Philadelphia-based artist Shelby may be best known for her dark-pop sound and aesthetic, but her artistic origins lie in country music- the genre she began her career with in her hometown of Athens, Georgia. With her debut album looming, she has surprised fans (many who didn’t even know of her past) with the decision to tap into her country roots- beginning with her brand new single “Crossfire” featuring Jgriff. But not to
worry, she has no intentions of ditching her alternative edge.
Although the instrumentals on the track- courtesy of UK-based producer Jake Angel- have that signature country guitar at the lead, they are also packed with modern hip-hop and alternative elements, particularly in percussion. Shelby and Jgriff dance around this arrangement seamlessly, sometimes with an ease and sometimes with a punch. Where Shelby leads with rugged, country vocals like we’ve never heard from her, Jgriff follows with sequences of melodic pop-punk, a game of cat and mouse that lasts the duration of the track and reflects its title.
Also, did we mention “Crossfire” is a collaboration between soon-to-be newlyweds? That’s right, featured artist Jgriff is none other than Shelby’s fiance, and although they couldn’t be happier in real life, our guess is that the passion certainly lends a hand to the fiery dynamic in the song. The two have also collaborated on a cross-genre hit in the past- only with the roles reversed. Their first co-release “Lilacs and Love Stories” was Shelby’s debut in pop-punk, and quickly became a fan favorite for the duo after its release last fall. The release of “Crossfire” almost feels like watching history repeat itself- and better than ever- as Jgriff makes his introduction to Shelby’s familiar country music scene.