Shawn

There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what could have happened. We all have a choice, and at a young age Shawn Vala, knew just what category he fell under.

Born in Long Branch, NJ and now residing in Maryland, Shawn was surrounded by a host of musical influences. His mother and father both sang in local groups and his grandmother sang lead in their Baptist Church. The love of music was instilled in him from both sides of the family. As a young teen he began honing his skills at many of the local talent shows and karaoke clubs. Despite finding great success as a solo act, Shawn longed for more. His ‘never complacent’ attitude for developing harmonies and arrangements led him to join various musical groups within the Washington/Baltimore area.

In 1998 on the set of BET (Black Entertainment Television), Shawn met another ambitious crooner Lynn “Fuzzy” Taylor and formed the group known as “UNKUT”. Gaining notoriety for their distinct sound, UNKUT went on to share the stage with a host of mainstream artist such as: Mary Mary, Ja Rule, Destiny’s Child, Mya, and Regina Bell to name a few.

After releasing their debut project- “100%”, UNKUT was widely accepted in many colleges and major radio stations. Through various new connections, Shawn took advantage to the hilt and added modeling to his resume as he was featured in countless magazines, commercials, and TV appearances.

Shawn rekindled his passion for music in 2000. While in the New York area, he met then up-and-coming producer Rich Harrison (Usher, Destiny’s Child, J-Lo, Amerie), and his keenly developed ear found a new focus for Harrison’s go-go driven percussions and melodic harmonies. Anchored in a diverse collection of music, Shawn began to develop his own style, producing for several local artists.

In December 2004, a chance meeting in Cue Recording Studios in VA brought Shawn and Carlin N’watts of November 8 Recordings together. Shawn was given the opportunity to work on November 8 Recording artist KB’s project. Now as, Senior Consultant and A&R for the November Entertainment Group, Shawn Vala is pulling double duty, and definitely making his mark.