Somadina

Somadina (born 22 March 2000) is a Nigerian singer and songwriter.[1] She officially started her music career in 2018 with her debut single titled "IHY" which stands for "I hate you".[2][3]

Somadina
BornPort Harcourt, Nigeria
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
Years active2018–present
LabelsSomadina Sounds
Websitesomadinasounds.com

In March 2023, she was announced as one of the African artists to perform at the American Musical Festival, Lollapalooza Chicago alongside Nigerian artists, Tems and Rema[4][5][6]

Early life

Somadina was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria on 22 March 2000 to Nigerian parents. At the age of one, she moved to the Netherlands because her father worked there.[7] After her secondary education at St. George's School, Ascot, an independent girls' boarding and day school in Berkshire, England, she moved to London, England where she got a university degree in Sociology from the University of Warwick. After acquiring her degree in London, she returned to Nigeria to fully pursue her career in music.[8]

Her musical experience typically started from childhood owing to her father's love for music.[9][10] Growing up in a music-oriented family, she composed her first song at the age of seven and started taking music lessons at the age of nine. She was taught by a Russian music teacher how to play the piano.[11] At thirteen, she had become a performer with her first public performance at her mother's 40th birthday celebration.[3]

Music career

2018–2021: Career beginnings

Somadina officially started her music career in 2018.[12][13] She debuted her first single titled "IHY" which stands for "I hate you" in October 2018, a breakup song which was recorded in the studio.[14] She soon started her own independent label, "Somadina Sounds" in partnership with Chin Okeke. In 2019, she released a single titled "Lay Low" featuring Orinayo.[15]

In February 2020, she debuted her first 5-track EP titled "Five Stages".[16][17][18] However, Five Stages was not a commercial release and is not available on SoundCloud. In December 2020, Somadina released a single titled "Kno Me" featuring SGaWD.[19]

In October 2021, she announced a single titled 'Supersoma"[20][21]

2022–2023: Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable

In November 2022, Somadina released her EP titled "Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable" (HOTHU),[22] comprising 11 tracks including Small Paradise, Time 2 Time and Dirty Line.[23][24][25] She launched the EP with a one-off immersive audio-visual exhibition of HOTHU exclusively at Africa's largest art fair, ART X. This was shortly followed by a London showcase at Kindred Member's club and a release party at Soho House Berlin, capping off her promo run opening for CKay at Koko in London.[26]  To mark the project, she released a single titled "Y I Want You".[27][28] It featured artists like Zamir, The Cavemen and Odunsi the Engine, and was released under Somadina Sounds.[29]

In September 2022, she released a single titled "Rolling Loud".[30][31] This was her first official release under her independent label, Somadina Sounds. In October that same year, she released the remix-EP of Rolling Loud.[32] The release featured 6 remixes from DJ's connecting Africa and the diaspora including Jelani "Pops" Shaw, TNK Musiq (aka Kyle and T-man), DJ Van and Ghanaian masked DJ, TMSKD.

In March 2023, she was announced as one of the Nigerian artists to perform at the 2023 Lollapalooza Chicago alongside Tems and Rema[4][5][6][33]

Artistry

Style

Growing up, Somadina was highly influenced by R&B, which clearly shows in her style of music;[34] however, she revealed that she prefers to identify with afro-psychedelic rock.[35][36] The Guardian describes her as an "eccentric and captivating musician, churning out a radical discography baked with influences from Pop, Alternative rock, and RnB".[37]

Influences

Somadina grew up with early exposure to music. She considers her father, a lover of RnB music to be one of her strongest inspirations. In several interviews with the media, she revealed that she had experienced a wide range of musical influences, including John Legend, Fela Kuti, Asa, Avril Lavigne, Williams Onyeabor and Shampoo.[36][38] She was also greatly influenced by music of the 70s making her combine African musical elements and the 80s metallic-instrumental rock style.

Discography

EPs
Title EP Details
Rolling Loud (Remixes EP)
  • Release Date:October 2022
  • Format: Digital Download, Streaming
Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable (HOTHU)[39][40][41][42]
  • Release Date: November 2022
  • Format: Digital Download, Streaming

Singles
Title Year Album
IHY 2018 Non-Album Single
Lay Low (feat. Orinayo)[43] 2019 Non-Album Single
Kno Me (feat. SGaWD) 2020 Non-Album Single
Supersoma 2021 Non-Album Single
Rolling Loud 2022 Non-Album Single
Y I Want You 2022 Non-Album Single
Title Year
FLAVA – Lady Donli (feat. Somadina & Amaarae)[44] 2019
POPSHIT – SGaWD (feat. Somadina)[45] 2021
Cruel Love – NATIVE Sound System & Sholz (feat. TAR1Q & Somadina)[46][47] 2023

Achievements

Throughout her career, Somadina has received recognition and accolades. In 2022, her EP "Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable (HOTHU) was listed as one of Times Magazine best albums.[48]

In January 2022, she was listed in Vogue Magazine as one of the musicians set to rule the music industry in 2022.[49][50][51] She was also listed by NME as one of the 100 emerging artists for 2023.[52] In March 2023, she was mentioned as one of the African women redefining Pop on Billboard.[53] In same March 2023, she was announced as one of the African artists to perform at the American Musical Festival, Lollapalooza Chicago alongside Nigerian artists, Tems and Rema[4][5][6]

References
  1. "Somadina…The Rebirth of Africa's Songbird". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  2. Onabanjo, Adedamola (17 August 2018). "Somadina Takes A Deep Dive Into Her Emotions". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  3. "Somadina: The nomadic teenager spreading her wings one bop at a time". The NATIVE. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  4. "Lollapalooza lineup 2023: Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish and Red Hot Chili Peppers". Yahoo Life. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  5. Placko, Dane (21 March 2023). "Lollapalooza 2023 lineup: Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers among summer fest headliners". FOX 32 Chicago. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. "Lollapalooza lineup 2023: Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish and Red Hot Chili Peppers". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  7. "Get To Know: Somadina". www.newwavemagazine.com. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  8. "Meet Somadina, Nigeria's Musical Finest — Raydar Magazine". raydarmagazine.com. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  9. "Ten Nigerian Artistes To Watch In 2022". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 2 January 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  10. "12 Nigerian Artists to Watch in 2023 – OkayAfrica". www.okayafrica.com. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  11. Aromolaran, Michael (30 September 2022). "Somadina is Not Just A Musician; She is an Artist". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  12. Staff, Notion (24 February 2023). "Somadina: "My Voice is my Engine"". Notion. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  13. Adebiyi, Adeayo (13 March 2023). "Women's History Month 2023: 10 fast-rising female artists to watch out for [Editor's Pick]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  14. "The 15 Most Exciting Artists For 2023". dmy.co. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  15. "FEATURE: Spotlight: Somadina". Music Musings & Such. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  16. "Somadina steps out with five stages". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  17. Makinde, Tami (14 February 2020). "Essentials: Somadina takes us through the 'Five Stages' of grief in her debut EP". The NATIVE. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  18. "5 Stages of Perfection: SOMADINA's Debut EP". MoreBranches. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  19. Onabanjo, Adedamola (23 December 2020). "Somadina And SGawD Are Femme Fatales On 'Kno Me'". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  20. Alake, Motolani (29 October 2021). "Somadina returns with new single, 'Supersoma'". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  21. "Somadina Is Here | Latest Afropunk Music Blog is Live". AFROPUNK. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  22. Esomnofu, Emmanuel (23 November 2022). "A 1-Listen Review of Somadina's Debut EP, 'Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable'". The NATIVE. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  23. Staff, Wonderland (30 November 2022). "Somadina Talks Her New EP "Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable"". Wonderland. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  24. "Somadina and the sweet danger of the heavenly undeniable". PAM – Pan African Music. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  25. Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Murray, Robin (24 November 2022). "Somadina's New Project 'Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable' Is Exceptional | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 3 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. "CKay London – Koko – Nov 20, 2022 – United Kingdom". JamBase. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  27. "Somadina Shares New Single "Y I Want U," Annouces [sic] Debut EP". www.turntablecharts.com. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  28. "Somadina: Y I Want U". Frontline Magazine. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  29. Okim, Itty (11 March 2023). "Interview: Somadina – Beyond walls and boxes – Digimillennials". Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  30. "Rising singer-songwriter Somadina shares bold new single "Rolling Loud"". DapperMobster – Music Media Platform – The Future of Music Media. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  31. Chuks, Joseph (2 September 2022). "Somadina Soundtracks Summer With Bold New Single "Rolling Loud"". 360NaijaHits. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  32. Osikoya, Wonu (18 October 2022). "Somadina Updates "Rolling Loud" With A Remix EP". The NATIVE. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  33. Mukherjee, Soumyajyoti (22 March 2023). "Chicago Lollapalooza 2023". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  34. "10 Nigerian Artists To Watch (2020 Edition)". Complex. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  35. "23 Nigerian Artistes to Watch Out For in 2023". NotjustOk. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  36. Alabi, Jacqueline (16 March 2023). "Somadina: Originality, the Key to Creating Timeless Music". Radr Africa. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  37. "Somadina…The Rebirth of Africa's Songbird". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  38. "The Femme Mag". The Femme Mag. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  39. "Somadina Releases Debut EP "Heart Of The Heavenly Undeniable"". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  40. "6 Takeaways From Somadina's Heart of The Heavenly Undeniable (HOTHU)". www.turntablecharts.com. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  41. Cairns, Dan. "The best albums of 2022 so far". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  42. Johnson-Omodiagbe, Conrad (7 December 2022). "We're Judging Anyone Who Didn't Listen to These 10 Albums in 2022". Zikoko!. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  43. Onabanjo, Adedamola (7 March 2019). "Somadina Is In Tune With Her Emotions on 'Lay Low' featuring Orinayo". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  44. Native, The (9 August 2020). "How Lady Donli's Collaborators Are Enjoying Their Lives". The NATIVE. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  45. Onabanjo, Adedamola (16 July 2021). "SGaWD Is Gunning For Hip-Hop Royalty And She Stakes Her Claim With 'POPSHIT'". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  46. Adebiyi, Adeayo (3 March 2023). "NATIVE Records' Sholz releases 'Cruel Love/Vex' ft. Somadina, TAR1Q, Teezee, OdumoduBlvck, & Candy Bleakz". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  47. "Sholz taps native sound Ssystem on Cruel Love, Vex". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 4 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  48. Cairns, Dan. "The best albums of 2022 so far". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  49. "The 22 Musicians Set To Rule 2022". British Vogue. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  50. BellaNaija.com (18 January 2022). "Ruger, Ayra Starr, TeeZee & SomaDina Make Vogue UK's List of Musicians Set to Take Over 2022". BellaNaija. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  51. "See Nigerians on Vogue UK's List of Musicians Set to Rule 2022 – Ayra St". RefinedNG. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  52. NME (6 January 2023). "The NME 100: essential emerging artists for 2023". NME. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  53. Obi, Ify (24 March 2022). "How a New Generation of African Women are Redefining Afropop". Billboard. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
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