Genre-defying multi-hyphenate ELLE SHIMADA announces forthcoming album with new single "TENDER"
TENDER 4k ll ELLE SHIMADA
‘unique brand of cinematic electronica’ — NOTION
‘emotive cinematic compositions’ — DJ MAG
‘multi-hyphenate’ — ROLLING STONE
Rapid-rising, genre-defying violinist, producer, curator, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Elle Shimada follows the announcement of her highly-anticipated new forthcoming album LULLABY FOR THE RIVER IN MY BODY—and recent performance at SXSW London—with deeply personal new single “Tender”—a lush and emotionally charged offering serving as a sonic sanctuary.
Crafted from a spontaneous jazz jam session in London featuring acclaimed pianist Joe Armon-Jones, the track itself was born when Armon-Jones played a beautiful line on a grand piano which Shimada later sampled, layering it with gentle strings and her signature percussive textures to create what would become one of her most vulnerable tracks to date. The lyrics written during the aftermath of a painful breakup, “Tender” channels a pivotal moment of care and collapse—a night spent wordlessly with a close friend who offered no advice, just presence, soup and space to fall apart.
Set against a cinematic blend of strings, minimal drum loops and Shimada’s emotive vocals, “Tender” continues her signature blend of jazz, electronic and soulful experimentalism. It’s the latest glimpse into her forthcoming album LULLABY FOR THE RIVER IN MY BODY, a 14-track sonic diary exploring the seven stages of grief through sound. Throughout, Shimada showcases her innate talent at bridging a multitude of sounds and genres, serving as a sonic diary to help navigate through the seven stages of grief. With LULLABY FOR THE RIVER IN MY BODY, Shimada invites listeners to join her in embracing softness as strength, and vulnerability as resistance.
Speaking on the release, Shimada states:
“‘Falling falling falling falling apart I hope it’s tender, tender this time
Hold me hold me hold me
When I fall apart
Falling falling falling falling apart”
Life can get wild, sometimes
Oftentimes, what we need is a safe place to fall apart.
Not in a tragic way, but like an extended exhale.
Cozy cuddles with loved ones, big bowls of soup and tender songs. Held. Messy.
No ‘what-to-do-next’, no advice, no interruptions or fixing.
A warm tender place where you know you are safely held & that by resting, you will soon rise.
Hope this song can be that place for you.
With tender love, Elle Shimada
Shimada has fast become renowned for her captivating output, regularly combining thick layered string lines with heavy new-jazz influenced beats, making for emotive, cinematic and other-worldly atmospheres that wouldn't be out of place on any international dancefloor. Already clocking a legendary mix for The Lot Radio this
year, as well as a key performance at London’s debut SXSW festival, Shimada has completed key tour support for heavyweight names such as Alfa Mist, Live., Obogjayar and Flying Lotus. A driving force behind grassroots, multidisciplinary art and community events, Shimada comes fresh from completing an ambitious 26-date tour across Asia too—cementing her presence as a global artist with undeniable range and resonance.
2022 saw the delivery of Shimada's acclaimed debut album HOME # LOCATION via The Jazz Diaries—a journey through spiritual jazz and Drum n Bass in search of home beyond the geographical, touring in Australia, Europe, America, Indonesia and the UK with tenacious reception globally, racking up key tastemaker support across the likes of THE GUARDIAN, DAZED, COLORS, NME, DJ MAG, and CULTED. Since, Shimada has released a slew of high-grade singles including the recent “PUSSY POWER POLITICS” alongside POOKIE and 2023’s remix for “Lucky” with Killa P and MadStarBase.
A singular and fearless voice in contemporary music who has decided to delve deep into her roots to form new musical and cultural connections, Shimada reminds us that the musician’s journey is filled with necessary twists and turns, and is the search that is truly developing her talent and repertoire. Weaving together themes of intersectional feminism, queerness, diasporic identity, and political consciousness, Shimada utilises the uniting power of music to cultivate a dance-floor-activism, that is inclusive, honest and raw. All points to one of the most powerful and uncompromising young female voices coming through right now.
For more information, contact: ross@lucidpublicity.com
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