Hey! I’m Cailyn Shelby.
I’m 24 years old and live in Cape Town, South Africa.

 

I love picking up little hobbies—last year I got into air-dry clay, and this year I’ve decided to crochet a blanket (hopefully it’ll be ready by next winter… fingers crossed). 

I spend a lot of time with my family and our dogs. We also have a cat who lives to test my patience. I really enjoy running too—I'm loosely training for another half marathon… wish me luck.

 

But my absolute favourite thing in the world is making music.

 

Music has been a major comfort to me for as long as I can remember. I turn to it in every moment—scream-singing while driving, dancing terribly in the kitchen, or when I’m just trying to make sense of my own thoughts. Honestly, there’s very little I do that isn’t soundtracked. My hope is that my music can soundtrack your life too, as we both figure it all out.

 

I was born in Johannesburg but raised in Cape Town, and I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. 

 

At 17, I took a songwriting course and finally found my voice—not just vocally, but lyrically. That’s when everything shifted for me and I realised that writing songs was how I made sense of the world.

In August 2021, I released my debut single, My Four Friends, produced by Marc Ronin. It caught the attention of streaming platforms and radio stations across the country. 

 

Since then, I’ve been pouring myself into the craft—writing in the moment, capturing what affects me. I want people to connect with the songwriting. Because there’s something so special about hearing a song that perfectly captures how you feel. If I can give that to someone else… that’s the dream.

 

In 2023, I released my debut album, Growing Pains, produced by Daniel Baron—a 14-track project that debuted at #3 on iTunes South Africa, with lead-up singles all landing in the top 10. The first single reached #1 on several radio stations across the country. The album earned me multiple radio interviews, TV appearances, and international playlist placements. I was also featured on the cover of Spotify’s SAlt playlist, and included in editorial playlists like New Music Friday and Fresh Finds.

My song Best Mistake got me to the semi-finals of the International Songwriting Competition in 2023—something I’m really proud of.

 

If the songs are finding their way into your world, then I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.