Ahead of her anticipated album ‘What Does It Take to Bloom?’, the GRAMMY-nominated powerhouse drops a luminous new anthem featuring saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin.
There is an art to quiet defiance, but in the hands of GRAMMY-nominated vocalist and songwriter Somi, defiance sounds a lot like liberation.
Late last week, the global jazz icon unveiled “So You Want To Be A Woman (feat. Lakecia Benjamin),” the soulful third single from her forthcoming album, What Does It Take to Bloom? (out Friday, August 7 via Salon Africana). It’s a track that doesn’t just ask a question—it holds space for the full, complex spectrum of female existence.
Examining the unspoken weight, soft resilience, and heavy expectations placed upon women, the single speaks directly from the lived realities of Black womanhood. Anchored by Somi’s commanding, effortless vocal control and elevated by a scorching solo from fellow GRAMMY nominee Lakecia Benjamin on saxophone, the song feels less like a simple track and more like a sacred conversation.
“‘So You Want to Be a Woman’ is a conversation with the younger version of myself who could never have imagined the beauty and burden that would accompany becoming a woman,” Somi shares. “While the title of the song poses a question, I hope the answer offers women everywhere a future shaped by greater freedom and possibilities.”
Mapping the Inner Landscape
For long-time listeners, Somi’s catalog has always read like a rich, transatlantic travelogue. Her past records bridged Africa and America—anchored in the polyrhythms of Lagos, the iconic streets of Harlem, and the radical political inheritance of Miriam Makeba.
Yet on What Does It Take to Bloom?, the geography shifts inward. Written and recorded across Dakar, Lagos, Paris, and New York City, the album isn’t mapping a country or a city this time around. It’s mapping the self.
Following two standout precursors—the Lagos-infused, groove-laden hit “Sometimes Love (feat. The Cavemen)” and the deeply poignant reflection on mortality “We’re All Falling”, this new single underscores an artist operating at the absolute peak of her power.
The Courage to Bloom
Navigating the global jazz stage on her own terms, Somi has long defied neat labels. She seamlessly weaves jazz, soul, highlife, and spoken word with her East African roots. But What Does It Take to Bloom? marks a distinct, courageous evolution. It captures an artist taking vocal risks, trusting raw instinct over genre rules, and stepping away from external expectations.
Ultimately, the record is a gentle reminder that wholeness isn’t a straight line. Life gets messy, growth takes time, and self-discovery is an ongoing project. In sharing her journey home to herself, Somi leaves the door wide open for the rest of us to find our own way.
What Does It Take to Bloom? arrives August 7 via Salon Africana and is available now for pre-save on all major streaming platforms.
TRACKLIST
- Throw Something
- Sometimes Love (ft. The Cavemen.)
- What Does It Take to Bloom?
- Mama On Blooming
- So You Want to Be a Woman (ft. Lakecia Benjamin)
- Aiwah
- Sugar
- Mama On Tradition
- Ngayaya
- Lay It Down
- Interlude: Skin To Skin
- We’re All Falling
- Love Could Be Anywhere
