sheyda

Though she may be a new name, Sheyda is a lifelong singer-songwriter with a larger-than-life voice. She grew up in California with an out-of-the-box childhood: “When I was little, we lived on a large horse ranch in San Diego where we boarded horses and had a petting zoo of rescued and acquired animals. I was hardly ever inside—I couldn’t work a tv until I was 13. I took baths in the water troughs and ate the horses’ carrots for snacks, and was essentially a wild child.”

Sheyda’s music is recognizable for its honest, emotive lyrics—but also her powerhouse voice, which she’s found again after a difficult few years. After moving to Nashville to attend Belmont University for vocal performance, she found out she had vocal nodules that could only be removed surgically. She switched her plan to a double major in songwriting and business.

“I felt like I had lost my voice and my body. But, during my first songwriting class, I started to find my way back to music. The rest fell into place and I was able to go from writing lyrics to singing again. I had guidance from a special songwriting teacher who helped me believe in myself again, who introduced me to people who became inspirations and aids to me. I don’t know that I would’ve made it back into it all without her.”