- Twnety-year-old Las Vegas native, Shamir Bailey is the talk of the town after killing his seventeen minute SXSW showcase this year. He is all about good times, cowbells and synthy hooks, which you can expect a lot of in his debut LP, Ratchet, set to be released on the fifteenth of this month.

Shamir is definitely a unique character, his countertenor vocal and attitude towards his sexuality and gender is what makes him modern pop-star material and is what sets him apart from everyone else in the game. He has crafted an album that is the perfect mix of uplifting pop anthems like On The Regular, Call It Off and In For The Kill, but which also contains some downbeat moments too, as you'll hear in track one,Vegas. Shamir opens the album with a slow burner, one that you will really let the chorus sink into your brain not just your body.

On The Regular, was the lead single off the LP, and it’s an anthem. It’s basically the electro-pop version of Kendrick Lamar’s I: all about feeling yourself and not really giving a shit about anything else. A bouncy synth line and heavy use of everyone’s favourite instrument, the cowbell, gives the track so much energy you can’t help but let it give you life. The bridge allows for some great harmonising karaoke moments with your friends, the synths and cowbell bowing out for a moment, letting Shamir's voice take centre stage.

His second single release, Call It Off is another banger that celebrates the break free feeling of getting out of shitty relationships, or whatever it is that has been killing your vibe. It’ll get you ready to party, and ready to get down to funky tunes. Along with the video for this, Shamir kicked off a dating advice hotline which gives callers twenty-four hour access to his relationship expertise. Chances are he’ll probably tell you to call it off, but I'm alright with that if Shamir can teach me to be just as sassy as he is.

Darker, his latest single, sees him completely switch it up, ditching the sass-raps, booty-bouncing synths and even the cowbells for piano and strings. He lets his more vulnerable side shine through and really showcases his versatile vocal abilities. Demon is another one of these more meaningful, toned-down tracks on the album.

It’s so refreshing and exciting to have an up and comer like Shamir in the music scene right now. With a voice that needs no editing and his ability to switch between witty, light hearted pop-anthems, to straight up ballads, he is definitely one to keep an eye on.

- Kristy Barker.