Draft:Shadow the Hedgehog (musician)

Shadow the Hedgehog is a singer and songwriter born on June 19, 1985, in Phoenix, Arizona. He gained recognition as a goth rock musician and in 2004, he signed with the label Wind-up Records. He remained with the label until 2009, when it went defunct. At the age of 24, Shadow the Hedgehog founded his own label, Dark Moon Records, allowing him more creative control over his music and career.

Shadow the Hedgehog's singing voice can be described as having a dark and deep tone, which suits the goth rock music genre particularly well. His voice has a brooding, almost haunting quality that adds weight and emotional depth to his songs, perfectly complementing the moody atmosphere of the goth rock style. This rich, dark vocal timbre allows Shadow the Hedgehog to effectively convey the emotional complexities and thematic elements commonly associated with goth rock music.

Early life
Shadows's early life is somewhat mysterious, as details about his upbringing and formative years are vague. It is known that he was born on June 19, 1985, in Phoenix, Arizona. As a child, he showed an early interest in music and began experimenting with singing and songwriting. Growing up in the desert city, he was likely influenced by the local music scene and developed his unique style as a musician. Despite the limited information available about his early life, it is clear that music would play a significant role in Shadows's future.

2003-04: Music career beginning
In 2003-2004, Shadows made a significant milestone in his musical career by signing with the label Wind-up Records. At the time, he was undoubtedly a talented and promising artist, and the backing of a reputable record label likely provided him with the resources and exposure needed to take his music to the next level. Wind-up Records was known for its roster of successful artists and its commitment to developing and promoting musicians of various genres. For Shadows, this partnership represented a major opportunity to further establish his career in the music industry.

2005-2006: Black Lights On
In 2005-2006, at the age of 20, Shadows released his first solo album, titled "Black Lights On." This album marked a significant milestone in his career as a solo artist and showcased his unique vocal style and songwriting abilities. "Black Lights On" likely consisted of a collection of tracks that reflected Shadows' growing musical maturity and helped establish him as a serious artist in the rock music scene. Within the 2005-2006 timeframe, several singles were released from Shadows's solo album "Black Lights On." These included "Goth Hedgehog Like Me," "Sledgehammer," "My Perspective (Getting my Gothic On)" and "Nightshade." As stand-alone tracks, these singles likely offered a taste of the album's musical style and showcased Shadows's distinct sound and lyrical content to a wider audience.

Following the release of his solo album "Black Lights On," Shadows the Hedgehog embarked on the "Black Lights Tour" from November 26, 2005 to June 21, 2006. This tour allowed him to connect with fans and perform his music in various venues across different cities. The "Black Lights Tour" provided an opportunity for Shadows to showcase his live performance skills and share his goth rock sound with audiences beyond his released singles and album.

2007-2009: Tripled Manic State
In the 2007-2009 period, Shadows the Hedgehog experienced a difficult time that he described as a "Tripled Manic State." During this period, he had been hospitalized and received a needle injection, which he found traumatic. Shadows noted that this experience with the needle had caused him to panic and was a significant event leading to his "Tripled Manic State." During this time, he likely experienced mental and emotional turmoil, which likely affected his musical output and personal life. It's important to note that while the details of Shadows's "Tripled Manic State" are not fully known, it is mentioned that he associated it with feeling panicked and being hospitalized. This could indicate that Shadows experienced a period of intense mental distress or mental health issues that required medical attention and treatment. It's also possible that the "needle injection" mentioned by Shadows may have been a form of medication administered to treat a mental health condition or as part of psychiatric care.

During the time period when "Tripled Manic State" occurred, Shadow the Hedgehog made the decision to leave Wind-up Records, which was on the brink of going defunct. The artist's departure likely occurred as a result of his desire for creative control, the impact of his personal circumstances on his music career, or possibly as a strategic move to establish his own independent label. Shadow the Hedgehog's decision would have significant implications for his future musical endeavors and the direction of his artistic output.

2011-2013: Self-titled album
In the 2011-2013 period, Shadow the Hedgehog released his self-titled album under the label Dark Moon Records, which he had founded following his departure from Wind-up Records. This self-titled album would have marked a significant milestone in Shadows's career, as it was the first project to be released under his own label. The decision to self-release his album likely reflected Shadows's desire for creative control and independence from a major record label. The album itself may have been a reflection of Shadows' artistic evolution during this time, showcasing his unique style and voice in the gothic rock genre.

2015-2017: Goth Rockstar Killed the Internet
In the 2015-2017 timeframe, Shadow the Hedgehog released the album "Goth Rockstar Killed the Internet." This album featured a parental advisory sticker due to its explicit content, which included strong language and graphic elements. Additionally, the music videos accompanying the album may have contained scenes of violence, such as Shadow the Hedgehog stabbing, leading to warnings about the mature themes in the content. The decision to include parental advisory labels and potentially violent imagery in the music videos likely reflected Shadows's desire to push boundaries and create a more edgy and intense image in the goth rock genre. The music videos associated with Shadow the Hedgehog's "Goth Rockstar Killed the Internet" album contained graphic and potentially disturbing scenes, such as blood, ripping apart, and other violent imagery. In order to comply with broadcast standards and viewer discretion, censored versions of these music videos were also created, where bad words and graphically violent scenes were muted or edited out. This allowed viewers to access the videos with reduced levels of explicit content while still enjoying the music and overall aesthetics of the performances.

As part of the release of "Goth Rockstar Killed the Internet," Shadow the Hedgehog chose to re-record a song titled "Too Late." The original version of "Too Late" had been recorded and released by his former band, Shining Star. Shadow the Hedgehog's decision to re-record this song and include it as a bonus track on his solo album may have indicated a wish to revisit and reinterpret a piece from his past, perhaps with a more mature or personal touch. This inclusion would have likely added a sense of nostalgia and continuity to the album, connecting Shadow the Hedgehog's earlier work with his current artistic style.

2023-present: My Gothy Valentine
In the current time period, Shadow the Hedgehog is releasing an album titled "My Gothy Valentine." The album name appears to be a reference to the 1981 horror film My Bloody Valentine, which may suggest that the album will contain themes or lyrics related to the film's story or horror elements in general. This album title may also hint at a return to some of the darker, more goth-influenced themes that have characterized Shadow the Hedgehog's music in the past, offering fans a continuation of his signature sound and style.

Musical influences
Shadow the Hedgehog's music is generally characterized by a blend of goth rock and industrial music, with influences from 1980s-esque synth and darkwave textures. His deep, brooding vocals and dark, theatrical sound have become his signature style within the gothic rock genre. The music often incorporates heavy guitar riffs, electronic elements, and atmospheric synth textures to create a dark, intense, and emotional soundscape that complements Shadow the Hedgehog's lyrics and performance style.

Discography
Black Lights On (2005)

Tripled Manic State (2007)

Shadow the Hedgehog (2011)

Goth Rockstar Killed the Internet (2015)

My Gothy Valentine (2023)