GRAMMY-nominated vocalist, composer and songwriter Somi is set to return to South Africa this November and December as part of Africa in Bloom, a series of intimate live performances and conversations taking place across the African continent in support of her latest album, What Does It Take to Bloom?
Following the successful launch of the series in Lagos, Nigeria, on 8 November, Somi will bring Africa in Bloom to three South African cities, beginning with Durban on Thursday, 26 November, at The Chairman. She will then perform at Untitled Basement in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 1 December, before heading to Cape Town for a performance at Youngblood Gallery on Wednesday, 2 December. An album listening session is also scheduled to take place at Mamakashaka in Johannesburg on 3 December.
The upcoming performances mark Somi's first-ever show in Durban and her first return to Cape Town in several years. She last performed in Johannesburg in March this year, where she joined her longtime friend Thandiswa Mazwai as co-headliner at the inaugural Sankofa Festival.
More than a traditional concert tour, Africa in Bloom is an opportunity for Somi to deepen her connection with the continent through music, storytelling and shared conversations. The series creates intimate spaces for audiences to experience her work beyond the stage, bringing together artists, collaborators and music lovers.
"I've spent much of my career building bridges between Africa and the rest of the world," says Somi. "At this point in my life, I'm interested in what it means to spend more time on the continent itself — to listen, to gather, and to hold space for the kinds of conversations and connections that only happen when we're in close quarters."
The initiative takes its name from Somi's latest album, What Does It Take to Bloom?, an introspective body of work exploring uncertainty, transformation and the search for belonging. Written and recorded across Dakar, Lagos, Paris and New York City, the album reflects on finding one's footing amid life's changes and remaining connected to oneself through different seasons.
Lagos was a fitting starting point for the series. The city played an important role in shaping Somi's earlier intimate musical gatherings, which eventually inspired her acclaimed album The Lagos Music Salon. The inaugural Africa in Bloom gathering took place at Miliki on 8 November, bringing together music and conversation with longtime collaborators and producers Cobhams Asuquo and Benjamin James of The Cavemen.
The evening featured an album listening session, a conversation moderated by writer Nelson CJ and a live performance accompanied by an ensemble of Nigerian musicians.
For Somi, the project represents a continued exploration of what it means to find a sense of home, both within oneself and through connections with others.
"I wrote this body of work while traversing many places and losing many people," she says. "This album is a mirror of searching for where and how to take root in spite of that. I pray these songs offer each listener a sense of Home or, at the very least, a witnessing of me coming Home to myself."
A two-time NAACP Image Award winner and Doris Duke Artist Award recipient, Somi made history in 2021 when she became the first African woman to receive a GRAMMY nomination in any of the jazz categories. Her distinctive sound blends jazz, soul, African musical traditions and spoken word, earning her international recognition for a body of work rooted in storytelling, cultural memory and creative expression.
With Africa in Bloom, Somi is bringing that musical journey back to the continent, creating opportunities for audiences to connect with her latest work through live performances and intimate gatherings.
Additional performances and gatherings in other African cities are expected to be announced soon.
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