Shura (musician)

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Shura
Birth name Alexandra Lilah Denton[1]
Born 17th June
Manchester, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • synthesizer
Years active 2011–present
Labels Polydor
Website weareshura.com

Alexandra Lilah Denton, also Aleksandra Lilah Yakunina-Denton,[2][3][4] better known by her stage name Shura, is an English singer, songwriter and producer.

Life and career

Shura grew up in Manchester. Her mother is a Russian actress and her father is an English documentary filmmaker.[5] She has two brothers, one of whom is her twin.[6] She began playing the guitar when she was 13 years old and started recording music at 16.[7][8] While reading English Literature at University College London,[9] she formed a band with guitarist Patrick Duncombe and collaborated with producer Hiatus (Cyrus Shahrad), who remixed Shura's 2011 debut single "River".[8] Shura features on six tracks on Hiatus's 2013 album Parklands, including "River" and the singles "Fortune's Fool", "Iran Air" and "We Can Be Ghosts Now". Shura took a gap year after her university studies and developed her songwriting skills while working in the Amazon rainforest.[10]

Following her work with Hiatus, Shura decided to assume creative control over the production of her music. During night shifts at her workplace (a video editing facility), she watched YouTube tutorial videos on how to use music production software.[10][11] Her single "Touch", co-produced with Joel Pott of Athlete, drew positive notice from internet blogs during early 2014; its music video was directed and edited by Shura herself.[5][10][12] Two other singles, "Just Once" and "Indecision", followed the same year, and Shura produced a remix of Jessie Ware's single "Say You Love Me".[13][14][15][16] Shura was longlisted in the BBC Sound of 2015 poll, and her debut album Nothing's Real is due for release in 8 July 2016 via Polydor Records.[17][18] Shura is also signed to Universal Music Publishing Group in the United Kingdom.[19] She released the single "2Shy" in March 2015, followed by "White Light" and a performance film titled Three Years in June 2015.[20][21][22] An EP titled White Light was released in the United States in July.[23] The same year, Shura performed at music festivals including Bestival, Festival N°6, and Latitude.[22]

In December 2014 she was named as one of the nominated acts on the longlist for the BBC music poll Sound of 2015.[24] Mumford & Sons have covered her song "2Shy".[25]

Shura's "Touch" was released on 18 February 2016 alongside a version featuring Talib Kweli.[26] The Original Mix was released on Record Store Day 2016 as a limited 12" single featuring remixes from Canvas and Delorean.[27]

Artistry

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Shura's musical influences include Blood Orange, Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, J Dilla, Drake, Peter Gabriel, Haim, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Elton John, Madonna, Massive Attack, Pink Floyd, Pixies, Portishead, Prince, Diana Ross, Ed Rush, Patrice Rushen, Raphael Saadiq, KT Tunstall, and Tina Turner.[5][6][10][11][28]

Discography

Albums

Title Album details
Nothing's Real
  • Released: 8 July 2016
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download

Extended plays

  • White Light (2015)

Singles

  • "Touch" (2014)
  • "Just Once" (2014)
  • "Indecision" (2014)
  • "2Shy" (2015)
  • "White Light" (2015)
  • "Touch (Four Tet Remix)" (2016)
  • "The Space Tapes" (2016)
  • "What's It Gonna Be?" (2016)

Featured singles

References

  1. ↑ England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008, Jul-Aug-Sep 1988, Hammersmith, 'Alexandra Lilah Denton', mother 'Yakunina' accessed 10 May 2016
  2. ↑ The American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers, record for 'Touch', Work ID 886607565
  3. ↑ http://www.creaturemag.com/tag/aleksandra-lilah-yakunina-denton/
  4. ↑ http://heyevent.com/event/4dr5pkjgcp4qka/young-writers-anthology-launch-partyopen-mic-night
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ http://www.unipaper.co.uk/article/national/features/sep_2015/shura--uni-does-get-better--take-it-from-me
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3pBLZF6Z1XgLKJWH7Y6J0wF/shura
  19. ↑ http://www.umusicpub.co.uk/en-GB/Artists/S/Shura.aspx
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/02/soak-bridie-monds-watson
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Shura on TwitterLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
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