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Somi

USA | R+

Between Nina Simone and Sade.

In her most recent album, "Zenzile: The Reimagination Of Miriam Makeba," vocalist and songwriter Somi blends modern jazz, soul, and African groove. The album is a celebratory meditation on legendary South African singer and political activist Miriam Makeba. The songs on the album include beautiful and fresh arrangements of some of Makeba’s most beloved repertoire through the jazz idiom and features special guests from both South Africa and the United States. Ultimately, this release serves as a soulful homage to Makeba’s extraordinary legacy and monumental contribution to African popular music and global jazz. Zenzile's premiere was at the Apollo Theatre, with non-other than Dianne Reeves.

The acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Somi was born in Illinois to immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda. NPR describes her as “an ambitious artist and superb jazz singer [who] creates an elegant amalgam of her bi-continental experiences.” Her album Petite Afrique, released on Sony Music’s historic Okeh Records, is a timely song cycle about the dignity of immigrants and gentrification of Harlem’s vibrant West African quarter. The album was recently won a 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album and follows the success of The Lagos Music Salon, which debuted at #1 on U.S. and international jazz charts. Both albums were nominated for an ECHO Award in Germany for Best International Jazz Vocalist. Somi has played prestigious venues & festivals in Europe such as Cologne Philharmonic, Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Montreux Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival and many more.

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