Spelman Alumna and R&B Soul Indie Artist Somalia is Using the Power of Music to Help Others Through This Pandemic
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Posted By: Kennedy Williams on January 12, 2021 Atlanta-based R&B singer/songwriter Somalia is a natural-born star, and her latest EP release, "Never Enough Time," proves that. Influenced by genres like neo-soul, jazz, hip hop, and artists like Brandy, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and Anita Baker, Somalia's music catalog offers a range of singing styles, tone, and vibes. Somalia started last year strong with in-person performances and the release of her project, Mimosa. However, that high came to a halting stop once the global pandemic hit, causing her to lose several previously scheduled gigs. While the initial shock of it all did leave Somalia concerned about the future, she did not stay down for long. Driven by her goal of creating music that spreads positivity and joy and amplifying Black voices, Somalia has made it her mission to use her music to help others through this difficult time. When creating her EP, Never Enough Time, she wanted to create music that helped people have space and time to feel amid chaos. The songs on her EP cover everything from police brutality and social/racial injustice ("Front Door") to freedom and joy ("Risk It All"). Somalia took her efforts even further when she put on a two-part concert series in part funded by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. One concert was dedicated to front-line workers and the other dedicated to front-line activists. She also held several performances at the polls in Georgia to encourage and entertain people while they waited in line to vote. When asked why she thinks music is so effective when it comes to encouraging people during difficult times, Somalia said, "Music has been the rhythm of the progression of our people. When I think back to our experiences here in this country, I think about the songs we would sing to just be able to get through the day's work in the field. That then translated over to the church. The music is what has always helped us keep going." Somalia credits a lot of who she is as an artist to her experience at Spelman College. "Going to Spelman taught me more about myself as a Black woman than I would have imagined. To be able to be the type of artist I am today, I needed that grounding. Spelman did that grounding in a way where it allowed me to grow in it. It didn't force me to be someone I thought I should be. [Spelman] put me on a path to choose who I wanted to be." Because Somalia recognizes the power that music has on people, especially within the Black community, she has been able to turn a difficult situation around for the better. By making a clear effort to spread positivity through her music during a time of uncertainty, she has created a project that will resonate with people long after this pandemic is over. "Music will continue to live on because we [Black folks] were at the beginning of it and will continue to push it forward." Somalia can be found on the following platforms: Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thesomaliashow Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesomaliashow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesomaliashow/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/2896s Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/singersomalia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sGDv3ep8n... Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/somalia/... Tidal: https://store.tidal.com/us/album/156995865 If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Kennedy Williams
From Loganville, GA Spelman College class of 2020 Member Since July 2016 |
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