pop ballad

In this candid interview, Shara Strand opens up about the emotional terrain that shaped Love Forever — a record forged in the aftermath of personal loss, creative rebirth, and quiet reckonings. After a spell away from the mic building a business grounded in care and confidence, the New York-based artist returns to the studio with a collection that pulses with sincerity, memory, and emotional clarity.

Touching on everything from spiritual connection and motherhood to second chances and studio chemistry, this interview traces the path between grief and growth. As Shara reflects on the presence of her late father, her revived partnership with producer Gregory Phace Fils-Aime, and the sense of home she found back at Engine Room Audio, her answers offer testament.

Love Forever arrives after a deeply personal period marked by transformation, grief and healing. At what point did you realise that the songs you’d been writing were ready to be shared with the world?

There was a moment, late one night, when a melody came through so clearly it felt like it didn’t belong to me — like it was given to me. That’s when I knew these songs weren’t just mine to hold anymore. They were meant to be shared, not just as music but as a message: that love, in all its forms, endures. It’s amazing when you don’t see something fully; but it really just gets shown to you from the universe.  The possibilities are endless. That’s what Love Forever is — not a diary, but a mirror for anyone who’s been through loss, growth, and rebirth.

The album was recorded at Engine Room Audio, where your first hits were born. Did returning to that space bring a sense of closure or renewal as you stepped back into the studio?

It felt like walking back into the heartbeat of my younger self — but with the wisdom of everything I’ve lived through since. There was a deep sense of coming full circle. I could still feel the energy of my early sessions, but this time I was carrying a different voice, a different story. It wasn’t just closure. It was a revival — of my purpose, my passion, and my connection to music.

You’ve described Love Forever as a celebration of all kinds of love. Were there specific memories or moments that helped you shape each track’s emotional core?

Absolutely. Each song was built around a real moment — sometimes joyful, sometimes heartbreaking. “Second Chances” came from a conversation where I realized I had more healing to do.  It’s my manifestation song that Second Chances are always possible- hope it always on it’s way. “I Will Be Here” was inspired by a promise I made to my children after a really difficult day. And “Happy Ending” was born from the idea that you can still believe in beauty even when life hasn’t gone according to plan. These weren’t abstract concepts — they were lived experiences.

Many people turn away from music during periods of loss, but you found your way back through it. How did revisiting your old recordings with your father shape your approach to the new material?

Remembering those times with my dad’ — his voice and his beautiful energy — cracked something open in me. It reminded me why I started singing in the first place. He always believed in my gift, even when I doubted myself. That presence, even in memory, gave me the courage to be raw and unfiltered in this album. It shaped not just what I wrote, but how I sang — from the most honest place I could.  I fully believe that my album was his gift from above to me.  He always tried to pull strings on earth for me- he would do everything and anything. I know up above, he is doing the same with my angels and ancestors and anyone who will help and assist. He was very spiritual on earth and connected to G-d energy.

Your earlier hits such as “RSVP” and “I Will Carry You” made waves on the dance charts. How has your relationship with production evolved since then, particularly when working with Gregory Phace Fils-Aime on this album?

Back then, I was focused on hooks, energy, and creating something that would move on the dancefloor. Now, I’m more interested in what moves people emotionally. Working with Phace was a revelation — he didn’t just produce, he listened. A total musical alchemist. He heard the heart of every song and brought textures that honored the message. It always surprised me so much to hear how he took my songs from simplistic to beautifully layered. The evolution wasn’t about losing that pop edge, but layering it with depth, soul, and intention.

After stepping away from the spotlight to build your business in cosmetics and skincare, how did you reconnect with your creative instincts when it was time to write again?

Helping people feel beautiful in their own skin every day at Shara Makeup Studio actually reconnected me to music in a surprising way. There’s something sacred about transformation — whether through a song or a makeup brush. I started hearing lyrics again in the quiet moments. The melodies came back, not as noise, but as guidance. When it was time to write, it felt like the door had always been open — I just needed to walk through it.  Now, we listen to my music at the studio!

“Soul Dad” was the most vulnerable for me. It was the first time I allowed myself to say the things I wish I had said when my father was still here. I recorded it with tears in my eyes. On the flip side, “My Green Light” surprised me — it came out fiery and unapologetic. It reminded me that rediscovery isn’t always quiet. Sometimes it’s bold and loud and full of attitude. That contrast lives throughout the album.  There is also a range of musical styles and themes.  No one deserves to be put in a box.

With the release date falling so close to the anniversary of your father’s passing, does putting Love Forever into the world now feel like an act of remembrance as much as an artistic statement?

Yes — it’s both. I didn’t plan the timing at first, but now I know it was divine. This album is my offering to him, to the love we shared, and to the life lessons he left behind. Releasing it now feels like saying, “Look, Daddy — I’m still here, still creating, still honoring everything you saw in me.” It’s my way of keeping him close while letting the world in.