Spotlight on Shevonne
An In-depth interview by Cheryl Spainhour with Shevonne
Cheryl Spainhour
6/11/20263 min read
By Cheryl Spainhour
Shevonne Philidor was born in Philadelphia. She grew up in Tampa, and for the last four years has made her home across the bay in St. Petersburg. The guitar player/singer/songwriter describes her music as alternative R&B/pop. She was still a teenager when she landed a role in the national tour of ‘Oz the Musical’. After the tour, she produced her first album of original songs. She and her band recently performed around the world for a cruise line - all the perks of a tour without the headaches. These days, she makes her living playing music in the Bay Area and dabbles in her art on the side.
Here is our edited interview.
You said online your favorite instrument to play is electric guitar - what is it that makes it so?
It’s my right hand when writing music. I play electric and acoustic guitar. Both have different sounds and play different, but the energy is always the same. I love being able to accompany myself. Also, guitar is a versatile instrument.
When did you start composing your own songs?
I started writing music before I went on tour with the musical. What inspired me was young love and hard times in my life. I’m sure some inspiration came from being scared and the feeling of loneliness (on the road) - I was young, so there were a lot of emotions.
Do you make a living as a performer or do you also have a day job? These days, do you perform mostly local in the Tampa Bay Area?
I’m a full-time musician, which is also why I stay mostly local. You can make great money in Florida. Touring can be a money pit, but it’s necessary for growth as an artist, so it is something I’m currently in the planning stages of. Also, the last year or so I was playing on Virgin Voyages Cruise line with my band! It was a blast - basically a tour but we didn’t have to pay for food or do our own laundry or pay to travel! Kind of a life hack dream job! I got to see the world. The best part was performing for all the different people each voyage. I met so many new fans all around the world.
Tell us about the band that backs you.
My keys player is MD Julian Smith. He has a church background and he’s extremely talented. He’s my right hand - he helps get the music tight and is super driven. We’ve been playing together for 12 years.
My drummer is KeChardae, aka KeDrummerboy.
He’s a viral drummer and has played with many celebrities and rappers. He’s young, super talented, and high energy.
My bass player Big Benn is a super talented, driven guy. He’s also a huge buff muscle man who is always in the gym. So he’s inspiring when we’re out on the road, always getting people in the gym!
Your first album, self-titled “Shevizzle”, came out in 2016, and was all original material. Since then, you’ve released five singles, and now you’re working on your sophomore album. How is your music different from a decade ago?
My first album was self-produced - I was so young, used garage band. But I’ve never been the type of artist to stick to one genre. My current music still has that theme, but it features more live elements and higher production. The better musician I become, the better music I can produce. The more you practice something the better you become, so my writing is better now. I’ve written about 40 songs. So lots more music to come!
You are also a visual artist - you describe your drawings as surreal. Can you tell us more about your artwork?
My artwork is my hallucinations - all the wacky characters in my head. Not really sure who they are but when I’m in a flow state I can just create these crazy friends. Some people say they are a bit haunting, and others find them cute or fun at times. I don’t know - they make me happy. I watched a lot of cartoons as a kid so I throw on vibrant colors and let my imagination go wild!