INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL
Weston Native Shelbie Rassler Brings Music to the World By Terry Jaillet
W
hat the world needs now, is love, sweet love.” Those words, from the 1965 Burt Bacharach classic have never been more relevant than today. Last March, Weston native Shelbie Rassler made sure the entire world knew it. Shelbie created an internet-enabled mashup of the classic song that quickly went viral on Youtube and Tic Toc, amassing millions of views. “Distance won’t stop us from coming together to share some love,” reads the
text at the beginning of the video, “I hope you all enjoy this cover, with a little help from my friends.” What follows is 4 minutes of musical crescendo, beginning with just Shelbie and ending with a huge group in perfect harmony. The Cypress Bay Grad has been performing her whole life and she is currently taking the world by storm. Shelbie is currently finishing her senior year at the Berkley College of Music is currently studying with Pulitzer Prize/Grammy/Oscar (etc.) winning John Corigliano at Juilliard, and the next project she will be releasing is an original song, in honor of the frontline workers and healthcare professionals that have been heroes these last several months. The song
60 / Our City Weston / January 2021 / OurCityMedia.com
was commissioned by Broward Health, so it’ll all be rooted in South Florida. Life moves fast for people as talented as Shelbie. It seems like just yesterday she was awarded the Weston Music Society scholarship. Rose Sklar VP Ways and Means, Weston Music Society, remembers Shelbie from her days at Cypress Bay, “Shelbie Rassler is living proof that by using the universal language of music and collaborating with technology-savvy singers and musicians, we can all come together to make positive change. I have known Shelbie since her Cypress Bay High School days, and I could not be more proud than if she were my own.” Shelbie’s plate has been incredibly full during the quarantine. She has composed a number of pieces and has been a part of some incredible collaborative efforts with some of the biggest names in music. She served on several panels regarding the arts, including The College Music Society panel, the Berklee College of Music webinar series, a Guest Curator for 21st Century Music’s “POP Picks”, and various Female Quotient panels. Shelbie was awarded the CBS Award from David Pogue on television and taught a Technical Workshop for Georgia Stitt’s Maestra Music on how to create a Virtual Orchestra video. At barely over 20 years old, Shelbie has already accomplished more than many 50-year olds! We can wait to see what’s next for this daughter of Weston.
