Wishes & Wants

Born in London in 1974 to Jamaican parents. She married an Australian for love when she was 16 and spent her adult life in Australia. Her daughter was born there and also there, with her daughter on her lap, she decided she wanted to sing professionally and has pursued this dream ever since. Since she made her choice she has worked with legends such as Wilson Pickett or Marva Whitney, with whom she was a close friend. That's how she met the Japanese funk ambassadors, Osaka Monaurail, they were Marva's band. It was this friendship that definitely made clear her direction towards funk and soul. Her personal relationship with Sharon Jones and Binky Griptite (out of the Dap-Kings) has been another great pillar in her development of this genre. Shirley has performed on a number of collaborations with different record labels such as her stellar appearing in Unique's imprint, doing a cover version of the classic "No Trouble On The Mountain", of Richard "Groove" Holmes with Osaka Monaurail, or for the Australian label Freestyle Records with the song "Greenbacks", which is an anthem of Deep Funk, as appearing on the album titled Deepstreet Soul. And there is also her participation on Deepface, when she got nominated for an ARIA which is the Australian equivalent of a GRAMMY. "I'm so happy to be back in Europe after 20 years and help push this genre out of the underground scene and into the public light and make it claim the space it deserves as popular culture" Shirley's recruitment as lead singer for The Silverbacks took place by chance, when she was taken up to the stage from the audience at a Sharon Jones & The DapKings show in Madrid to which Tucxone Records's team were attending too. They heard her sing with Sharon and immediately made up their minds, they made Shirley a proposal which she accepted. The rest, as they say, is history.

"The new album benefits from our confidence, from our mutual respect and appreciation of each other as musicians and performers," Shirley feels. "I'm not going to get this sound from any other band in Europe". In April 2018 Shirley is back and stronger than ever and alongside The Silverbacks they release their second album "Wishes & Wants". First record to be captured at Tucxone Records's new facilities, it consolidates a rather unique style of a talented and ever growing artist This is a very personal album in which the sounds/melodies and rhythms that were present in "Black Rose" have been taken a step further and in a more conscious way, nourishing the whole process, from songwriting to recording, to get a perfect blend that has made the project grow more solid in that unique and characteristic essence of its own. Just after coming off the tour for their award-winning first album, Black Rose, Shirley Davis and the Silverbacks set to work on their second, Wishes and Wants. With three core writers working together -Marc Ibarz, Shirley, and Eduardo Martínez (musical director and guitarist)- ten original tracks were created. The intricate arrangements, reflecting a wide range of influences, were refined during rehearsal sessions with the entire group. The lyrics display Shirley's own universe, like "Woman Dignity", but also her present moment in life like "Troubles & Trials". We can also find those that are expressing her point of view of the world like "Wishes & Wants" "Edu's arrangements offer a beautiful backbone for light and shade, as soul-inspired music should", says Shirley. "They're easy for singers to sink their teeth into. It's easy to jump into those rhythms and create music showcasing our talents and what we've learned from working together in live performances." This year is Shirley's 20th singing anniversary and it will be the year Europe will see her touring to become the Soul Diva she was predicted she would become by her singingmentor-mother Sharon Jones