Shelby Elle
Voting opens on October 15 at 9:00 AM EDT.
About Shelby Elle
I make colorful, feel-good pop music for people who love to dance and don’t take themselves too seriously. Before making music, I was a professional ballroom dancer, so movement has always been a huge part of who I am and the music I'm making.
Performances & Content from Shelby Elle
Light Bright
La La Land
Supernova
Learn More About Shelby Elle
What makes you the Next Music Star?
I want to make pop music that feels like a celebration again. I was a professional ballroom dancer before I became a pop artist, so I’ve always believed music should make you want to move, dress up, and dance together! I make pop music for the hopeful romantics - the kind of people who see the glass half full, who love to dance, have big dreams, and still believe in happy endings. I want the people who listen to my music to feel invited into a joyful world that gives them permission to fully let go and dance. I would be so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to start the party at Jingle Ball this year!
What do you love about music and performing?
My favorite thing about music is that it gives us permission to feel something together. I grew up dancing and writing songs, and each gave me a different way to express myself. Songwriting was a cathartic way to get my words out, while dancing allowed me to express those same emotions without words. So getting to put the two together and share them with other people is the ultimate dream. There’s something amazing about a room full of people forgetting about everything else for a few minutes and singing, dancing, laughing, or even crying together. That’s what I love most about performing - the connection between everyone together in a room. I don’t want there to be a wall between me and the audience. I want everyone to feel like they’re part of the show. If people leave feeling a little lighter, a little more hopeful, and maybe with a new dance move, I’ve done my job.
Who are your biggest music inspirations and dream collaborators?
My biggest inspirations are artists who make pop music feel like its own world. I grew up inspired by performers like Britney Spears and Michael Jackson, who made the dancing and visual world feel just as important as the music itself. I love the way Dua Lipa has brought that kind of movement and optimism into modern pop, and Ellie Goulding has always been a huge vocal inspiration of mine as well. On the creative side, I would love to work with Jack Antonoff or Mark Ronson. I really admire how they can pull inspiration from different eras while still making something that feels completely fresh. As a songwriter, getting in a room with Amy Allen or Steph Jones would be a dream. I admire how they can take a fun pop idea and still make it feel incredibly human and personal.
What would you do with the $10,000 Grand Prize?
I would put every dollar back into the music and the world around it. As an independent artist, $10,000 could make a huge difference in bringing my next project to life. I’m currently writing my next record, and it’s SO FUN! Dance is woven into every part of it - from the songs themselves to choreography, music videos, custom stage outfits, and eventually the live show. I would use the money to help fund the production and visual world around the record, including hiring dancers, designers, and other creatives to help bring it to life. My goal is to build something that feels bigger than just releasing songs online - I want to create music people can actually participate in. Winning $10,000 would give me the opportunity to push that dream forward in some amazing ways!