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Introducing Shamir Bailey, the artist behind the song you should’ve been playing on repeat all Summer.

Born in Las Vegas and more commonly referred to by his stage name Shamir, the singer songwriter is making waves for his eclectic taste and unique vocals. Anyone with the courage to come up against his single-name counterparts – Madonna, Cher, Kanye – is sure to stand out, and Baily certainly lived up to the hype when we met him ahead of his live concert in Milan.

For Bailey, it all began with a demo tape that found its way into the hands of Nick Sylvester, label head at God Mode. He made the move from the middle of the dessert to the center of the music industry, releasing his debut EP Northland in 2014 and the rest as they say, is history. After a year in the New York, he was recruited by XL Recordings , joining a lineup unique artists with a distinct look, style and above else, sound. Think Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., and FKA twigs, all plucked from virtual obscurity, not unlike Shamir himself.

The energetic 20 year old is all about positive vibes and not getting caught up in the drama of it all. When it comes to style, Bailey is more than happy trolling thrift stores for the ultimate find or as he puts it ,”up-cycling”. The same can be said for his music, a rare blend of pop, disco and hip-hop that transcends both genre and period.

It’s just a really fun song about knowing when to get rid of… anything negative in your life

A closer look at his recently released album, Ratchet, proves Bailey has done his homework. Pure Pop gold, the album is as frustratingly catchy as it is up-beat. No track more so than ’Call it Off’, ’It’s just a really fun song about knowing when to get rid of… anything negative in your life”, says the artist.

Video and Images: Jody Mattioli

IP-0A00562B - 2024-03-29T01:32:39.9438282+01:00