Unleash your queer rage with Shamir’s new album

The Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter and producer Shamir gained recognition in 2014 with his debut single, ‘On the regular’. The rapid fame obtained through the single and following album ‘Ratchet’ was difficult to handle for Shamir who was only 19 at the time. The media’s intrusiveness concerning his gender identity and sexuality made him retreat from writing music for a while, but he returned, each time with a new universe to make us discover.

On the cover of ‘Heterosexuality’, Shamir is seen with horns and hooves like a modern-day Baphomet. He explained that the figure of the demon reminds him of himself, his Black queer body being demonized. We’re not let down by the intimidating cover, as each one of the songs is more powerful than the other. Industrial noises are mixed with drums and Shamir’s countertenor vocals in bewitching songs with rageful lyrics. A breath of fresh air in the queer music scene, too often sugarcoated.

What strikes us when shuffling Shamir’s discography is his versatility. From indie pop to experimental rock, Shamir is always experimenting and never boring. This versatility caused him trouble in the past, being dropped from XL Recordings after stating his desire to not continue in the same genre as ‘Ratchet’. But this hardship only made him bounce back. He discovered that he could create without a label, and be free to experiment with styles as much as he wanted. Shamir expressed his wish to make each album a diary, all from a different page of his life’s book.

Shamir’s versatility is also expressed through the variety of activities he is pursuing: In 2019, he founded his own indie label, Accidental Popstar Records. Designed to help the artists grow and experiment, it is more of an artist development house than a label, Shamir finding this lacking in the current music industry. He also released his first book, ‘But I’m a Painter’, journaling his process and the stories behind his paintings.

So come, ‘Free your mind, come outside, pledge allegiance to the gay agenda’ and tune in with Shamir’s new album on your favorite streaming platform!