Revered by music lovers for her smooth, neo-soul vocals, Kildare singer Shiv actually cut her teeth as a DJ before becoming the songwriter we know and love.

“I suppose DJing was my introduction into a full-blown music career,” she says. “I was very much a house girl back in the day.”

One of many exciting homegrown talents on a stacked Smirnoff bill, she’s itching to jockey once more at a festival which is – quite literally – close to home.

“EP was one of the first festivals I went to,” Shiv reveals. “I’m actually from Athy, just down the road. So I used to go back to my house, freshen up, have a shower and a little nap before going back to the campsite to see everyone else looking dead – I’d say they wanted to kill me! It was a real privilege.

“I’m excited to get up behind the decks again,” she continues. “I think the way that I listen to and consume music has changed a lot since I started out.”

So what can we expect?

“I’ve been listening to a few old mixes of mine, some Girls Of The Internet, and Melvo Baptiste who has ridiculous taste. You have to prepare by listening to a few people that you respect and then eventually you’ll find your own way of doing things.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of Electric Picnic is the unique atmosphere created at a carefully curated stage like the Smirnoff Stage. Shiv explains her approach to performing in an intimate festival environment.

“It’s different,” she explains, “partly because people are kind of floating in and out. If it’s my own show, there’s already some sort of relationship built up. But when it’s a festival, people might not know who you are. It can be more of an introduction where you’re trying to show the best that you can offer.

“It’s very important to make sure you curate your set well. Generally, festival goers are there to vibe, so you have to get that energy up when you’re trying to win people over.”

Credit: David Willis

Very much in line with the brand’s track record of providing a platform to under-represented groups, the stage is championing inclusivity. Coming from Irish-Zimbabwean lineage, Shiv welcomes the range of nationalities and backgrounds involved.

“It’s really important to celebrate our country’s diversity,” she states. “We were one of the first Black/mixed-race families in Athy when I was growing up, but it never felt cold. There was always a level of curiosity and it was very welcoming in general.

“We know it’s only a small percentage of the population, but with everything that’s been going on with the anti-immigration stuff recently, Ireland feels a little more tense than what I’ve been used to. But I see music as a massive connecting factor, and so playing the Smirnoff Stage is a gorgeous way to celebrate the growing diversity we see in Ireland.”

Stay tuned to Hot Press for more information about Smirnoff at Electric Picnic...

The Smirnoff Stage will feature at Electric Picnic 2024, which takes place at Stradbally Hall in Co. Laois from August 16–18.