Inspiration for musicians can come in limitless forms. I could be a real life experience, another song, a painting, a perfect sunset, a break-up text, travel and so on. We sometimes also hear about a songwriting session being sparked by a particular book or piece of poetry, but this is certainly the first time that we’ve heard about Dante’s iconic Divine Comedy being that catalyst. That is until we were introduced to London-based Brazilian artist Shir Sol Evans in which he has cast Mayla as his Botticellian Venus, and chooses to tell the story through her eyes, hence ‘Mayla’s Perspective: A Prologue’.

The nearly four minute track is truly a journey through textures, styles and tempos producing an ebbing and flowing effect as Mayla travels through the hellish visage of Dante’s original vision. Even the artwork for Evans’ single speaks to the inescapable presence of religion to the Brazilian mindset, yet he’s brought it into a truly imaginative and modern state. Whether historic literature is your thing or not, ‘Mayla’s Perspective: A Prologue’ is simple a great listen.

“It is a Prologue to a double album. Hidden all across the track are many many ‘easter eggs’ for the listener to find that will contribute to a better understanding of the double album’s narratives. I would love to explain fully the depth and layers it sets on our next conversation.

I read Dante Alighieri’s ‘Vita Neuva’ and his ‘Divine Comedy’ worked on an idea for a large concept album mostly inspired by these writings and dove deep into understanding my inner being to surface ‘Mayla’s Perspective a Prologue’ as the key to unlock the album that will follow afterwords.”

Follow Shir Sol Evans on Instagram.