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Somadina

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For the given name, see Somadina (given name).

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

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]

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

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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

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2018–2021: Career beginnings

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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

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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

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Style

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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

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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

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As lead artist

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EPs

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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

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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
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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

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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

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  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. ^ a b "Somadina: The nomadic teenager spreading her wings one bop at a time". The NATIVE. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Lollapalooza lineup 2023: Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish and Red Hot Chili Peppers". Yahoo Life. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c "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. ^ Wonderland Staff (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. ^ 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.
  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. ^ a b 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 {sic} 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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