Video: Silas Short – ROOMS

Recent Stones Throw Records signing Silas Short shares the official music video for his new single “ROOMS”.

Silas Short’s creative output is the product of his life and upbringing: his mom, who passed away when he was just six, held a deep love for ’90s R&B, while his dad is an abstract painter who plays blues guitar. Silas, who grew up between the inner city and suburbs of Milwaukee — one of America’s most segregated cities — found his mixed racial identity under near-constant assault. But no matter how teachers and students picked on him at school, he always had art and music to fall back on.

Silas’ dreams of a musical career were threatened when he shattered a bone in his left hand at age 19 while delivering pizzas. Unaware of the extent of his injury, he worked the rest of his shift without any feeling in his hand. Later, a doctor told Short he’d never play guitar again, but rather than submit to his fate, Short played through the pain and adapted his playing style to accommodate his injured hand.

During the lockdowns of 2020, Silas found his way out of a creative block by putting down his guitar and picking up his pen to draw. He also taught himself how to play drums. These different creative outlets find full expression in the ‘Drawing’ EP and the “ROOMS” video, which presents drawing and music together as one. In the video, between sketching and playing double instruments, Silas sings about trying to find serenity when faced with life’s challenges.

On “ROOMS” and ‘Drawing’, Silas blends influences from both soulful R&B and alternative rock bands. With this honest and vulnerable yet uplifting record, he hopes to honor his biracial heritage and create a safe space for “Black people into alternative music”, like him.

The “Rooms” video is directed by Ross Harris. ‘Drawing’ is the debut EP from Silas Short, coming October 1, 2021.

Silas Short’s “Room” single is available now to stream and cop on Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp

[via Stones Throw Records]