shiv explores the importance of family connection on the sentimental "Hold Me"

The moniker of Zimbabwe-born, Dublin-raised Siobhan McClean, as shiv, she beautifully explores all the things she holds dear through delicate, but deliberate songwriting. With her first collection of work set for release later this year, shiv previewed the EP with the starkly soulful "You and I".

Along with "Hold Me" her introspective self-produced tracks hint at her own journey of self-discovery. "I found myself trapped in a loop of anxiety that I didn’t understand," she explains. “I spent the majority of this year living in my own self imposed purgatory, desperately wanting to create but being so afraid of what that meant. Afraid of what people would think of what was inside of me.”

In the Artist Pick on her Spotify profile, shiv succinctly describes "Hold Me" perfectly as "a warm hug for a cold day." Expanding on this thought, she explains "sometimes you just need a hug from your parents. My parents both live in Malawi in Southern Africa, so getting hugs on demand isn’t an option for me, and sometimes it’s all you need.”

“Their support on this career choice has been infallible, and often when I consider the risk I’m taking and the hard work that is essential to this career path, that endless support is always such a comfort.” That endless support is highlighted by their endearing voices and messages of unbridled support at the opening of the track.

As shiv continues to explore her creative processes with her understated sonic palette, it's so exciting to be witness to her continuing journey.