Saleka Shyamalan, the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, drew inspiration from Taylor Swift’s impact on pop culture while creating her character, Lady Raven, and composing the original music for her and her father’s new film, Trap. Saleka stars as Lady Raven, a pop star performing in a concert used to catch an infamous serial killer known as The Butcher. Saleka’s music background, including classical piano training, helped her craft the soundtrack for the movie, which features 14 original songs and special guest appearances from Kid Cudi, Russ, and Amaarae.
In crafting Lady Raven’s discography, Saleka aimed to find a balance between her own experiences and that of her character, creating music that she felt connected to and that resonated with her. She also took inspiration from the script and the character of The Butcher to sync the music with the storyline and character development. The collaboration between Saleka and her father, M. Night Shyamalan, during the creation of Trap was rooted in their shared love for music-driven films, with Saleka using the script as a source material for her musical compositions.
Beyond the horror aspects of the film, Trap explores the theme of unconditional love between fathers and daughters, which resonated with Saleka and her close relationship with her family. As she composed the music for the movie, Saleka focused on the emotional core of the story and the relationships portrayed on screen, drawing from her personal experiences to infuse the soundtrack with authenticity and depth. Saleka also made her acting debut in Trap, alongside Josh Hartnett, whom she praised for his acting skills and dedication to his craft.
While music remains Saleka’s primary passion, she is also open to exploring future opportunities in acting, writing for film and television, and continuing to expand her creative endeavors. She plans to work on new songs and albums after Trap’s release and is excited about the upcoming projects that lie ahead. As Trap gears up for its theatrical release on August 2, Saleka looks forward to sharing her work with audiences and continuing to explore her talents as both a musician and an actor.
