Shara Strand New Music 2026: Three New Singles & Their Stories
It's been a while since I've written here. The last time I posted, my album Love Forever had just come out and I was still floating from our sold-out night at The Green Room 42. Since then, I've been back in the studio making new music, and this spring I released three new singles: “I Know Who I Got In Bed With,” “Salty Sweet,” and “Stardust.”
Each one has its own story, so I wanted to catch you up on all of them.
All three were produced by Gregory “Phace” Fils-Aimé and recorded at The Engine Room in New York City, the same room where we made Love Forever. Being a pop singer-songwriter in New York means the studio is never far from real life, and walking back into that one felt like coming home. Except this time I wasn't processing grief, I was celebrating what came after it.
“I Know Who I Got In Bed With”
Yes, the title gets a reaction every time. Good… it's supposed to!
This song is about clarity. That moment when the illusion falls away and you finally see a person, or a situation, for exactly what it is. I've lived that moment in love and I've lived it in business, and both versions found their way into this record. Phace and I leaned into disco rhythms with a little 80s shimmer, because the truth doesn't have to sound heavy. Sometimes it sounds like a night out.
This one also traveled further than I expected. It landed on the indie music chart and picked up radio play across Europe, with London giving it an especially warm welcome. Knowing a song we finished on a quiet night in a Manhattan studio was playing on the radio across the Atlantic still makes me smile.
“Salty Sweet”
If “I Know Who I Got In Bed With” is the truth-telling song, “Salty Sweet” is what comes after the truth: lightness. It's a feel-good record with a retro heart, and when one reviewer compared it to early Kylie Minogue, I'll admit that made my whole week.
For me, this song represents my work, my life, and my drive. Leading with kindness, but also having boundaries and confidence in who you are. That's the salty and the sweet. You need both, and I've stopped apologizing for either.
“Stardust”
“Stardust” is the dreamer of the three. Where the first two singles keep their feet on the dance floor, this one looks up. VOXWAVE called it “cinematic, emotional, timeless,” which is exactly the feeling I chased in the studio.
Where to listen
More new music is coming, and this blog is where I'll share the stories behind the songs. In the meantime, all three singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, and every streaming platform, and you can hear them on my Music page. Start with whichever title speaks to you.
If you want new releases, show announcements, and behind-the-scenes stories in your inbox, sign up for my email list at the bottom of this page.
With love from NYC,
Shara
