British-Asian artist Shivali is poised to release her groundbreaking new album, Queen of Wands, on January 17, 2025. This deeply personal and genre-defying work marks a striking departure from her acclaimed devotional music, offering an intimate exploration of heartbreak, healing, and unconditional love. Embracing vulnerability and introspection, Shivali describes the album as “a self-portrait.”
Blending urban beats, classical piano, spoken word, and R&B influences, Queen of Wands invites listeners on a transformative journey through the complexities of relationships, identity, and the reclamation of feminine power in today’s fractured world. The album plays with concepts such as the seven stages of grief and the five stages of spiritual awakening, taking listeners from emotional trauma to self- acceptance and love.
The inspiration for Queen of Wands was born during a trip to New York. After attending a Masego concert, Shivali returned to her hotel room, filled with emotion, and wrote the album’s first track, We’re Done, in just 10 minutes. The raw lyrics, left untouched from that initial burst of creativity, set the tone for what would evolve into a cohesive, full-length project.
Shivali describes each track as an internal conversation in search of truth beyond fear, saying, “I hope listeners see themselves in my words, we are not separate in what we feel, we are bound by our struggles and desire to overcome.”
A Departure from Devotion
Best known for her devotional music, Shivali ventures boldly into new territory with Queen of Wands. “This album is about being human—navigating loss, questioning faith, and finding yourself again,” she shares. The tracks reflect her dual identity as a British-Asian woman and a Londoner, with lyrical references to iconic landmarks such as the Thames River and Chelsea.
A Celebration of Feminine Power and Universal Themes
From Commodity, critiquing the commodification of relationships, to The Blind Man, addressing politics and social detachment, the album seamlessly balances the personal with the universal.
“It’s a story, I want people to close their eyes and listen from beginning to end, experiencing the emotions as a cohesive journey.” – Shivali
