For her latest track, independent singer-songwriter and producer Shye found an unlikely instrument in the Toyota bZ4X.
Using sounds recorded from the car, from closing windows and clicking seatbelts to the reversing beep, she transformed them into drums and synths. By layering these with guzheng-inspired guitar, she created ‘Move Your World Beat’, an electronic composition for Toyota’s same-named installation.
Shye performed the track at Connected In Mobility, a showcase by the Japanese automaker that also marked the Singapore debut of Urban Cruiser and bZ4X Touring battery electric vehicles. We caught up with Shye to discuss recording music in unexpected places and why she prefers the journey to the destination.
You don’t drive. Why did you say yes to a collaboration with Toyota?
I think the whole concept of this collaboration wasn’t really about whether you can drive. It goes beyond that. Driving is a very social thing—you’re with or on the way to meet your loved ones, and a lot of memories happen inside a car. For me, the car became less about driving and more about the space itself. It’s such an ordinary part of our everyday lives, and I wanted to see how I could turn that into music. The whole idea of collaboration, innovation and connection aligned with me as an artist, so I said yes.
What sounds from the car did you use for ‘Move Your World Beat’?
We drove to Gilman Barracks because obviously you can’t fit a car into a studio. I brought my microphone and recorded everything I could: opening and closing the doors, opening and closing the windows. I didn’t want to leave anything out.
All the drums you hear in the song come from the car. Some of the synths came from the reversing beep—I changed the pitch until it became something like bells. The magic was done in post. It was my first time trying something like this, and it pushed me out of my comfort zone.
You released The Doves Came Home after several years of self-discovery. Did that make this song easier to write?
I now have a much clearer sense of who I am and the kind of message I want to share with the world. It made writing this song much easier because I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I knew who I was, so it was easier to achieve the goal I wanted for the song.
How did you want the song to feel?
A lot of my music is dreamy and atmospheric, so I wanted this to sound like me. I want people to feel connected; we may not know each other personally, but music lets us recognise ourselves in people we’ve never met. We may come from different places, but we share many experiences, and we’re all singing the same song.
What do you enjoy about car rides?
It’s like your own little moving space. I realised that during a family trip to Japan. I was going through a difficult time with my music, trying to figure out my direction, and who I was as a person. During those drives, I was listening to my own demos, looking out of the window, and daydreaming. I think that’s why I feel so safe in a car. I’m quite introverted; I love those quiet moments when you’re in the car with people you love. Nobody’s talking. Everyone’s just listening to the same song and we’re all in the same zone. Sometimes I honestly prefer the car ride more than the destination.
Listen to The Doves Came Home here.
