Between Light and Letting Go: Varun Sheel’s “shine” Is a Slow-Burning Portrait of Almost-Love and Emotional Truth
- STAFF
- Jun 16
- 10 min read
By: Staff
Something’s Glowing on the Horizon: Varun Sheel’s “shine” Hits Where It Hurts (and Heals)
Every now and then, a song slips into your playlist that doesn’t just sound good—it feels like something you’ve lived through. It’s subtle, cinematic, and hits like a memory you didn’t know you missed. The latest release from one of indie pop’s most quietly captivating voices does exactly that.
With guitar lines that shimmer like golden hour light and lyrics that lean into the ache of things unsaid, this new single isn’t here to shout—it’s here to sting, gently. It’s about that kind of love that never quite crosses the line, where every moment is charged and nothing is certain.
Varun Sheel has been blending borders—between genres, cultures, and emotional extremes—for a minute now. And if you’ve heard their past work, you know they’re not afraid to get personal. But this time, they’ve found a whole new level of vulnerable.
We got the chance to talk with them right as this new single hits the airwaves. In the interview that follows, we talk about inspiration, tension, nostalgia, and the strange magic of almost-love. If you’ve ever had a moment you couldn’t put into words—this one’s for you.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello Varun Sheel, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more excited to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. For fans meeting you for the first time, is Varun Sheel your given name or a stage name? What inspired it as your artist identity?
A. Varun Sheel is my real name! When I finally decided to start releasing music, I debated using an alias. But ultimately, my music is a reflection of who I am at any given moment—and I want it to feel honest. Nothing feels more real and genuine than putting my actual name to the track. It’s not a persona, it’s a way to show that this is really me. Flaws and all.
Q. How did you land on “Shine” as the title for this song?
A. “Shine” is a song that tosses you into a very visual moment. You’re in the grass, watching sunset fall into the stars, holding hands with someone who means everything to you and you’re trying to find the courage to say what’s in your heart and take that leap. I wanted a title that captured all of that—the golden light, the sparkle in their eyes, the courage to take a risk. ‘Shine’ felt like the right word for that glowy, hope-filled feeling.
Q. Your music feels deeply authentic and personal. How do you balance creating for yourself and creating for your audience?
A. It’s definitely a difficult balance but there is a process! I always start by writing for myself. To me, something has to feel real before I can shape it into a song. Once the chords, lyrics and emotions are there, I want my listener to be able to imagine themselves as the “main character” in this story. This pulls into this idea I have of wanting to create “Bollywood influenced indie pop”. It’s cinematic, it’s immersive, and if you’re the lead in that daydream Bollywood dance moment, what would resonate with you to make that moment perfect? What lines hit you? What stories would you connect to? Too cryptic, and it won’t land. Too polished, and it loses its soul. So I really try to use this process to help me live in that in-between. Honest, emotionally resonant and sonically immersive.
Q. We read that “Shine” captures those emotionally loaded moments of early love, when no one quite says what they mean. What drew you to that kind of tension?
A. When I wrote the chords to “Shine”, there was this natural tension in the root notes. It already felt like the start of an emotionally loaded moment. But it also honestly felt a little playful and cute. When you’re looking for something that’s not only tense, but cute, it takes me back to bigger moments in my childhood. Moments where I had to be brave, and this is probably one of the most relatable human experiences out there! We’ve all been there. Sharing late night texts. Saying “goodnight” too slowly and hoping the other person picks up on the subtext. The tension is electric, you’re on the edge of something and if you’re brave, that could change everything. That space is just so rich with emotion, fear and hope that it seemed perfect.
Q. Your music blends nostalgic textures, like Game Boy-style synths, with raw emotional lyrics. Was it difficult to make those contrasting sounds work together in “Shine”?
A. So, the synths are arguably one of my favorite instruments on the track and they were a very random last minute decision! Honestly, it was a total hail mary - but it just clicked. I was editing “shine” and I knew I was almost done, but I wanted a topline for the chorus to bring more energy and nostalgia. The idea behind “shine” is something we’ve all experienced since we were kids and I wanted people to feel that “youthful hope” when they listened to the song. I took a break to clear my head and started helping my wife pack some boxes for a move we have coming up and I found my old GameBoy with Pokemon in it from when I was a kid! Naturally I turned it on and I was greeted by the music from The Pokemon Center. Exactly where I had left it, decades ago. I heard it and instantly felt like a kid again, so I knew it would be perfect for the track. I reproduced that synth sound to the best of my ability and whenever I hear it on the track now it makes me smile. It will take me back to the Pokemon Center every time.
Q. Your songwriting often leans into introspection and honesty. How did you push yourself further in that direction with “Shine”?
A. I constantly try to lock myself into the moment of the song. For “Shine”, that’s the moment of hesitation. Within the lyrics, you never actually express your feelings in the track. It’s all about the build-up to the confession. The little moments, that almost say too much. Had I given it that conclusion, it would be neat storytelling, but it would be a different moment. So you have to let yourself be vulnerable, without giving in to that. That’s super hard. Leaving it messy. But, it’s what makes it real and makes that moment feel more honest so it’s what's better for the track. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters.
Q. You’ve blended Western indie pop with Bollywood-inspired melodies across your work. Where does “Shine” sit in that musical evolution?
A. “Shine” definitely lean’s more into the indie-pop side of things. But while it’s not at the forefront, the track's DNA is drenched in those Bollywood influences I grew up with. When I wrote this song, I literally imagined it as a “daydream Bollywood song” that you break out into in the tension of the moment. You’re staring at them, heart racing and your mind drifts into this dream sequence - like a little Bollywood fantasy in your head. Here you go through the internal struggle of fighting for that moment of bravery. The visuals of the lyrics, the immersiveness of all the instruments, the way I deliver my vocal, all serve to tell that story and put you into the main character's shoes for that daydream.
Q. We saw this on your IG and had to ask; what’s the story behind: “I'd like to apologize in advance to the student I told 'this doesn't seem that challenging'. This is 100% not an easy song. It do slap though…”
A. I teach vocals in my spare time to kids that want to step into professional music programs as they grow older! Honestly, I’m so happy I started doing this. It’s so rewarding, it exposes me to new music and ideas and these kids are fantastic. I’m in awe of the way some of them sing and it makes me want to step my game up too! A few weeks ago, I was working on Chappelle Roan’s - “Pink Pony Club” with a student. It was her choice, and when she presented it at first, I almost brushed it off. I said “this doesn't seem that challenging” for her. She listened, but she loves the song so we worked on it and she did a fantastic job! I was sending her on her way home, giving her stuff to work on (breathing, timing, etc) and she said “next week can I hear you cover it too?”. In that video, I’m performing Chappelle Roan’s - “Pink Pony Club” and I was incredibly humbled. 100% not an easy song to sing and get the emotion right. I’m still working on it! But it’s a great song and I love singing it as well.
Q. Do you have a favorite song from your early music-listening years that you’d love to cover in the studio, something that still connects to who you are now?
A. I’m a 90’s baby so I love music from then and the 80’s. But I especially love to highlight the storytelling and emotion in them. “Songs like ‘Friday I’m In Love’ by The Cure, Cher’s ‘Believe,’ or ‘I Melt With You’ by Modern English are lyrically actually quite beautiful and they’re timeless. I would love to take these tracks and put my own spin on them.
Q. “Shine” already says a lot about you as an artist, but what’s one surprising fact about you that fans might not know?
A. “Shine” is a lyrically honest and nostalgic indie-pop track. But this is far off from the first kind of music I played. I got my first guitar when I was a kid and ever since then, all I wanted to do was shred. My first musical influences and guitar covers I’d learn were songs by Buckethead, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen and many metal bands such as Protest the Hero and Avenged Sevenfold. I don’t do it as much anymore but I hope to write a song one day where I get to tear up a guitar solo.
Q. What are your top 3 dream venues or festivals to perform at?
A. Red Rocks, because of the natural acoustics. Lollapalooza, because I grew up dreaming of being on that stage. And Coachella, because, well—Coachella.
Q. Are the emotions behind “Shine” typical of what inspires your songwriting, or do you start from a range of different feelings?
A. “Shine” definitely lives in the sweet spot of what I write. It’s very immersive and “moment focused” . In my other songs, ‘more than friends”, “neon love”, “here” I do the same thing, but the emotions within the track definitely vary and depend on where I am in my life. Within keeping true to who I am as an artist, I write about all kinds of feelings, longing, joy, pettiness, nostalgia. It really just depends on the day. But no matter the feeling, I will always try to focus on a story or moment.
Q. Is it safe to say guitar is your go-to instrument? What do you usually reach for first when starting a new song?
A. 100% I started playing more than 20 years ago. My guitar is an extension of who I am and I see it as another appendage at this point. If I can imagine it, I can create it on a guitar and that’s incredibly liberating and empowering. I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone and push myself to write on piano more. But push comes to shove, I will always grab my guitar first.
Q. Where do you usually begin the production process, home studio or with outside producers? And do you self-mix/master, or work with others to finish the sound?
A. I start everything from my home studio! While I love going into the studio as well, starting everything at home gives me freedom in two ways.
1.) It’s where I feel I can experiment freely without a ticking clock and I can take the time to breathe life into each of my ideas.
2.) Many of my ideas come to me late at night or early in the morning. I feel like, when your body is ready for bed, that part of your brain that keeps running - actively planning, what to do, what to eat, what your day entails - it all goes silent. It makes connecting with that voice inside you much easier and most of my best songs come out that way. Being at home gives me the freedom to engage with these ideas no matter the time.
After I produce the skeleton of the track myself at home, I’ll typically bring in collaborators or a mixing /mastering engineer to finish it. I learn an incredible amount doing it all DIY, but I also know when to bring in the experts.
Q. What was the most challenging part of bringing “Shine” to life, from first idea to final version?
A. I think balancing that huge chorus with the intimacy of the verses took a lot of trial and error. The lyrics themselves tell a very honest and personal story, but in terms of delivery the vocals on the prechorus and the chorus are huge. Providing space for the verse vocals to be close and intimate, but also momentum for those huge moments to come was definitely not easy, but I do really feel like we nailed it. It’s a song that makes you listen, makes you lean in for more, but still leaves you singing the chorus afterwards and that makes all the effort worth it.
Q. What’s the most stressful part of making music for you, the creative process or the actual release?
A. Zero hesitation, the release. The creative process is cathartic. It’s like an itch that you never get to scratch and then when that song finally exists and it’s done it’s the best feeling in the world. And it’s your baby! You’re in love with the song and you’re excited to share it with as many people as possible. So you send it into the world. But after that point….you’re not in control anymore. You really just have to hope people connect with it and see the vision you did. That’s terrifying.
Q. Where do you see your sound heading next? Are there any new directions or experiments you're excited about exploring?
A. Short term, it’s summer! I have a song coming out following “shine” soon for you all called “Cool Like You”. It’s got beach vibes, layered vocals and a fantastic high energy beat and I’m really excited to share it with everyone soon. Long term, I’m really leaning into lush string arrangements right now and combining it with that indie pop feel in a way I haven’t before. I want to take that “dream sequence” Bollywood idea and really turn it into a full scale production, but also something that makes you want to get up and move. I’ve already started and I’m getting to a happy space but it definitely seems like it’s coming together! Then finally, way later, I want to strip everything back. I feel like a large part of my music is that original first run through of a song that I play with nothing but my vocals and an acoustic guitar in a room. I want to share more of that first moment with everyone and it’s terrifying to imagine being so on display, but I think I’m finally ready. That first moment—just me, a guitar, and a feeling—that’s what got me here in the first place. All in all, “Shine” is the beginning of a whole new chapter!
Varun Sheel, thank you so much, we love having learned more about you and appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
