| Somi | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 6, 1979 |
| Origin | Uganda, Rwanda Champaign, Illinois, USA |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, musician, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, cello |
| Years active | 1998—present |
| Labels | ObliqSound |
| Website | www.somimusic.com |
Somi is an American singer & songwriter of Rwandan and Ugandan descent.
Somi was born in Champaign, Illinois while her father was completing post-doctoral studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. When Somi was three years old, her family then moved to Ndola, Zambia while her father worked for the World Health Organization. They returned to Champaign, Illinois in the late 1980s when her father became a professor at the University of Illinois. Subsequently, Somi spent the rest of her childhood in Champaign where she attended both University Laboratory High School and Champaign Central High School, and earned her undergraduate degrees in Anthropology and African Studies from the University of Illinois. After graduation, Somi spent a year doing medical anthropological research while working with AIDS orphans in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.[1]
Somi moved to New York City in August 2000 and soon became a well-known on the underground soul circuit. She independently released her first album entitled Eternal Motive (2003) on her own label SanaaHouse Productions. The album was co-produced by David "Sampsonic" Sampson and was once largely out of print, but was re-issued in 2008 for digital distribution. In 2006, Somi received a Master's degree at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in Performance Studies while she began recording music for her second album.
Known in music industry circles for her tenacity and business acumen, Somi's original and hybrid sound began to garner international attention from both jazz and world music audiences. She calls this fusion of an African flavor into Jazz as “New African Jazz”.[2] In 2007, SanaaHouse Productions licensed Somi's Red Soil In My Eyes to the Harmonia Mundi/World Village label for her first international distribution deal. The record received wide critical acclaim with the hit single Ingele that maintained a Top 10 position on U.S. World Music Charts for several months.
In 2009, Somi signed with independent record label ObliqSound.[3] Her label debut "If The Rains Come First" released in North America on October 27, 2009 and subsequently debuted at #2 on Billboard Magazine's World Music Chart and #21 on Billboard Magazine's Heatseekers Chart. The album features Somi's long-time mentor, the legendary South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela as a guest on one track. Additional featured musicians include Michael Olatuja, Madou Kone, Herve Sambe, Liberty Ellman, David Gilmore, Alicia Olatuja, and others. The album is co-produced by Michele Locatelli and Michael Olatuja. Recording sessions took place in both Paris and New York.[4] Somi is currently represented by Addeo Music International (AMI) In March 2011, Somi recorded her first live concert album at the legendary Jazz Standard in New York City - it is scheduled for release in the Summer of 2011.
Somi is a 2011 TED Global Fellow and an inaugural 2011 Association of Performing Arts Presenters Fellow. She is also the founder and artistic director of the non-profit organization New Africa Live.
Official Website
Official MySpace
Somi on ObliqSound
If The Rains Come First on ObliqSound