A native of Norfolk, VA, Sharif was immediately taken by the honesty of Evan Dando and the sassy indie rock rawness of Liz Phair while attending the University of Virginia in the late '90s. His sweet acoustic sound quickly took shape, matching the bravery of Toad the Wet Sprocket and Van Morrison. He tested his musical waters while still in school, playing various showcases around D.C. and Virginia, as well as coffee shop gigs in Europe in summer 2000. Upon his return from an eight-month stay in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sharif struck a working relationship with Sam Jacobs of the Annex Group. Together, the two prepared for Sharif's musical introduction just prior to his college graduation. Textured guitar work and pop-driven harmonies were captured on Sharif's 2001 debut EP Kiss the Moon. ~ MacKenzie Wilson