Shanta Loecker

Born in Calcutta, India, Shanta was adopted as a baby, and flown to the U.S. She spent the next 18 years in Evanston, IL, a diverse city just north of Chicago. With a sister born in Lima, Peru, and a brother of Lebanese and German ancestry, Shanta was constantly exposed to a wide variety of cultures as a child. That diversity was also reflected by her musical surroundings; Broadway classics, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder and Elton John were regulars at the Loecker house.

Along came the end of high school, UCLA beckoned, and she moved to LA. During her time at UCLA, Shanta's childhood desire to become a film director faded into a rediscovered passion for music. The new environment allowed her to find her own, unique voice away from home, writing music that reflected on both her Chicagoan roots and newfound independence in California. Eventually she stumbled upon a little class that changed her life. With the help of an encouraging teacher and a little persuasion from other students, Shanta played one of her original songs ("Unbreakable") in a public venue for the first time. That simple, first performance at a UCLA music hall gave her newfound confidence, and the necessary push to pursue her dreams.

So with a BA in Communications and one single performance under her belt, Shanta took a leap into the world of music. Between now and then, those 2 or 3 songs have grown into over 40 original songs, and she has performed at music venues nationwide including, Whisky A Go Go (LA), The Mint (LA), SPACE (Chicago), and Sidewalk Cafe (NYC). She released her full-length debut album, "Barely Awake" in May of 2009, and has since taken off as an independent artist.

Shanta's current musical influences include Sarah McLachlan, Pete Yorn, Annie Lennox, John Mayer, India Arie, Ray Lamontagne, Jenny Lewis, Craig Armstrong, and Patty Griffin.