Meet Shannon Sullivan | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Sullivan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
This is actually an area I’m currently struggling with. I often find that I become consumed with work, to the detriment of my own mental health. Some steps I’m taking to try and incorporate a more healthy balance in my life is to limit the amount of time I’m allowed in front of a screen. That may sound incredibly simple, but It’s actually quite tricky for someone who’s music depends on cultivating a social media audience. One app that has helped me a lot is called the ‘Freedom’ app which actually blocks websites automatically after I’ve spent a certain amount of time on them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I began my journey as a musician a little over six years ago. I was attending a house party in Canada and at one point everyone sat on the ground in the living room and started sharing music with one another. I thought ‘I want to be able to do that’- so the very next day, I went out and rented a guitar. Six years later, I write and produce my own music. I just had a performance recently at Navy Pier in Chicago and I’m releasing another song at the end of this month,
I think the biggest challenge for me was realizing that I don’t need to wait for someone to come make my songs a reality. I used to think that I had to work with top-quality producers and musicians and writers to produce anything of merit. But I had a realization after having a bad experience working with a producer (and paying him lot of money), that I’m quite capable of bringing my own musical visions to life without needing anyone else. That being said, I absolutely love collaborating with my fellow musicians and creatives, but if I could give one bit of advice to musicians who are just starting their journeys- don’t wait for anyone else’s permission or approval. Give that to yourself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spot outside Chicago is definitely the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette. There are only seven Bahai temples in the world, and the one I frequent is the only temple in all of North America. It’s absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. I go there whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed with life and the energy calms me down.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
One person who has helped me become the artist I am today has been my twin brother, Conor. He’s always the first person I show my work to and he always provides me with insightful feedback. I trust his opinion, and he’s also helped me gain the confidence to trust my own.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannon_marie_music/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shanshansullimusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ShannonSullivan_aguafiestas/featured?view_as=subscriber

Other: https://open.spotify.com/track/06NXN2Yp3LgyXXWnc3Z39b?si=2efb42d9514840df

Image Credits
Shannon Sullivan