A “Ratchet” Copenhagen Experience: Shamir in Concert

A “Ratchet” Copenhagen Experience: Shamir in Concert

“Ain’t got no time for you ratchet-ass goons, and just settle down and listen to my tunes.” 20-year-old Shamir Bailey, better known by his stage name Shamir, tells it like it is in “On The Regular,” his single released in October 2014. The gender-fluid African American told his Ratchet Radio playlist listeners on Spotify that, “growing up in and being the weird one out, you kind of have to put on a tough face.”  Shamir exuded toughness, naiveness, and weirdness in his performance at the Pumpehuset concert venue in Copenhagen last Tuesday, August 11^th.  Although his vocals were not always on pitch and his performance felt restrained at times, his quiet confidence shined through, and he came across as incredibly personable and humble. Before delving more into his live performance, it’s important to know a bit more about Shamir’s music and background. 

Shamir was exposed to the music industry at an early age, as his Aunt who worked in the music business lived with his family and him. As a child he listened to mostly R&B and hip-hop, along with some jazz and rock. He is well known for his androgynous countertenor voice, which is easily recognizable, but has also been described as “amazingly unclassifiable.” Jamieson Cox of Pitchfork Media once wrote, “With a piercing countertenor somewhere between Prince masquerading as Camille and the cracking adolescent soul of the teenage Michael Jackson, the 19-year-old North Las Vegas native dismantles the expectations maintained for vocalists based on their gender, demanding instead that the focus be placed on his agile, fluttering performance.”  Not only is his voice difficult to describe, but also his genre of music is difficult to identify. Disco, funk, pop “laced with old school house,” and electro-pop-rap have been used to describe Shamir’s style.  On Twitter he describes himself as a “musician, comedian, singer, rapper, twerker, chef, writer, filmmaker, tumblr, skinny fat ass.”

At the concert Tuesday night, Shamir played songs mainly from his first studio album, Ratchet, released in May 2015. Sporting black converse high tops with tall black socks, bright white knee- length overalls, a green t-shirt, and a flattop hairstyle loosely resembling The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s Will Smith, Shamir immediately established personality and a stage presence. The venue also played a large role in the vibe of the night.  An eclectic crowd, including gay and straight, old and young, hip and nerdy, and male and female audience members, made everyone feel comfortable and welcomed.  His backup band, comprised of a drummer, a synthesizer player, and one backup singer, fit perfectly on the small stage.  On the one wall with bleacher- style seating, some people (mainly Nicole and Brielle) were enthusiastically dancing on the steps, and others were just sitting quietly, taking in the music.  The rest was standing room only, creating an intimate atmosphere, with Shamir performing only inches away from the people in the front row.  He even gave hugs to individuals after his last song and before his encore.

Shamir’s stage comportment truly fascinated me.  At times the extreme theatricality in his voice did not match his laid-back movements and body language.  And at other times, his jerky, child-like movements were surprising, yet energizing.  A few times in between songs when no music was playing, he even jumped up and down excitedly, arms flailing, reminiscent of those inflatable beings promoters place along highways or streets to advertise their car wash or mattress store. I recognized Shamir’s fierceness and quiet confidence. Before performing his song “In For the Kill,” he told the audience, “Raise your hand if you’re ratchet,” eliciting an animated response. During his more electronic, upbeat songs, his movements were sharp and diva-like. And after all, it takes courage to be so vulnerable, sharing and performing songs with lyrics as real and raw as his. For example, in “I’ll Never Be Able to Love,” he opens his heart to us saying, “I’ll start to be alone, introvert was my name […] I’ll never be able to cry, cuz when I do I feel ashamed.”  He also draws on a specific life-altering experience in “Demon,” a indie-pop ballad; “I chose to go with you and leave; If I'm a demon, baby, you're the beast that made me." For these slower songs, the audience went almost silent, demonstrating their respect for Shamir and his music.

On the other hand, I wish Shamir could have been overall more charismatic.  There were times where I felt like his young age and lack of experience were evident in his performance.  Even though some of his movements were meant to be sloppy and silly, they sometimes came off as unrehearsed and uncomfortable, and the backup singer seemed stronger and more confident.  Along these lines, Shamir’s voice suffered in pitch in many of his songs.  In the chorus of “Head in the Clouds,” his backup singer sounded stronger vocally than him.  He sounded especially off pitch in his encore song, “I’ll Never Be Able to Love,” and it was a shame to end such a fun, impressive night with tuning issues.  However, the pitch problems didn’t bother me as much as they normally do, and I think it’s because he sang the song with so much emotion and heart, that I was focusing more on the lyrics and his vocal nuances and control than his flatness.  The audience had the most fun dancing and singing along with “Call It Off,” but Shamir’s strongest vocal performance of the night was the previously mentioned “Demon.”  His control of dynamics and vibrato was exquisite, and his sound alternated between a delicate, airy falsetto and a fuller, more soulful timbre. 

Overall, Shamir’s unique, smooth countertenor voice blew my mind, and I was sad he only played for an hour.  Although he isn’t the most seasoned performer and still needs to work on charisma, performance techniques, and pitch in live performances, his fierce, quiet confidence, and ability to completely captivate a diverse audience is impressive at his age.  As he defies boundaries between musical genres and shares his irreplaceable countertenor voice with the world, Shamir has a bright future ahead of him; some might even say he’s redefining “ratchet.”