"Somi is the type of woman who inspires you to become more beautiful." -ymib.com.

She is a daughter of the New African world. Born in Illinois to East African parents, Somi and her six siblings began to shuffle through the life of a diplomat scientist-come-university professor’s family. Thus exposing Somi to stories and music from all over the world. Her lyrically and musically magnificent new album Red Soil In My Eyes is a soulful celebration of her Rwandese and Ugandan heritage that fantastically speaks of returning Home. “But where is home?” one might ask Somi, a young citizen of the world. Well, she has found Home… in her music. “Singing has been a journey of healing,” says the young singer/songwriter, and that is the reason she refers to it as Holistic New African Soul-Jazz. “I want my music to put people in a place of introspective bliss and inspiration. The same place I am when I write. I want people to be touched by music and never be afraid to fully embrace who they are.” Thus, Somi’s music relentlessly evokes all that is pure, honest, and true. Listening to her exhale a belly full of stories on life, love, and liberation, one is involuntarily reminded of their own private moments of passion. Throughout Somi’s songwriting, her voice soars over, through, and in between nuances of an incomparable musicianship that organically fuses jazz, classic soul, African folk, and rare urban grooves.

Having lived in Zambia, Kenya, and Tanzania, Somi was the featured vocalist in the African Globe Theater production of Drums Under the African Sky upon moving to New York City. The early spot led to collaborations with Amel Larrieux, Tsidii Le Loka, Roy Hargrove, Lionel Loueke and Lonnie Plaxico. She gained more attention after being featured in Source Magazine alongside Mos Def and other lyricists involved in a police anti-brutality project entitled Hip-Hop for Respect and in 2005 she shared a stage with Cassandra Wilson at the Blue Note jazz club’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Emerging as a popular headliner and firm critical favorite, she has performed at Joe’s Pub, B.B.King’s, and The Blue Note in New York City, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, and Chicago's famed South Shore Jazz Fest, among many other international venues.

We talk with Jazz singer Somi about carrying the traditions of her culture, her beauty, and all the things that inspire her to keep striving for her dreams day by day.

ymib: Favorite affirmation or inspirational quote?

Somi: "Every decision I make is a choice between a grievance and a miracle. I choose the miracle." - from Deepak Chopra's Meditations" for the Healing Soul.

ymib: You have a documentary entitled "Songs of (No)Where for Our Mothers' Daughters: Bodies, Poetry, and Transnational African Girlhood". What is your personal definition of a “Transitional African”, and what differences do you feel exist between “Transitional Africans” and “African-Americans” and what things do you think are similar between the two?

Somi: My definition of the Transnational African is someone with a similar socialization to my own - directly from Africa but having lived a large part of their lives in other places in the world. For the most part, the differences between the two communities are mostly on a superficial level in terms of how we express our identities - be it in the food, the language, the music, etc. I try to work towards resolving those intraracial tensions and focus more on our similarities. At the end of the day, we are all the same and all came from the same place. At the end of the day, an African-American woman walking down the streets of New York is perceived as a Black woman in a Western world - just as I am. Fundamentally, I think it's important that we know, recognize, and express our individual histories, while embracing our shared histories and social experience.

ymib: You have a beautiful natural glow! With that said, could you share with us your daily regimens, rituals, & favorites, for keeping the nurturing & keeping the following healthy, beautiful, and balanced...any favorite products, resources, shops, routines, etc:

Your Hair & Skin: I am pretty loyal to Dr. Hauschka skin products. While they are a little pricey, they are completely natural, socially responsible, and leave everyone's skin looking amazing. As for my hair, I prefer to use Aveda's rosemary & mint shampoo/conditioner and I also use Carol's Daughter's Loc Butter & Tui Oil. They all smell delicious!

Your Spirit/Culture: As for my spirit, it's something I try to keep in balance through meditation and affirmation. I'm a huge fan of Deepak Chopra's writing and I read/listen to him often to help me keep things in perspective. Culturally, I try not to take the plethora of New York City's cultural offerings for granted. That being said, I try to get out and support as much art as possible - both emerging and established. Doing that keeps me inspired in my own work and expression.

Your Style/Fashion: Besides loving lots of rich color, there is no one style or fashion that I live by daily. I really just dress how I feel and I try to be aware of when and why I'm drawn to particular colors at a particular time. I enjoy vintage shopping in little towns and I also try to support independent fashion designers. Something I like to do in my travels is pick up one one-of-a-kind item from an independent designer or thrift store in whichever city/country I'm visiting.

Your Health: Well, I was a strict vegetarian for 14 years, and I began eating fish again about a year to create more balanced protein options in my diet. For the most part, I make pretty healthy eating choices. I have a tendency to be an "emotional eater" though - so when I don't make the right choices, I'm pretty clear that I'm not where I want to be emotionally/spiritually at that time. I believe health is about holistic balance between mind, body, and spirit. Getting to that balance is a universal journey and challenges on all levels of the Self.

ymib: The most inspirational advice that you have heard and or been given about life?

Somi: "With courage greater that your deepest fear, jump inro the unknown and you will fly."

ymib: Could you tell us more about the inspiration behind the title of your current album: "Red Soil In My Eyes" and what would you say is the overall mission of the album?

Somi: The title references the color of the earth in Rwanda and Uganda where I'm from. The project overall is about my looking to home for clarity and grounding both in the music and in myself. Perhaps the mission of the album is to carve out a place of cultural belonging for those with a transnational African identity - knowing that you can be of both places and also be at peace.

ymib: What things would you say keeps the spirit of your creativity alive?

Somi: Nature, love, life, and the Universe.

ymib: What are some of your current/future goals within your career and life?

Somi: I am presently preparing to stage play at the Apollo Theater's Salon Series this April, and I'm really excited about stretching out creatively. It is a piece entitled "Listening to Roots & Voicing Branches: Transnational Freedom Songs of the Black Atlantic". I co-wrote it with vocalist Chanda Rule about two years ago, and I'm looking forward to witnessing the growth of the project and my journey in theater moving forward. I am also writing music for my next record right now, and I can't wait to get back in the studio. Lastly, I've started spending more and more time in Africa and trying to be actively engaged in the present-day cultural revolution that is happening on the ground there today.

ymib: What do you love most about your international travel, and thus far, where have you experienced the most inspiration?

Somi: I love meeting people and seeing how they live in other parts of the world. I love that with each trip it becomes clearer and clearer that we are all the same. My deepest inspiration always comes from Home, from Africa.

ymib: What piece of advice (about life, love, creativity, anything you like) would you offer to a woman that you would want her to know and carry with her?

Somi: Always listen to your heart and never be afraid to show your heart. Choose the miracle.

ymib: What does your name mean?

Somi: "Somi" is short for one of my middle names "Kabasomi" - which means "Child of a Scholar". True to East African circumstantial naming, I was born when my father was completing his post-doctoral fellowship.

ymib: What albums would we find in your cd/i-pod rotation?

Somi: Dianne Reaves, Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Sade, Seal, Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Cree Summer, Lenny Kravitz, Feist, Bjork, Sarah MacLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Ella Fitzgerald, Marta Topferova, Ceu, Bebel Gilberto, Chick Corea, Arrested Development, Asa, Bobby McFerrin, Bach, Brahams, Beethoven, Lizz Wright, Cassandra Wilson, Robert Glasper, Lionel Loueke, the list goes on and on and on.

You can hear more of Somis music by visiting her myspace page and by visiting her Website at: SomiMusic.com and be sure to check out her Online Journal!