Album Review: Shura’s Nothing’s Real Is For The Lonely And Shy

Shura is such a buzzing, new artist. It seems from her very beginning, people knew Shura would be a mass hit. For the past few years, she has been releasing solidly good 80’s track with lyrics that painfully describe an intrepid life. For those that suffer from loneliness and shyness, Shura captures the yearning to be a social butterfly the is stuck in their own cocoon. Shura’s debut album, Nothing’s Real, is a look into that stuck butterfly’s thoughts and sentiments.

Many compare Shura to fellow 80’s stars Debbie Gibson, Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Cyndi Lauper because her beats might as well come from their greatest hits album. There is no denying it; Shura sounds exactly like the 80’s. Pure synthetic rhythms and glorious keyboard annotations elevate her songs to make you think you have traveled backwards in life’s timeline. Yet, Shura’s lyrics are way more insightful and painful. While artists like Gibson and Lauper aimed for fun funkiness, with the occasional, heartfelt ballad, Shura’s debut album comes off like the diary of a young, high school student.

I say high school and/or university student because Shura has completely tapped into the hurt of social alienation, particularly when you are young. So many moments of this album will make you picture either Shura or yourself walking down your school hall feeling like, nothing gets better or wishing the “crush” you have would notice you. This album is not only emotional but visual. Shura’s simple, delicate, and straight-toned voice comes of like a narrator of a film. The expansive, vividness of her words go perfectly with her tender, understated vocals. She, literally, sounds like the embodiment of shyness. You follow her as she dreams she had the courage to tell a lover to love her better (What’s It Gonna Be) or is simply begging the world around her to see and hear her humanity (Kids N’ Stuff), which, in a way, Shura is. If I had to compare Shura to any artist, I would compare her to SIA. Though sonically, they sound different, they have an innate talent to tap into sadness and the yearning to free one’s inner self through their words.

It is not easy to be vulnerable with others, especially when we do not want to be open with ourselves. Thus, Shura’s Nothing’s Real is fascinating as an album because it is reflective of being human. So often, we know and can articulate our personal issues and social tricks, but rarely does it feel that we can overcome them. Although Shura is a coy intellectual with a wealth of wisdom, she consistently struggles to muster strength and build relationships, especially according to her needs. Therefore, do not be fooled by the highly styled- danceable beats of this album. Yes, it makes you want to glide across your room as if you were striding along stars. Yet, I cannot say I have heard too many artists captivate and elevate the coyness of a spirit like, Shura. Her words literally come from feelings of being ostracized, which makes them a must to be heard from those that feel the same.

Favorite Tracks:

Kids N’ Stuff: this one is my favorite. The beats are moody, the lyrics are filled with the struggles between fear and resilience as you try to ask from your surroundings to be fulfilled. The questions is can anyone, no matter how you love them, fulfill you? Or is it a self-reflective job?

Touch: this song shows the beauty of physicality in a relationship. Often, it seems like touch and the greatness of holding someone’s hand or kissing them the lips is forgotten. I don’t say greatness in terms of lustful pleasure, but in terms of how stunning it and feels when two spirit connect to the point of touch. How riveting is it to love someone so much that even running your fingers through their hair feels like a blessing.

Make It Up: this song will make even the stiffest person move with an inner freedom. Moreover, who has not felt like, they were inventing their life, particularly their love life, as it goes along. As you dance, you realize that it is not easy to not have control in life, but that uneasiness does not change because you do not like it. Once again, Shura taps into the nuances of emotion.

White Light:  If you want to know how riveting love is, and how bright a good partner can feel to your sould in relationship then listen to White Light. I promise one listen will lead to multiple more. Warning: Shura is an addictive artist to your ears.

You can buy Nothing’s Real and learn more about Shura by clicking HERE