Shamir Quotes

#1. My first time doing music was on acoustic guitar. I had a friend from Texas who taught me so much country, I entered a few country competitions. But eventually, I got tired of it.

Shamir

#2. I always surprise myself with my voice. A lot of people don't get it, and they're like, 'You can't sing. Stop. What are you doing?' And it's funny to hear a lot people say I sing in falsetto because it's not falsetto - that's my voice.

Shamir

#3. I want people to listen to my music and everyone to feel included, and I think it's kind of working because all my audiences are always so colorful.

Shamir

#4. As far as influences, I listen to a lot of people like Nina Simone and other androgynous voices, almost to make me feel like I'm not alone.

Shamir

#5. I had always been a really peculiar child. My mom would tell you I grew up roughing it with the boys and playing with action figures and toy cars and stuff, but I also had an Easy Bake Oven ... I find it amazing that in a really weird way, people are mad that they can't figure out my gender.

Shamir

#6. When you're from a boring town, you have to find things to do. It's funny: I always knew I wanted to make music, so I was always kind of ahead of my peers. I had an MP3 player by the time I was in the fourth grade.

Shamir

#7. My favourite singer ever in the world is Ari Up from The Slits. Her voice is amazing to me. It's carefree, but it's also really amazing.

Shamir

#8. I can hit baritone notes, and I can sing in the soprano range if I wanted to. I did this thing a long time ago where I did a duet with myself. I sound like two different people.

Shamir

#9. I was inspired to make music since I was 7 because my aunt is a songwriter.

Shamir

#10. If you're 100% yourself, then you're going to be different no matter what. I have this self-honesty approach as opposed to an ego that a lot of musicians put up. I can be myself, and that's just enough to stand out.

Shamir

#11. If I were really being myself. I'd just curl up in the corner and knit.

Shamir

#12. I never felt like a boy or a girl, never felt I should wear this or dress like that. I think that's where that confidence comes from because I never felt I had to play a part in my life. I just always come as Shamir.

Shamir

#13. Ever since I was little, I showed traits of both masculine and feminine energies. Androgyny was never something that I thought about or tried for.

Shamir

#14. I always say I never felt 'latched' to a gender. I just kind of always felt like myself, and I never felt like I had to do certain things or be a certain way to fit into a certain mold.

Shamir

#15. My friends freaked out when I posted 'I'll Never Be Able To Love' on Facebook.

Shamir

#16. I prefer to stay in if I have a choice. I lose energy being around people. I know that sounds horrible.

Shamir

#17. I don't think I'm a singer that likes to flex my vocals. I'll do some runs and a bunch of high notes, but that's it. I really pride myself and I really work on just trying to sing. Like emotions. Just using my voice, not doing anything extra.

Shamir

#18. I'm naturally androgynous. I don't wear makeup or skirts.

Shamir

#19. I always find it amazing that people get mad because they can't figure out my gender. Even though my only job here is to create art, I think being a genderless figure ... it shakes people. And when that happens, it makes me feel like I'm doing my job.

Shamir

#20. I didn't go to prom because I was too punk.

Shamir

#21. Music feels like a six sense to me, and it's never been just a hobby. It's something that I have to do to breathe. It's an extension of who I am.

Shamir

#22. I think as long as you wear your imperfections on your sleeve, people respect it more.

Shamir

#23. As far as long-term goals, one of my favorite artists ever is Tegan and Sara, because every single one of their albums sounds different. Or Beck. I want to be like that because I come from so many different types of musical backgrounds.

Shamir

#24. I was always the tallest kid in my class.

Shamir

#25. Nina Simone had such an androgynous voice; the first time I listened to her I thought it was a man, and I'm sure a lot of people listening to me think I'm a woman. Her voice is kinda like the poster child for me.

Shamir

#26. I'm not in a certain type of genre, and I can't be categorized or pigeonholed. That leaves a wide range of what I can do for myself, for other people, and with other people.

Shamir

#27. If you listen to most of my songs, the lyrics are pretty kind of dark, but I like to put it behind happy music because then it evens it out ... I'm really happy, actually. Obviously I have my bad moments, but I always challenge myself to not put negativity out there because there's already enough.

Shamir

#28. I wear menswear all the time. I don't do anything to make myself look more feminine. I naturally look and am more feminine.

Shamir

#29. I just want to make good music. That's it. That's what I care about.

Shamir

#30. I'm just, 'Hi, I'm Shamir. I'm gonna sing, hug you, then you can buy my album.'

Shamir

#31. My main goal was to have something for everyone and not just one sound.

Shamir

#32. I have absolutely no ambition. My goal has already been exceeded.

Shamir

#33. My plan was to release a tape, move to Arkansas, live on a farm, and make music like Bon Iver.

Shamir

#34. I wrote all my songs on my main instruments, and the songs I would record in my bedroom were just acoustic guitar, mandolin, and sometimes bass. I really like the texture the mandolin added to my music, but my fingers were too big to play it ... I could only do little riffs and whatever.

Shamir

#35. I wanted to be a rebel so badly.

Shamir

#36. I don't really get nervous.

Shamir

#37. My grandma has a picture of Louis Farrakhan playing violin in her house.

Shamir