Shaefri has announced the release of her forthcoming EP Girl out June 25th. To mark the announcement she has released a lyric video for the lead single and title track.
A half-Egyptian, half-Irish heritage is at the heart of every Shaefri song. Arabic beats meet harmonies that hark back to summers spent in Mayo and family sing-alongs. Percussion and strings spring from a childhood immersed in the music of both cultures. In her hypnotic vocals, Shaefri’s contrasting sides collide.
Regarding the upcoming EP Shaefri says, “Girl is me trying to find my place in the world. No one prepares you for adulthood. In terms of self-development, it’s a terrifying time. But it’s also exciting, not knowing what’s coming next.
“Some of the themes on Girl are quite dark and serious, but sonically, it’s all upbeat and uplifting. I’m not wallowing in what’s gone wrong. I’m addressing issues and actual events that are affecting my generation. Talking about them gets them out in the open, which is where solutions arise.”
Built on a twitchy tabla beat, the lead single and title track was inspired by the #MeToo movement, but deals in the personal as much as the political, while planting one foot on the dancefloor. It was released last month to great acclaim including being featured in Sunday Times Culture’s ‘Hot Tracks’ and also saw Hot Press feature it as their ‘Track Of The Day’.
Speaking about the single Shaefri says, “It’s been happening for a long time; I don’t know one woman, of any age, who hasn’t been harassed or worse; just thinking about the scale of the problem is almost too much to take in. I was angry at the people responsible for the pain, upset for the victims and desperate for something to be done to change the situation.”
Elsewhere on the Girl EP, the sensual yet strident ‘Say You’ll Be There’ is an ode to support networks and speaking out, penned after losing a friend, while the slinky ‘Kerosene’ and sinuous ‘23’ ride bewitching Middle Eastern rhythms while telling tales of twentysomethings navigating new territory. ‘Kerosene’ is a tempestuous track about standing together to help a friend exit an abusive relationship, while ’23’ captures a generation facing a future unlike any before it. The closer ‘Home’ is the perfect summary for the EP and the enchanting pop track captures Shaefri’s newfound happiness today.
Shaefri’s new music finds her now comfortable in her own identity, thriving from a period of transition, coming armed with a fresh new sound and vision in 2020.
