Heather Youmans Releases ‘Shine’ As Love Letter To Younger Self

Singer-songwriter, bassist and actress, Heather Youmans has penned her uplifting new song, Shine as a love letter to her younger self.

“It’s everything me now would tell me then: you are beautiful, you are strong,” says Youmans, who recorded the track during the pandemic this year.

On the track’s message, Youmans says: “Hold your head up and honey, let your hair down sometimes. I want this song to be an anthem for not just millennial women like myself, but ladies everywhere. Life’s hard right now, and I just hope this song and video gives everyone a much-needed dose of optimism and happiness.”

All of the sessions for Shine, except for the lead vocal tracking, were done virtually – from the production and session musicians, to the mix and master. Youmans engineered the background vocals you can hear in the post-chorus herself in her home recording space.

“Thankfully, due to technology, it’s more possible than ever to make great music from home. You just have to get resourceful!”

The video is a nod to the cult classic film Never Been Kissed starring Drew Barrymore, although Youmans playfully insists that you don’t have to be a fan of the film to enjoy it.

“I’m the BIGGEST FAN of that movie and there are so many thematic parallels with the film and Shine (not to mention the old me/young me juxtaposition that Drew Barrymore’s character goes through going back to high school AGAIN). So I dropped some obvious and not so obvious clues throughout for fans to pick up on.

"Also, I used Leelee Sobieski’s character of Aldys as my inspiration for ‘younger me’ in the video. I was basically her in high school 10 years ago: nerdy as hell and learning how to break out of my shell and really shine. She’s also my doppelganger. Seriously.”

Youmans is being serious, adding that ever since she was young, people have approached her to say things like, “hey, you really look like that one actress from Never Been Kissed".

“Yep - Leelee Sobieski. I’ve been getting it my whole life now and she’s kind of my celeb look alike,” she laughs. “At least according to random people and those celebrity doppelganger generators. I recreated some of the looks Leelee wore in the film, including that famous denominators mathletes moment. Part of me hopes Leelee will see this video and we’ll become long-lost sisters. That would be cool. She is such an incredible, smart, strong and creative woman!”