Shamir SXSW 2015 | NPR MUSIC FRONT ROW

Shamir is best known for his buoyant, elastic electro-pop-rap song “On The Regular,“ but his live shows careen in altogether different directions. For one, the 20-year-old Las Vegas native sings far more often than he raps, with a high but rich voice versatile enough to accommodate Sylvester-esque disco, sleekly modern pop and robust funk. For another, Shamir is canny enough to back the preprogrammed components of his sound with not only backup singers, but also stormy live drums. Onstage March 18 as part