This week, KEXP is featuring songs chosen to celebrate Pride, as curated by KEXP's DJ Riz and a very special guest (and former KEXP DJ) El Toro.
I don't mind to live all on my own
and I never did...
I don't care to feel like I belong
But you always did…
Following the release of his sixth full-length album Cataclysm, Shamir returns with the appropriately-titled stand-alone single "On My Own," where the Philadelphia-based artist asserts his independence against a '90s-influenced guitar-pop melody. It's a sneak peek at another forthcoming full-length slated to come out this Fall. (Shamir calls the album-in-progress his “most commercial sounding” since his 2015 debut LP Ratchet.) It will also be the first album where Shamir has worked with multiple producers. For today's featured track, he teamed up with Kyle Pulley (of Thin Lips), who previously worked with Diet Cig and Hop Along.
The song was inspired by a recent break-up. He told Rolling Stone magazine, “I wrote ‘On My Own’ last summer after a breakup as a way to remind myself that while it sucked to lose someone I was getting used to, at least I’m an introvert. But considering the pandemic, it’s also morphed into an accidental quarantine anthem, especially for the people who live alone like me.”
The video was also a solo affair, with Shamir directing, styling, and starring. He explained, “The video was shot around different places in my house during quarantine completely... well, on my own.”
Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.
Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
