Despite the unpredictable tropical downpour during rehearsals for Let’s Celebrate 2026, Shazza is the picture of calm. As we made our way towards Siloso Beach for this exclusive New Year’s interview, her voice stunning and unmistakable reverberated from afar, cutting through the sound of the rain.

It is a vibe that feels worlds apart from her 2024 countdown performance. Back then, she was navigating the high-octane energy of a Taylor Swift cover; on New Year’s Eve, she took centre stage in a striking traditional costume for her single, MEDIEVAL.

“I’m more relaxed now,” the singer-songwriter shared with a smile. “In the past, I was planning every minute-by-minute move. Now, I just want to be one with the stage and live in the moment.”

That sense of presence has been a decade in the making. Shazza’s musical journey began at age 11, rooted in her parents’ CD collection. “I was that kid who lived for the lyric booklets,” she recalls. “I used to ask people why they liked a certain song, and if they couldn’t explain it, it drove me crazy. For me, it was always about the words.”

That obsession birthed a songbook she carried everywhere, even through school hours, where she would pen lyrics whenever inspiration struck. “Art is kept alive through ‘feels’, not by force,” she explains. This authentic approach led her to self-fund and self-conceptualise her own music videos, a leap of faith encouraged by her inner circle. “My parents and friends told me to give it my best shot. It was a massive confidence boost.”

Looking back, 2025 was a whirlwind. Her album, Happy, Wretched & Terrified was released. For the launch, Shazza wanted a change of atmosphere, she said, “it was about bringing the arts community together for a good cause.” With the support of a National Arts Council (NAC) grant and her own funding, she launched Shazza Fest at SCAPE. It was a community-centric launch that brought together local businesses, from coffee roasters to perfumers and fashion brands.

Shazza is ready to break new grounds in 2026. Beyond her signature English tracks, she is exploring music in Malay and Hindi, a nod to her childhood spent watching Bollywood films. She is even stepping in front of the camera, having made her acting debut in Mediacorp’s reality series Berani Lakon! last December.

When asked for three words to define her 2026, Shazza doesn’t hesitate: Joyful, Intentional, and Strategic. “I want to live with lightness and direction,” she says, reflecting on advice she received about maintaining a clear thought process on stage. “I’m learning to move a bit slower, travel more, and be more intentional with the stories I tell.”

The Fifth Parlour would like to thank Shazza for the interview and Mediacorp for coordinating the interview.