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Shamir Bailey

Shamir is Shamir and remains Shamir through and through, no matter what the universe puts him through. You may know the singularly named artist (think—Madonna or Cher) from his 2015 debut hit record Rachet, beloved by NPR listeners and club kids alike. After quickly rising to underground fame with his Northtown EP in 2014, the DIY pop star made a sonic splash with Rachet’s lead single “On The Regular,” a poppy banger that had extensive commercial usage. But how to follow all that up? Shamir, who came from the dusty dunes of Las Vegas, to Brooklyn’s Silent Barn, to the Philly indie scene (and all over the world in between), wanted to go back to what had inspired him from the beginning. Outsider music, country & punk. Raw and vulnerable tunes, stripped down to their emotional core. 2017’s Revelations explored a new avenue of guitar driven hooky indie rock and was widely critically praised in the US and overseas.

Shamir’s most recent releases, the brilliant Room 7” on Father/Daughter, and his self-released limited edition album, Resolution, are pinnacles in the catalog of the increasingly fascinating artist’s career. Room and its b-side Caballero celebrate Shamir’s love of country music, while Resolution is a deeply introspective look into the fabric of society and the artists’ own mind.  With these two releases he has refined his craft exponentially and done so in less than six months from the release of Revelations.

Shamir Talks with Liza Anne on the Talkhouse Podcast

They talk spirituality, mental health, and which folk star Shamir was in a past life.

Shamir on How White People Need to Pass the Mic

Revisiting his review of Chelsea Handler's special Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea.

June 10, 2020

Ratchet TV: Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea

Chelsea Handler's new special tries to tackle the subject of her own white privilege, but is she better off just passing the mic? Shamir reflects.

October 7, 2019

Remembering Daniel Johnston

Shamir pays tribute to the godfather of bedroom pop.

September 17, 2019

Ratchet TV: Aziz Ansari: Right Now

Shamir takes a closer look at the controversial new stand up special and the advent of "apology culture."

August 21, 2019

Ratchet TV: Wanda Sykes’s Not Normal

Per Shamir, Sykes didn't need Netflix — Netflix needed her.

May 31, 2019

Ratchet TV: Shrill

Even in a post-Lizzo world, we could all use a little more self-love.

April 30, 2019

Ratchet TV: Losers

Shamir on Netflix’s new docu-series about the winners with bad luck.

March 27, 2019

Ratchet TV: Abducted in Plain Sight

Shamir was blown away by the whiteness and weirdness of Netflix’s new true crime doc.

February 22, 2019

Ratchet TV: Ellen DeGeneres’s Relatable

Introducing a new column from our resident TV expert Shamir Bailey.

January 16, 2019

Best of 2018: Shamir’s Favorite Album of 2018 is Skating Polly’s The Make It All Show

Skating Polly’s latest gives Shamir hope for a mainstream grunge revival.

December 10, 2018

Staying Healthy is a Full-Time Job

Shamir dives deep into the psychology of Netflix's Maniac.

October 25, 2018