Summer Nights Review
Written by Claire for CPWM x Bloom Sessions, 2021
"Here, at Bloom Sesh HQ, we wanted this December gig to encapsulate a sunny Sunday afternoon – the warmth of the music cutting through the chilly winter weather, a sonic ‘cwtsh’. Pouring hours into artist research isn’t a challenge when this is the brief, floating through jazz, lo-fi, soul, R&B, and, most importantly, stumbling across gems like Shantelle King. Her particular recipe is smooth, subtle and delightfully soothing.
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Hailing from Bradford, Shantelle has a background in musicianship having studied at the BIMM Institute in Manchester. Perhaps bolstered from this time in education, she’s gone on to be proudly DIY as her own manager and agency – navigating events, radio plays and single releases all by herself. No mean feat, it’s only more impressive once you learn how widely Shantelle has played, how radio traction has been building and (first and foremost) experienced how excellent her music is. So… sit back, turn off your phone, and transcend the menial day-to-day by adding this inspirational woman to your music library.
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Shantelle has released two tracks so far, ‘Take Time’ in late 2018, and one earlier this year entitled, ‘Summer Nights (Deserve)’. This recent release is timeless. It could easily be a Tamia or Brandy, just as easily as it could be from Sza’s 2017 masterpiece Ctrl. As Shantelle’s honeyed voice simmers over the paired back beat and meandering riff, ‘Summer Nights (Deserve)’ perfectly balances melody, rhythm and texture to generate an ideal lazy Sunday vibe. It’s truly chef’s kiss!
We’re so looking forward to seeing what comes next for Shantelle. She’s steadily cementing herself in the West Yorkshire creative scene with recent live performances radio plays from BBC Introducing."
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- Bloom Sessions, 2021