Young local star taking the music world by storm
Shanya Cortes, a young lady from Bela-Bela who was a matric learner at Hoërskool Warmbad in 2021, always had aspirations of being a performing artist.
She took up modeling at a young age and her talent for music and dance soon became evident.
Her dream of becoming a singer recently came to fruition after the release of her first music single with the title: Here for you.
Shanya has always set her goals high and she will leave South Africa in July to attend the prestigious New York Film Academy to study musical theatre.
She was only seven years old when she started singing and honing her vocal cords and music prowess under the watchful eye of her music teacher, Marga Roos, at the Encore Vocal Studio in Bela-Bela.
In 2015 when she was 12, she represented South Africa in Bulgaria on the Little Miss Planet pageant and won the title.
It was during her performance in 2019 at the International Arts Talent Showcase at Silverstar Casino in Mogale City, that her talents caught the attention of the famous actor Joey Hunter, as well as Joey Zangardi-Dixon, director of the New York Film Academy.
They offered her a scholarship at the New York Film Academy. She was driven to have a song released before her travels to the United States.
“The lyrics of my song came from me missing somebody dearly. I put words to my feelings without ever thinking that this might become a song. I spent many nights during the hard lockdown period singing in the bath and eventually I was able to extend the lyrics into a song.”
After reaching out to Gino Lee from River Road Records in Qqeberha, Shanya traveled to the Eastern Cape and recorded the song in their renowned recording studio.
“Singing is my passion. It is what I love doing most. I am always listening to music and sometimes I do not sing aloud but only to myself,” she said. “Someone once said to me if you do not know what your purpose in life is; follow your passion because it is God-given.”
By taking some inspiration from artists like Demi Lavato and Ariana Grande, Shanya has never had the desire to copy a famous performing artist but rather have her own unique style.
As a local Bela-Bela girl, she does have great respect for Johan “Fatman” Brümmer whose musical career went to new heights after he participated in The Voice South Africa.
“He showed me that even though you come from a small town that no one knows, you can still dream big and achieve your dreams.”
She says that she does not expect to become famous overnight, but has high hopes that her music will reach bigger audiences — songs that will touch people’s hearts.
“Music is a tough industry, which is why I try to be as realistic as possible. I want to be a professional singer for the right reasons. Not for the fame, the glitz, and the glory but to share my gift with others. Maybe one day, I will inspire other young people to follow their dreams.”
- Shanya’s single was released on Friday 4 February and is currently available online through the following apps: Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube, Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora, and Napster.
