Considered the new diva of European soul, London-born singer Shirley Davis delivers the third album in collaboration with sensational Spanish band The Silverbacks, titled Keep On Keepin’ On and conjuring classic funk & soul sounds of the 60s and 70s but with a modern sensibility.

Shirley Davis is centered, with her feet firmly planted on the ground and her gaze focused on the future. The powerful soul singer takes no prisoners and holds no regrets on her third album, Keep On Keepin’ On. As the frontwoman of Shirley Davis & The Silverbacks, Davis harnesses the power of soul mothers of the past as well as her own history to deliver a record that rollicks from soul serenade to rocking ballad, then brings it on home with hard stepping soul.

Keep On Keepin’ On embodies the best of the modern soul tradition, while showcasing a unique voice in its growing canon. Conjuring classic soul and funk sounds of the 1960s and ‘70s, as well as the mighty Sharon Jones – whose last words to Davis provide the album title — Shirley Davis & The Silverbacks’ latest full-length is a highly personal tale of empowerment and self-realization, served up without losing any groovyness.

While she currently resides in Madrid where Keep On Keepin’ On was recorded, London is where Davis’ voice and magnetic stage presence first took root. She received a world-class musical education while working at the legendary Wembley Stadium as a teen, but boldly left everything behind at age 16, moving to the Australian Outback with her husband. Davis eventually found herself at the center of Melbourne’s soul scene and went on to perform with prominent soul vocalists including Marva Whitney, Lee Fields, Betty Harris, and the soul band Osaka Monaurail. With her adaptable voice and commanding presence, she soon became one of the most popular supporting singers for touring soul artists.

But it was at a 2007 performance by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings in Madrid, when Sharon pulled Davis on stage to sing, that Shirley’s fate was set. The Tucxone Records team was also in attendance and connected Davis with Spanish soul stars The Silverbacks in 2016 and, together, the seven-piece released two albums: Black Rose, which earned the group “best new international artist” at the 2016 Pop-Eye Awards, and Wishes & Wants in 2018, which was recorded after Davis spent months in the hospital following a viral infection that left her paralyzed and in a coma. But she recovered, and headed right back on stage.

New album Keep On Keepin’ On sees that confidence build, highlighted by punchy midtempo songs like “Wild Girl” – a biographical tale that’s also a tribute to Davis’ daughter – and the silky neo soul stylings on “Still Young”. The heartfelt and vulnerable ballad “Love Insane” showcases the band’s ability to iterate classic American soul, while the string-laden “Culture or Vulture” offers a Marvin Gaye-esque critique of interlopers into Davis’ international soul community. The band kicks it up on infectious dance numbers like “Take Out The Trash” and oozes warmth on “Outdoor” – a prescient song recorded before the pandemic about the pleasures of being outside.