Shamir (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shamir
Background information
Birth name	Shamir Bailey
Born	(1994-11-07) November 7, 1994 (age 30)
Origin	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Genres	Hip house dance-pop indie pop disco electropop indie rock lo-fi punk rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, synthesizer, drums
Years active	2014–present
Labels	Little L Godmode XL Father/Daughter AntiFragile

Shamir Bailey (born November 7, 1994) is an American singer and songwriter. He is from Las Vegas, Nevada. Shamir started his music career in 2014. His first release was an extended play (EP) called Northtown. It received good reviews.

In October 2014, he signed with XL Recordings. He then released the song "On the Regular". His first full album, Ratchet, came out in May 2015. Since then, Shamir has released several independent albums. These include Hope (2017), Revelations (2017), Resolution (2018), Be the Yee, Here Comes the Haw (2019), Cataclysm (2019), and Shamir (2020).

Early Life and Music Start

Shamir grew up in North Las Vegas. He described it as a "cookie-cutter suburban" area. He was raised as a Muslim. Shamir sees himself as more spiritual than religious. He feels that "god is the universe." Shamir is comfortable with male pronouns.

His aunt worked in the music business. She lived with Shamir and his mother. Bass players and producers often visited their home. They helped his aunt with her songs. His family introduced him to many types of music. This included hip-hop, R&B, and singers like Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin. When he was nine, Shamir got an Epiphone guitar. He started writing music then.

At age 16, he formed a punk band with a friend. The band quickly ended after their first show. During high school, he recorded songs for his first EP. After graduating, he sent a demo tape to Godmode in New York City. The label's founder, Nick Sylvester, signed him.

Music Career Highlights

Shamir's first EP, Northtown, came out in June 2014. It was released by Godmode. The EP was named after the Northtown neighborhood where he grew up. Music critics praised his unique sound. Jules Muir from Pigeons & Planes noted that Shamir was "making a bigger name for himself." Jamieson Cox of Pitchfork called the EP's first song, "If It Wasn't True", "a stunning opening."

In July 2014, Flavorwire listed "If It Wasn't True" as one of the "25 Best Songs of 2014 So Far." Radio.com also featured Shamir. They said he combined "the honest songwriting of Taylor Swift with the theatrics of Lana Del Rey."

After signing with XL Recordings, Shamir released "On the Regular" in October 2014. This song was later used in an Android Wear commercial in 2015. In March 2015, he released "Call It Off." This was a single from his first album, Ratchet, which came out on May 19, 2015. The music video for "Call It Off" was part of the 2015 YouTube Music Awards. "Darker" was another single from Ratchet, released in May 2015.

In 2015, Shamir toured with Years & Years. He opened for their shows in the UK. In March 2016, he opened for Troye Sivan's Blue Neighbourhood Tour. On April 17, 2017, Shamir released his second album, Hope. He shared that he had left XL Recordings. He released Hope independently.

After Hope was released, Shamir faced some difficult times. He considered stopping his music career. He returned to Las Vegas. There, he wrote and recorded most of his third album, Revelations, in just two weeks. He noted that this album sounded very different from his earlier work. He told a journalist, "I also know what's best for me, and that's more important than fame and money."

On March 9, 2018, Shamir released his fourth album, Resolution. He released it without any prior announcement. Resolution continued Shamir's indie rock style. This was similar to Hope and Revelations.

In 2020, Shamir released his self-titled album, Shamir. Kyle Pulley helped produce it. Many songs, including "On My Own," were recorded at Headroom Studios in Philadelphia. The album received great reviews. It was included on year-end lists by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and NPR Music.

Shamir also published his first book in 2021. It is called But I'm a Painter. It is a collection of essays about paintings he created.

Musical Style

Shamir is known for his unique singing voice. It is a high voice, often called a countertenor. Radio.com wrote that Shamir's voice "stops you in your tracks." He is fine with his voice being described as high. He notes that "countertenor" is the correct term. He says, "It's not feminine, it's not masculine. It's a happy medium."

Critic Jamieson Cox of Pitchfork Media described Shamir's voice. He said it was "piercing" and "agile." Lizzie Plaugic of CMJ called Shamir's music "amazingly unclassifiable." She described it as "souped-up Vegas Strip disco." In a 2020 Vulture interview, Shamir mentioned Taylor Swift as an inspiration for his songwriting.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Guest appearances

Other album appearances

Film and TV Appearances

Shamir has also appeared in some TV shows:

• Dear White People - played AJ (2017)
• Tuca & Bertie - provided multiple voices (2019)

Tours

Shamir has been an opening act for other musicians:

• Marina and the Diamonds – Neon Nature Tour (2015)
• Troye Sivan - Blue Neighbourhood Tour (2016) (for shows in Washington D.C., Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Dallas and Houston)

See also

In Spanish: Shamir para niños