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Artist Name: Shefali / Bonita Applebum
Website : www.shefalimusic.com / www.bonitaapplebum.com
Location : New York City, NY
 Shefali - Here We Come ( Ready or Not ): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
WWS : Tell us about where you are from and how you got to this position today.
Shefali : I am originally from Akron / Cleveland, Ohio (which makes me a Browns and Cavs fan!). I love Cleveland, and the city really shaped me in a lot of ways. I studied multimedia and engineering at Case Western Reserve, and was very active in the dance scene, so I got to know the different sub-cultures that make the city interesting. Through a scoring project, I realized that making music was my passion and decided to make the move to NYC. I applied to NYU’s masters of music technology program, and took a job as a wine sommelier to pay the bills. I made time whenever possible to write songs and sing, and began building a foundation in production too.
WWS : How did you get your name Shefali? What is the origin?
Shefali : My parents are from northern India and Shefali is a flower that grows in the Himalayas. I’m thankful for my name but some people find it difficult to say. I remember I had this really mean coach in high school who refused to learn my name (he would be like “hey you”). Finally I asked him if he could please learn my name and his response was “Shefali? Why would I learn a name like that?” I responded by saying, “If everyone’s name was Sue, the world would be a boring place” to which his response was “my wife’s name is Sue.” ooooooooops.
WWS : Being of Indian decent, what does your family and people in India think?
Shefali : The people of India pride themselves on respect, modesty, and humility. My dancing and modeling career was difficult for my family to take – mainly because what is considered the norm or typical in Western culture is considered inappropriate in Indian culture. But I’ve learned what styles I am comfortable with for photo shoots and video shoots, and I definitely have lines I won’t cross. I want to be a positive example to young girls who get bombarded with a certain kind of imagery from the media. I won’t do anything that I wouldn’t be willing to share with my family- making them proud is a big motivation for me.
WWS : You make your own dance music as well as sing; tell us about how you came about this craft and why you decided to go this route.
Shefali : I love technology, and I’m inspired by all things music – this includes the science of sound such as acoustics and digital signal processing; they are the elements that make up music production. I have a lot of passion which is why I love songwriting and singing, but making the music truly engages my mind, body, and soul! I have been producing other very talented vocalists, and being able to work with their voices is such a gift, and so fulfilling.
WWS : What else are you involved with besides music?
Shefali : Besides music, I am working on my thesis, and also a television show which is scheduled to go live this spring. In addition, I am the CEO and founder of Emotitones – a patent-pending mobile music technology. Right now we are looking for the right partners to go from demo phase to releasing the full service. If anyone knows Russell Simmons or Tom Silverman, please tell them I need a meeting asap! 
WWS : What is one of the most drastic changes you’ve made about yourself in the last year?
Shefali : I’d say the biggest change for me in 2009 was that I started performing live! Dance performances always felt natural to me, but I used to be really scared of singing in front of people (including my voice teacher). I even quit a job when I was 16 because they were trying to make me sing Italian arias in front of dinner guests. Anyway, we (Bonita Applebum) have several shows coming up in some of New York’s most beloved venues. I am really excited for all of them!
WWS : What would you spend you a million dollars on?
Shefali : That’s an easy one- For those I don’t know: charity. For my family members: whatever will help them get closer to achieving their dreams. For my colleagues: gifts to show my appreciation for their help. For me: funding for my company, a few studio upgrades including mastering plug-ins, a proper iso-booth, microphone, and the Dark Fire. The rest I would save so I could be in a position to invest in other entrepreneurs!
WWS : What was your biggest risk taken in your career?
Shefali : The biggest risk was investing in my idea for music technology. I put in most of my savings to get things rolling. But I did it because I really think it can make an impact on the music industry – it can give musicians another outlet for their music; the label owner another way to capitalize on music; and the people a better way to communicate.
WWS : What suggestions do you have for other artists like yourself?
Shefali : There are so many ways of having success in the music industry. Don’t believe in the misconception that you have to be willing to do “anything” to make it. Be smart, work hard, and don’t think you have to follow someone else’s path. Take the road that makes you comfortable and proud. Also, you can never learn too much, so take opportunities to learn from others, or take a class on a subject that will help you improve. Investing in yourself is important.
WWS : What’s one incident that would serve as a turning point to your life?
Shefali : Meeting the love of my life. I was working at my wine job for a museum’s anniversary party, and he was invited by the curator to attend the party. As I was offering him the first glass of wine everything got all fuzzy, and I swear the song “Dreamweaver” was playing in my head LOL. With him, I have learned to trust completely, and how to be the best version of myself. We’ve been happily married for over a year now, and I want people to know that you don’t have to give up your career or your dreams just because you’ve decided to share your life with someone. True love will provide you with the best friend, lover and teammate you could ever ask for!
WWS : What are the best ways to sell your products as an artist?
Shefali : If you aren’t stuck on going through the major labels, there are many ways to put your music out. Some of my favorites are: Bandcamp, CD Baby, and if you are operating as a record label, Ingrooves is the way to go. It takes paper work to set yourself up (and a fee to register with ASCAP or BMI) but it is worth it. Payments can come directly to you, so when people want to support you and your music, they really can. If you dislike the “business” side of music, you need to have a larger entity believe in you. They traditionally will take care of the registration, publishing, distribution and marketing, but they will also be in control of profits (which is a fine arrangement if you have someone look over your contracts), and your music.
WWS : What is one of your favorite ways to promote yourself and your music?
Shefali : To be honest, I dislike self-promotion through social media but it is the best way for an artist to promote him/herself. I like to post ideas, music, and events on Facebook. It’s a good way to get honest feedback from people who you know in some fashion. Making music becomes a collaborative effort if you share it.
Independent Focus: Shefali / Bonita Applebum8.91010
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dope interview
I LOVE SHEFALI!!!!