- Words Notion Staff
Up-and-coming singer, songwriter and producer, shiv, picks her 10 favourite tunes from 2020 for a special edition of 10Trax.
shiv – the moniker of Siobhan McClean – is a DJ turned singer-songwriter based in Paris. Born in Zimbabwe, shiv moved to Ireland as a child, collecting a varied musical palette along the way. Growing up, shiv was surrounded by everything from Zimbabwean music like Oliver Mtukudzi and Tomas Mapfumo, to classic house like Technotronic and Blackbox, and the harmony-heavy Sisters With Voices and En Vogue. As a result, shiv naturally gravitated towards a career in music, being scouted through a video of her singing at her sister’s wedding.
Although shiv began her journey as a DJ, she soon transitioned into songwriting, singing and producing. Releasing a trio of singles last year, it was the delicately-sung number “Golden” that caught people’s attention. This year, another trio of songs dropped, before shiv shared her debut EP, the 6-track ‘Me 2 Me’ this December. A collection of l0-fi songs entirely written, recorded and produced by shiv in the space of a year, it’s a voyage into her inner world. “It was only when I listened to these songs in a particular order that I felt I was truly immersed in the story I had been trying so hard to tell. This EP is essentially a look into my relationship with myself and my creative process”, Shiv explains.
Now, the up-and-coming artist to watch has selected her 10 favourite songs released in 2020, featuring artists such as Childish Gambino, Jeshi, Amber Mark and more. Dive in!
"Masterpiece" by SAULT
"Smooth, funky and unique. Such a great track".
"Deeper Dark" by Pip Millet
"For me this is such a “singy” song, if I’m in the mood to have a sing in the shower I always stick it on. It was so easy to come back to and I love the way the lyrics flow".
"12.38" by Childish Gambino
"This is a song that you could slot into any setting and it would sound great. It’s easy listening, but also has such a cool bass line and the story Childish Gambino narrates throughout keeps you hooked".
"Gorgeous" by Amber Mark
"This is such a sexy song with a gorgeously smooth string sample - for me it was always a getting ready song, just as I’m finishing up, I’d put it on and have a little dance in the mirror, and leave the house feeling HAWT".
"Odogwu (Freestyle)" by Lex Amor
"Lex Amor’s tone is so chill and unique, and the drums in this kind of match the almost dragging style of her voice".
"30,000 Feet" by Jeshi & Celeste
"Celeste’s is so unique and is saturated with emotion. She can tell a story without using words, her tone is amazing".
"Cayendo" by Frank Ocean
"Frank Ocean has the ability to create such an immersive experience with all of his tracks, and even in its simplicity, Cayendo is no exception".
"Taurus" by Aby Coulibaly
"This really is a “summer drive with the windows down” kinda track".
"I’m Thru" by Luke Gomm
"This song gives me Daft Punk vibes and with the feel good melody it’s such a lovely listen. It’s hard to keep the melody out of your head and the baseline is funkyyyy".
"Know You" by Monjola
"Beautiful floaty instrumental and a smooth voice to boot. Easy listening".