On a new album, 'Heterosexuality,' Shamir tackles the trauma of being oneself

On a new album, 'Heterosexuality,' Shamir tackles the trauma¹ of being oneself

Transcript²

Shamir Bailey.

Marcus Maddox/Courtesy of the artist

Shamir Bailey quickly became a teenage sensation back in 2014, when his debut³ single, "On The Regular," blew up. But instead of riding that wave of success to the top as a pop star, Shamir retreated from the public eye just as fast, because the media focused more on his identity as a publicly out, nonbinary artist than his music. "It was rare that I would interview and anyone would want to talk about my music – like, at all ... it was just about my identity, my sexuality, whatever. And I'm, like, 19."

Seven years and many recordings⁵ later, he's set to release a new album, Heterosexuality. The new music arrives to a culture more accepting of gender⁶ expression outside of the traditional binary⁴, and in it Shamir tackles some of the trauma that resulted from that initial spark of attention.

"My trauma lies in just like the world, like basically being mad at that," Shamir says to A Martinez of NPR's Morning Edition, in a conversation about his initial debut and what he hopes listeners take away from the new record. "I think this record is about society's problem with me."

Shamir, "Gay Agenda"

YouTube

A Martinez, Morning Edition: I want to go back to your first big break. "On the Regular" was a huge hit, and that intense spotlight⁷ made you retreat from writing music for a while. Can you take us back to that time in your career, what you were feeling and why you did what you did?

Bailey: Well, I wrote that song in like 15 minutes as a joke and it just took on a life of its own. I didn't think anyone would like it. Then, you know, it became what it became and then it took over my life and everything else.

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It was really, really hard for me because after that song and after that whole album [Ratchet], I did not feel in control of my art. I felt like the teat of a cow – I felt like I'd been wrung⁸ out for my sweet nectar and the people in charge will do what they want with it. I think that stress made me basically stop producing the milk. It wasn't until I felt a level of liberation that I was able to create again.

Cover art for Shamir's new album, Heterosexuality.

Courtesy of the artist

When Harry⁹ Styles was on the cover of Vogue¹⁰ in a dress, it was so well-received. You were not allowed to maybe do some of that a few years earlier, but a white pop star gets to do it – and all of a sudden now, everyone is good with it.

I mean, this is a tale as old as time. I felt nothing and felt congratulatory all at once. Like, great. This was like a furthering of a certain type of liberation. But the person who is going to move the totem pole is always going to be the person with the most privilege.

I was saying this to a friend who's also a musician who's also Black... we can't allow ourselves to care about what's fair, or like true equality in this business, or at least just in this society. If we allow ourselves to be uprooted¹¹ by frustration¹², then the same systems they'll be fighting against have won, but just in a different way. They got through a different door.

Shamir, "Cisgender"

YouTube

You've said that Heterosexuality is an album where you're really addressing some of the trauma you've experienced in the past. For people that are going to be listening to it, what are you hoping that they're hearing? What message are you putting out there with this?

There's really no mission statement in this. A song like "Cisgender" is clear about what it means to me, but it can mean a lot of other things to people who aren't queer, or who are cisgender. I got signed because the head of my label, who is a cisgender heterosexual man, was so moved by "Cisgender." Being able to take something that I feel very alone in and turn it into something that can resonate with anyone ... it helps me, and it helps me feel less alone.

To hear the broadcast version of this interview, use the audio player at the top of this page. Shamir's new record, Heterosexuality, is out Friday, Feb. 11.

Audio edited by Phil Harrell, digital version assisted by Ashley Pointer

1 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

4 binary   

adj.二，双；二进制的；n.双(体)；联星

参考例句：

• Computers operate using binary numbers.计算机运行运用二进位制。
• Let us try converting the number itself to binary.我们试一试，把这个数本身变成二进制数。

5 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

6 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

7 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

8 wrung   

绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）

参考例句：

• He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
• He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

9 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

10 Vogue   

n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的

参考例句：

• Flowery carpets became the vogue.花卉地毯变成了时髦货。
• Short hair came back into vogue about ten years ago.大约十年前短发又开始流行起来了。

11 uprooted   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着，树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。