Muse devotee Sheva Elliot is one of those very few contemporary singer-songwriters that can bridge generations with her work because she works with classical, evergreen sounds such as rock, soul, doo-wop, and Motown in order to convey her message through a timeless lingo that a very wide audience can enjoy.
From the moment you hear the first few sweet-raspy words out of her Mouth, you’ll be perfectly disarmed, and by the time she belts out a power note you’ll find yourself signing up forever as a fan of hers, I can guarantee it.
Sheva’s newest track is actually her second release yet. Titled “Somebody Else’s Man” the song is a slow, soulful, and mournful do-wop ballad that somehow just glows out of your speakers/headphones and brings you way back in time with its choir ladies “oooh-ing” in the background and hopelessly romantic piano-and-guitar melody. A film-perfect prom song.
“Everything about this track is a time capsule – in its delivery and content. We recorded it like the old days, live to tape, on the Neve Motown Console. The music video is also a homage to Old Hollywood, depicting the glamorous & ill-fated femme fatale, who haunts the theatre in which she sings. The story I tell is one I know personally. While I’m grateful it’s in my past, it’s an eerie tune about a time in my life that felt very haunted indeed.” -Sheva Elliot.
The Video’s an obvious nod to Old Hollywood, yes, but none of it would work if not for several key elements that make the ghostly, truculent tale believable. First and foremost is Sheva’s wonderful performance, which leans heavily on tragedy and melodrama with full sincerity. From there, it’s up to every carefully-selected aesthetic element to set the tone right. The wardrobe, Lighting, props and set design all come together thanks to Rick Lawrence’s cinematography and Sheva’s own directorial judgment into something everyone involved can be fully proud of.
All of these throwback techniques could make a retro aficionado blush, if not for the fact that everything about this project is perfectly measured and genuine. None of what Sheva is crafting here feels like a silly “revival” effort or a nerdy mish-mash homage to previous musical eras. There’s no tone-deafness to her musical ethos at all, everything presented is genuinely championed as a family of sounds and values that deserve to be respected, admired, and passed on.
In an era of Ableton and minimalistic electro-pop, it feels the soul with joy to see that there is room for ensembles and the old methods.
Her forthcoming debut album, set for release in the Summer of 2023, was recorded live to tape in the Neve Control Room of the storied Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, Texas. Sheva captured her 9-track journey through the historic Motown console used to record some of her idols, including Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye, & the Jackson 5. The record showcases her range as both a writer & performer, maintaining her soulful roots while venturing out into psych & glam rock, pop, & gospel.
