Fashion & Lifestyle Insight from R&B Singer Somalia

By Natalie Benoit 

“I’m just Sunday brunching on a regular day. Sipping peach mimosas like I’m on vacay.”

Those are the first two lines fans hear and see Atlanta-based musician Somalia, sing in the music video for her original song “Mimosa.” The R&B singer and songwriter recruited help from director Andrew J. Lee and many other creatives to release the official music video back in April. Since then, Somalia has kept her music career moving forward with new projects and appearances, even with the stippling effects the coronavirus has inflicted on the music business. Among her list of appearances, Somalia joined Find Your ID NYC as the featured guest on the Aug. 9 PYNKTALKS episode.

Somalia and host Rebel Jones took over the FYID NYC virtual stage where the two discussed the R&B singer’s experience in the industry. Somalia performed several times throughout the evening, showcasing her melodic vocals with fans and viewers.  

By the age of 10, Somalia demonstrated an interest in music and singing. She decided to pursue her passion more seriously and chose to study music and comparative women's studies at Spelman College. Upon graduating with her degree, Somalia advanced her music career by traveling to different theaters, stages, and venues to perform for audiences live. 

After the PYNKTALKS broadcast, Somalia joined me for a conversation on fashion and performing live. The after hour segment revealed that mimosas are in fact one of Somalia’s favorite drinks! The Atlanta local expressed how she’s “more of a Malibu rum kind of girl,” but still enjoys a good mimosa for Sunday brunch. 

In the music video for her song, “Mimosa” Somalia is seen in three unique and carefully curated looks. She explained how she picked out each outfit on her own with the intention of giving off a 70’s Diana Ross vibe. 

“I just started looking through different sites. I love jumpsuits so you see the first outfit is me in a sequin jumpsuit. I looked at bell-bottom jeans for curvaceous women but also had the 70s look. You also see this glamorous glimpse here and there because it makes me think about Diana Ross with sequin earrings and big really glamorous things. I really wanted to encapsulate that different vibe in those different looks,” she added.

Somalia also clarified how she plans almost all of her looks independently. She doesn’t have a team or a stylist around for every performance, but the singer is able to curate each of her outfits depending on the setting and “vibe” of the event. She also prioritizes feeling comfortable in those clothes so she can perform to the best of her ability.

“Of course, if it's something like a music festival, I want to wear something that I'm comfortable with moving around the stage. I've never been a fan of putting on outfits that I just look cute and I can't dance. I love to dance. I'd love to interact with the audience. I want to just be able to do whatever I feel and those outfits have to be able to accommodate that and not make me feel restricted.”

The R&B singer relies a lot on the online site, Shein, as well as stores like Forever 21 to find trendy, affordable pieces. Somalia is also a huge thrifter and frequents local thrift shops and consignment stores in Atlanta. A consignment shop is a store that sells second-hand clothes and accessories on behalf of the original owner, who then receives a percentage of the profit made from the sale of their items. 

“So a lot of the clothes I have are from Goodwill. There’s another store in Atlanta called Rag-O-Rama and that’s another thrift-consignment, but it’s more tailored towards a bit hipsterish, but you can find a rack with all sequin dresses or you could find a rack with bell-bottom jeans… So I’m very much on these different sites, trying out everything.”

Vocal preparation in the days leading up to a performance is extremely crucial for artists like Somalia who have made a career singing live. During the after hour segment, she shared a few tips on how she gets her voice warmed up before hitting the stage.

“I’m absolutely an advocate of doing warmups. So you’ll see me trying to warm up like hours before the show so that my vocals are kind of set into what it is I’m exactly going to make it do it later on… I tried to take care of myself in terms of eating well the day of a show or even leading up to shows because your voice is a part of your body. So if your body is not feeling it, your voice might not feel it either. You want it to be in tip-top shape.” 

Somalia says she rehearses her songs before any performance and does her best to feel comfortable, even if she’s very nervous. “If you’re confident in everything that you’ve been practicing, then you don’t have to hurry up to try to get ready when it’s time to do the show,” she added.

The coronavirus pandemic has forever changed the way the entertainment and music industries operate. It’s been extremely challenging for musicians, artists and performers to continue their careers as a majority of venues, studios and events now function with a smaller capacity and more restrictions, or they’re closed for the time being. Even so, many people in these industries keep their career propelling forward by turning to virtual events and social media, which also helps garner new followers and fans.

Somalia continues to book appearances and events down south in her home state of Georgia. She’s still performing live because of the connections and networking she’s done since launching her career. She explains how most of her performances have happened because someone sees her singing elsewhere, and they then want to schedule her for their event.

“Maybe if it’s a promoter, they might say ‘I have this one place that I do shows on a Wednesday night, you should come through and do a set.’ Or it could be another artist that I’ve performed within the past or I’ve collaborated with and they say ‘I’m doing a show at this place. They have indie artists, so maybe you should try to reach out to them and let them know.’ It’s very much connection based.” 

Somalia recommends for other musicians and professionals to avoid ever burning a bridge with someone in the industry. It could always stipple your opportunities or prevent one from even happening. 

“You have your times where you might bump heads with someone but I think it’s important to just try to handle it in the best way that you can. Hopefully, if you all happen to work together again, it will be something that you both have an understanding of what exactly happened and how you can move past it.”

The 20-minute interview revealed a lot of insight on Somalia as both an R&B singer in Atlanta, and as a professional working woman in the music industry. The live performer and recording artist offered advice for new singers entering the industry in a big city like Atlanta. 

“Your network is your net worth. You have to get out here, you have to go to different events… You want to try to go to as many things as you can so that you can build your network. You don't want to stress yourself out about it to the point where you think ‘I haven’t met anybody!’ We are in the south, so naturally, people will be open to talking to you.”

Atlanta is a music hub, where the songwriter says the opportunities are endless. She also suggests young musicians join professional development events and courses that share information and teach them about the field. 

The PYNKTALKS episode featuring the singer and songwriter Somalia is on the Find Your ID NYC Instagram and Facebook. Watch the full after hour segment on the FYID NYC’s YouTube channel, The X Shows.

PYNK Talks is Find Your ID's platform designed to empower female BOSSES! Tune in every week to hear from various artists, entrepreneurs, and influencers! A s...

"Mimosa" Out Now: https://linktr.ee/thesomaliashow Directed by: Andrew J. Lee