Nothing makes Pride Month more vibrant than new tunes by rising Black queer artists. Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Shamir has championed an eclectic fusion of indie-rock – meets – neo-soul; he embodies everything that is glam and grunge.
“On My Own” is a collaboration with songwriter Linda Ortega, culminating in Shamir’s most intimate work yet. The track is a dreamy post-breakup meditation on solitude and introversion, made further possible with a pandemic-spawned quarantine. Featuring anthemic drums, distorted guitars, and a flicker of synths, “On My Own” evokes a distinct post-hardcore soundscape. Combined with hypnotic vocals and a flare of RnB, Shamir defies genre only to captivate a distinct and uniquely congruent sound.
Premiered on Rolling Stone as Pride Month began, this latest single comes from the Shamir’s just-announced upcoming album which will drop this fall without an attached label, including his very own Accidental Pop Records. It follows a recent limited Bandcamp Day track released with proceeds supporting Center For Black Equity, BLM Philly and the Philadelphia Bail Fund.
Produced by Kyle Pulley (Adult Mom, Kississippi), the track’s original theme of seclusion morphed into an accidental quarantine anthem. Filmed in different areas around Shamir’s house, the clothing is secondhand and the visuals are all his own.
Earlier this year, Shamir also appeared in the Netflix documentary I’m With The Band: Nasty Cherry and has toured with indie giants like Stars and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. A multi-talented artist, he acted as the voice of Draca on the Tiffany Haddish Netflix show Tuca & Bertie, appeared in a group cover of Document Journal shot by Ryan McGinley for Dior Homme, runs a TV column for Talkhouse – with much more to come.
Keep up with Shamir on his Website, Twitter, and Instagram.
