July 2, 2026

65. Why Quitting Music for 10 Years Made Shoni Alleyne a Better Artist

Show Notes

Shoni recorded her entire EP alone in a closet, engineered it herself, and wrote the standout track in 15 min.

The New York-based R&B and soul singer-songwriter walked away from music for a decade after becoming a mom, and when she came back, she came back different. Shoni talks about recording Shades of Blues entirely on her own after a collaborator fell through, the Whitney Houston performance that gave her goosebumps at age five, why she names emotional intelligence as the number one quality she looks for in a team, and what happened when she stopped being a passenger in her own career.

IN THIS CONVERSATION, WE GET INTO:

Recording Shades of Blues alone in her closet after a key collaborator fell through mid-project
The Whitney Houston moment at a talent show that made a fourth grader decide to give people goosebumps for a living
Why she names emotional intelligence (not talent) as the most important quality in a collaborator
Walking away from music for 10 years as a mom and the depression that came with ignoring the calling

ABOUT SHONI:

Shoni is an R&B and soul singer-songwriter from New York City. Her 2025 EP Shades of Blues earned a feature on Tidal's Grown R&B playlist, placement on the Recording Academy's Grammy U November Mixtape, and a 2026 ISSA Awards finalist nod. She's also the host of the Beauty & Soul Podcast and founder of Soulfully Written Productions.

CONNECT WITH SHONI: