In an interview with NPR's Weekend
Edition Saturday, Shamir Bailey, known professionally simply as
Shamir, said that he's always felt different.
The 20-year-old Las Vegas native
performed at Austin's South by Southwest this week.
When host Scott Simon asked him about
the inspiration behind I'll Never Be Able To Love, Shamir
answered: “I'm an introvert. That song is kind of just about
how scared I am, or how content I am with being alone.”
“You felt different?”
“Always. My whole life.”
“How so?”
“I always say I never felt 'latched'
to a gender. I just kind of always felt like myself, and I never
felt like I had to do certain things or be a certain way to fit into
a certain mold,” Shamir answered.
“As long as you wear your
imperfections on your sleeve,” Shamir advised young people who feel
different, “people respect it more.”
The video for On The Regular,
which begins with Shamir rapping, “Just so you know, yes, yes, I'm
a guy,” is embedded on this page.
Shamir's debut album, Northtown,
is available for download on iTunes.