Since the Covid-19 pandemic, singer-songwriter Somi has been thinking a lot about the intersection of live storytelling, public assembly and the choice people have to be active witnesses.
“The mere sound of live congregation for the sake of storytelling comforted me in a deeply visceral way.
“Not only because it transported me to the stages and repertoire I long to return to, but more so as a meditation on what cultural space actually does for artists and audiences in general - and for the marginalised black, African, female and immigrant communities that I represent in particular.
“The stage and the people immediately become active witnesses of my humanity simply by holding space.
“To choose to be a witness of another person’s truth is to choose something I believe to be holy,” she said.
The release of Holy Room - Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band arrives as an homage to the sacredness of cultural space.
“At the very least, I hope it transports people to a time when public assembly was something we could all take for granted and into the magic of live performance.
“On a deeper level, I hope it serves as a meditation on the types of spaces we believe to be holy and make us feel most alive - be it on stage somewhere or in the sanctity of our homes while we shelter in place through this time,” New York-based Ugandan/Rwandan singer said.
The artist has made it a point to always tell stories about different phases of her life through the albums she produces.
“Since this is a live album, it had a very different origin story than my studio albums. Holy Room is a recording of a concert I did in Germany last year with the Frankfurt Radio Big Band orchestra.”
Taking place in an 18th-century opera house, it was recorded for national radio broadcast, but that was supposed to be the extent of it.
“I had no intention of releasing it as an album. In the absence of live performance and in the face of a global pandemic, however, I thought the mere sound of public assembly and live music might lift the hearts of the listener the way it lifts mine.
“This album is an offering of courage and, hopefully, a reminder to each one of us to lean into and honour the thing that makes us feel most alive - especially now.
“The thing that makes me feel alive is standing on stage shouting my heart.”
The award-winning singer aims to take concert members on a personal, and often socio-political journey.
“It’s important to me that by the end of a concert, the audience understands all of who I am as someone who is hyphenated by default but still whole,” she said.
Somi has added playwright to her many titles; however, the opening of her original musical about legendary icon and activist Miriam Makeba had to be shut down just a few days before the world premiere due to Covid-19.
“She is the First Lady of African Song. The first African artist to achieve global commercial success. I believe every African artist, no matter what genre, discipline or nationality, stands on her shoulders - simply because she was the first.
“So my play is about honouring all that her life and legacy continues to inspire in my own journey as artist, woman, voice, immigrant and African.
“We were five days away from the premiere production when Covid-19 hit. God-willing, we will see it next year once we’ve made it through this pandemic.”
It has been of great importance for Somi to promote the African voice.
The album is the first release under Salon Africana, her arts firm that launched last year. The salon style events hosted by the firm in New York have featured Thandiswa Mazwai, Nduduzo Makhathini and Zoe Modiga among others.
“I launched Salon Africana to honour the wildly diverse and deeply inspired contemporary African music scene. It is about holding space for the many other African artists whose work lies beyond the West’s often monolithic understanding of what African music is and might be.
“Even though the world is beginning to pay closer attention to African popular music, I believe it is important that we be in control of our own stories and how they are shared on a global cultural stage.”
Ultimately, Somi wants Holy Room to serve as a sonic road map back to the rooms that make artists feel most alive, most seen, and most understood.