Shoni Paints a Soulful Masterpiece with 'Shades of Blues'

Blending the warmth of jazz, the intimacy of neo-soul, and the grit of contemporary blues and R&B, New York-based singer-songwriter Shoni is back with a project that refuses to sit quietly in the background. Her new album, Shades of Blues, is more than just a collection of tracks , it’s a living, breathing story of resilience, vulnerability, and the power of finding beauty in chaos.

Since her debut in 2019 with the uplifting single “Good Vibes”, Shoni’s seductive soprano and commanding stage presence have carved out a space where authenticity and healing walk hand-in-hand. For her, music isn’t just performance, it’s a way of translating the rawness of lived experience into something universal.

That dedication has been with her since childhood. Inspired at just five years old after hearing Whitney Houston at a talent show, she knew she wanted to give others that same goosebump-inducing feeling. By 12, she was writing her own songs. By college, she was studying jazz and classical music while also helping fellow creatives overcome performance anxiety. Today, she continues to wear many hats: audiobook narrator, entrepreneur, and host of the Beauty & Soul Podcast, which she launched to create space for conversations around health, wealth, love, and artistry. But Shades of Blues may be her boldest chapter yet.

Recorded in Virginia Beach, the place she grew up, filled with challenges she had to overcome, the project doubles as what she calls her “bittersweet love song to Virginia.”

Shoni describes it this way:

“I hope people know the importance of feeling every emotion as it comes and pushing through life’s blues. Regardless of what may be going on in your life and/or the world, beauty can come from chaos. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I recorded this project in Va Beach where I grew up which wasn't the best experience for me with the obstacles I had to overcome. Shades of Blues is my bittersweet love song to Virginia.”

Across its eight tracks, the album threads together themes of ambition, identity, family, and faith. It opens introspectively with “Hwy 95”, where the highway becomes a metaphor for liminal spaces — those waiting zones in life where progress feels stalled but hope still hums. That longing bleeds into “Page”, a standout track built like a classic R&B ballad, drenched in emotion and melody, giving voice to unspoken words in relationships.

The album’s emotional core takes shape in “Daddy’s Girls”, one of its most striking and unflinching moments. Shoni digs deep into paternal absence, self-validation, and generational scars, blending irony with soul. It’s heavy, but it’s also healing, showcasing her ability to balance raw storytelling with a sound that recalls the power of Christina Aguilera in her lower register.

Balancing those moments of darkness are songs of resilience and light. “Won’t Complain” grounds the record in faith, gratitude, and endurance — proof that hope isn’t passive, but an act of survival. Meanwhile, “Bassline” (featuring Jae Writez) celebrates music’s magnetic pull, using rhythm as a metaphor for intimacy and connection. Shoni herself credits Adrian (Jae Writez) C. Young Jr as a key force in helping her push past doubt and finish the project, adding yet another layer of collaboration and trust to the record’s foundation. Together, the songs weave into a complete story, one that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. Each track blends into the next, creating an arc that refuses to leave listeners untouched.

Shades of Blues shows Shoni at her most experimental yet focused, stretching the boundaries of R&B while still staying true to its emotional core. It’s an album that embodies the title, taking every shade of blue from heartbreak to resilience and reframing them into a palette of strength.

In an era where so much feels uncertain, Shoni reminds us that music can still be a lifeline, a diary, and a sanctuary all at once.