Somi is a jazz vocalist, composer, writer, and activist who was born in Illinois from parents who arrived in the United States from Rwanda and Uganda. She has been defined by The New York Times as “a performer in full command of her instrument and powers”.
She is an artist who loves breaking the boundaries between Africa and America with her music and her latest album, Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba, is no exception.
Those who are familiar with African music know Miriam Makeba for her contribution to the music world overall, but also for being an activist during the years of the the apartheid in South Africa and for this reason being forced to 31 years of political exile.
Miriam Makeba is a reference for all the generations of African artists who came after her. They call her “Mama Africa”.
Zenzile Miriam Makeba, this was her full name.“Zenzile” comes from “uzenzile” a Xhosa word which means “you brought this on yourself”. It was Miriam Makeba’s grandmother to suggest it, after Miriam’s mother faced great difficulties to give birth to her daughter.
Somi comes to the Philarmonie to promote the album and to pay tribute to “Mama Africa” during her first European tour after the pandemic.
In October 2022, the Zenzile album was awarded Best Jazz Vocal Performance at the inaugural Jazz Music Awards.
The album includes a beautiful jazz reimagination of Pata Pata – a song that for many people represents Makeba’s signature hit.
Somi also wrote Dreaming Zenzile, an original musical about Miriam Makeba who is a companion project to Zenzile: The Reiminagination of Miriam Makeba.
The artist is an activist herself. In 2013, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon invited Somi to perform at the United Nations’ General Assembly in commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The following year, she performed at Carnegie Hall alongside Hugh Masekela and Dave Matthews to mark 20 years of South African democracy.
And like many African artists, she is a freedom fighter who strongly believes in the power of music to move people’s hearts.
Somi «ZENZILE – The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba»
Somi vocals
Linda Sikhakhane saxophone
Liberty Ellman guitar
Benjamin Williams bass
Toru Dodo piano
Otis Brown III drums
