: What do you do when you're not making music? Do you have a regular sort of day job?

Sally: I have a job, sometimes, but nothing as glamourous as being a disco star.

SG: Well, can anything be as glamorous as being a disco star? I think not. I know you've been very careful about doing interviews and being photographed. Has that part of things gotten any easier? Does the attention bother you?

Sally: Yes, a bit easier. Like doing chat interview were very scary the first times, now it´s totally ok. But still I don´t like doing live interviews or being photographed by unknown people.

SG: Understandable. I do this for a living and I still find if very strange at times.

Sally: The attention in itself does not bother me, maybe it´s the expectations.

SG: Now that you've made this record and people have embraced it so warmly, do you look forward to doing another one?

Sally: I´m very grateful for all nice words about the music. However I think it´s to early to speak about a follow-up.

SG: There are some great remixes being released as well. It must be interesting to see how other people can play around with the songs.

Sally: Some of them are pretty nice, and it´s fun to see how you can change the feeling just with the productions.

SG: American music journalists are perpetually fascinated with Swedish pop music. What other things are happening there right now that people should know about?

Sally: Sorry, I´m not really the right person to ask, since I´m not so up to date. I like for example Marit Bergman and Emmon. And an electronica group called Pluxus.

SG: I've heard of Pluxus. I'll have to check them out.  Thanks again for doing this. I wish you guys lots of luck with the record here in the states. If you ever decide to come and perform here, we'd all be very excited.

Sally: I want to mention Cloetta Paris too, it´s a little bit the same sort of music as ours, and her producer and songwriter have written some of our tracks too.

SG: Oh cool. I'll check that out as well.

Sally: Thank you! Nice speaking to you! It will be exciting to read!

SG: You're very welcome! Have a great night!


Sally Shapiro's Disco Romance is available now from Paper Bag Records.

for more on SALLY SHAPIRO, click HERE

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