Shallou unearths first single of 2021 with dreamy new original work, ‘Heartaches’
LA-based multi-threat Shallou has made his long-awaited musical return in 2021, releasing his first single of the year with “Heartaches.” Fresh off the success of his 2020 debut album, Magical Thinking, which included fan-favorite hits like “Older” with Daya, “Good Together” with Ashe, and more to the tune of over 80 million streams to date, Shallou topped off the year with summer anthem “I Leave Again” in collaboration with French superstar Petit Biscuit.
Shallou took the time in quarantine to re-discover his roots and reflect on the sound that gave him his career breakout, particularly from the all-too-familiar 2018 EP Souls, and has officially brought those soundscapes back to the limelight. Co-written by buzzing UK prodigy Elderbrook, “Heartaches” includes nostalgic guitar riffs and bright synths that harmonize beautifully on the track’s climax, all combined with Shallou’s beloved, airy vocals. Shallou had some words on his experience during lockdown and the melody’s origins:
“Lockdown made me nostalgic for the ‘Souls-era’ music I made like ‘You and Me’ and ‘Lie.’ The track started out as simple guitar chords and my voice chopped up, but soon grew into a dance track full of longing about experiencing the passions of love during a hard time. I messaged Elderbrook about writing for a track, and he sent over an excellent catchy verse that I built the rest of the lyrics around. I’ve been loving singing on my tracks lately so will definitely continue at that direction. I’m really happy to reintroduce myself to the world with all the personal growth I’ve achieved the last year, and my ability to synthesize my past catalogue into a fresh but familiar direction.”
Catch Shallou on The Long Way Home US tour this fall with support from Robotaki, starting their journey in Cambridge, Massachusetts on October 3. Tickets can be found here.
Featured image: Eddy Whitaker
Categories: Music