Shygirl, the rapper and DJ who has become a fixture in the global club scene, doesn’t just attend parties—she transforms them into laboratories of sound and self-expression. For her, the club isn’t just a venue; it’s a battleground where identities are forged, spaces are claimed, and music becomes a living, breathing entity. “I like that sometimes the club is dangerous,” she says. “It’s somewhere that you have to fight for your space, secure it, and hold onto it.”
Her journey began in the underground raves of London, where she cut her teeth as a DJ before releasing her debut album, which earned a Mercury Prize nomination in 2023. Since then, Shygirl has become a music-making machine, collaborating with icons like Charli XCX, Björk, and Lady Gaga, while carving out her own niche with a sound that’s as unpredictable as it is infectious.
In 2022, Shygirl launched Club Shy, an after-hours event that started as a playground for her experimental demos and evolved into a global phenomenon. These nights, fueled by the raw energy of the dance floor, inspired her latest EP, a collection of tracks that capture the chaotic beauty of those early morning hours. “There’s beauty in a demo,” she explains. “It’s unfinished, there’s potential, and I love that sound of potential.”
Club Shy isn’t just a party—it’s a statement. It’s a space where genres collide, where grime meets garage, and reggaeton dances with rap. “I wanted to create something that felt spontaneous, mood-driven, and free from expectations,” she says. “It’s not about what people want from me; it’s about what I want from myself in that space.”
For Shygirl, the club is more than just a place to let loose—it’s a space for vulnerability and self-discovery. “I’ve tasted what vulnerability gives you,” she reflects. “It’s exhilarating to know that you survive. Each time you get on that stage, the more vulnerable I am, the more I can get from that experience.” This philosophy has shaped her approach to music, performance, and even collaboration. “I try to work with people I genuinely have a friendship with,” she says. “There’s nothing worse than having a song between you, and you don’t like each other anymore.”
As she prepares to release her second studio album, Shygirl is stepping back from the relentless pace of touring to focus on living—and creating. “I need to actually live a bit so I have something to write about,” she admits. But one thing is certain: whether she’s on stage, in the studio, or hosting a Club Shy night, Shygirl will continue to push boundaries, challenge expectations, and redefine what it means to be an artist in the modern age.
Her music, much like her life, is a soundtrack to a movie only she could star in. “All the songs that I make are soundtracks to the movie that’s my life,” she says. “I want to feel like I’m that bitch in the video whenever.” And with every beat, every lyric, and every electrifying performance, she proves that she is.
