Shiv Showcases Talents: 2021 shaping up to be a busy year for Inchicore musician

What was your favourite thing about living in Inchicore?

I lived in Inchicore for just over a year. The great thing about Inchicore was that it had an almost village-y feel, while still being so close to the city centre. Everyone kind of knew everyone and you could feel the sense of community there.

Did you grow up in a particularly musical household?

My upbringing was musical in the sense that I was exposed to a wide variety of music.

My dad is an avid music lover, we didn’t have a TV until I was about 14 or 15, but the house was always humming to a musical soundtrack. Growing up in Zimbabwe up until the age of five meant that I was introduced to the Southern-African giants of the time – the likes of Lebo Mathosa and Oliver Mtukudzi – but also a varied expanse of Western music too.

My mum used to teach my sister and I a lot of harmony-based Zimbabwean songs, and my parents always encouraged us to sing and enjoy music.

You said in a previous interview that you started singing again at your sister’s wedding in order to avoid public speaking as the maid of honour. Have you always been comfortable with singing publicly, or do you ever get nervous?

I definitely still get nervous, but it’s far more within my comfort zone than public speaking. With singing, I don’t have to think about anything or worry about what’s coming next, I just have to do what I love to do. But I think anything that makes you feel exposed and open to being judged is nerve-wracking.

What are the main inspirations for your songs?

It varies, but I guess given that music and creativity is often a therapeutic experience, I often use it as a way to process my emotions. And to that end, it’s generally inspired by things I’m feeling or experiencing at the time.

Lyrically, I really love SZA and Pip Millet, their lyrics are poetic and their flows are effortless and addictive. 

Musician Shiv

How would you describe your sound?

I like to think I blend a few different genres in my music, namely R&B, jazz, soul and lo-fi hip-hop. Given the emotionality of my lyricism, I would say it is something of an emotional escapism.

You’ve also established yourself as a house DJ, how does that compare to being a musician and do you have a preference for one over the other?

DJing was a hobby for me, and a way to express myself musically before I felt singing was a realistic career goal. They’re completely different worlds, but the performance aspect of both is similar, in the sense that the key to a good performance in both is being in tune with the energy of your audience.

You’ve written, produced and recorded all of your songs so far – what was that experience like?

Really rewarding. It felt so special to know that everything had come from me. It gave me the confidence to realise that, if I pushed myself, I could succeed as a musician.

What plans do you have for this year?

I’m planning on releasing a couple more projects before the end of the year, with a more visual-centric approach.

Hopefully some performances too! Like every other musician, I can’t wait to be singing in front of people again. I was meant to have a headline show in April that has since been moved to October, so fingers crossed that goes ahead!

For further information follow @hi_im_shiv on Instagram and Twitter, listen to Shiv on all streaming platforms, or visit www.hi-im-shiv.com

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