Emily Shirley might be most recognizable here in Austin for her role with The Belle Sounds performing synth, piano, and vocals, but she’s also got plenty of other merits elsewhere. The classically-trained Connecticut native was the lead singer of Boston soul-breakbeat group Amun Ra for their two albums before moving to Austin a decade and half back. Shirley shared her debut solo EP Tiny Truths in 2010 before becoming a member of The Belle Sounds in 2013, then interspersed the full band energy with a solo endeavor once again by releasing 2015’s Duotone before joining The Big Fix in 2017.
Following the release of 2018’s Courage Up, Emily Shirley’s taken her pandemic-based time to focus on writing and recording a new set of singles, including today’s latest, “Survivors”. “Survivors” pays tribute to us Texans who toughed it out during the deadly freeze this past February and will warm your heart with its purposeful piano arrangement and incandescent vocals.
–Jack Anderson
