Premiere: Shira, flying high

Single off EP, two Birds of a Feather

Shira’s musical and cultural influences are as unique as the singer herself. Born in Rochester, NY to Israeli parents, the family moved back to the US when Shira was ten and knew only three words of English. Her parents’ gift to her, on their first night in their new American home, was British: the Beatles’ blue & red collections from 1962-1970; the music helped her learn English. Then her brother played for the album Ella & Louie for her, and she had it on repeat for a solid year.

Shira calls her sound fairy-folk. Infused with her sensational ukulele stylings, her music is reminiscent of powerhouse singer-songwriters like Ingrid Michaelson or Sara Bareilles, but her own life is not the stuff of fairytales.

“About 10 years ago I served in the Israeli Army band, which is very similar to a USO tour. Right after I joined, a war broke out between Lebanon and Israel, and we arrived at an underground bomb shelter where about four families were staying with very small children,” Shira recalled. “We sang for them and with them, we told stories and performed skits. We were about to leave and a six-year-old girl ran up to me and held on to my leg asking me not to leave because I made her feel safe again. I knew this was my calling and I had to do it, to bring healing to the world through music.”

About this featured song, Shira told Elmore, “I was sitting on the subway one day and a super cute guy was sitting right across from me. He had his shades and headphones on and was reading a book, but in my mind, he was totally into me. I kept glancing over at him, waiting for him to look at me. Until he finally got up…. and got off the train. Didn’t even notice me. I thought to myself, “What if this was the person? What if that was the opportunity and we missed it?” By the time I got home, I had the full song in my head. It was sort of like shouting into the ether- ‘Come find me! I’m here! Don’t let this pass us by!’

“I’ve been looking at all my songs through a new COVID lens… Here, for example, the chorus, ‘Come find me before the flood… We’ll brave the storm together… Birds of a feather,’ has a whole new powerful meaning. This pandemic has made it even clearer how much we need our people to get through the storm.”

Shira · Birds Of A Feather

Shira’s clear voice and heartfelt lyrics—both reminiscent of Joni Mitchell—paint a vivid picture of young love at it’s sweetest, and she’s savvy enough to keep the accompaniment simple, so the song shines. He may be waiting for her, but we’re waiting for the EP, also titled Birds of a Feather.

Shira · Wait For Me

Learn more about Shira HERE