When you think of the epicenters of music, Seattle is probably not on your list. UMI is here to change that narrative.
Cities like this often get overshadowed by the Atlanta’s and Los Angeles’ of the world, but some of the most promising and unique artists are found in the least expected places.
I started listening to UMI recently and needless to say I’ve been obsessed with her music. Everyone knows that exciting feeling of discovering an artist for the first time, and the high you get from realizing you now have so much more new music to dissect. The song that helped me discover her was ‘Down to Earth’, and after hearing it just once I was captivated and needed to hear more. I don’t want the producer to go unnoticed in this song and the work by Jhune was brilliant. The open guitar loop gave UMI the perfect opportunity to showcase her vocals. And the vocals were amazing. When I say amazing, I mean like the ‘so beautiful you’re leaving me speechless’, kind.
She dropped her debut album ‘Forest in the City’ in May of 2022 which has massed millions of streams on Spotify and Apple Music. The project consists of 15 songs that she describes as a ‘sonic oasis’ and all seem to center around themes of love and self-reflection. ‘moonlit room’ is one of my favorites that is an alluring love song about not being able to get someone off your mind. The combination of her dreamy delivery and sweet lyrics are what make this album so special. Here’s some of my favorite lyrics:
Dancing’ across this moonlit room / thinking’ about you way too soon -moonlit room
I couldn’t let myself believe / I told myself to breathe / I said, “Maybe this could be” -synergy
You can definitely put UMI in the R&B category, and in my opinion she should be acknowledged as one of the top in the industry. Not only is it the angelic voice, but just the overall vibe she gives you within a song. She really knows how to deliver and write a song that pulls at the listeners heart strings and invoke emotion.
At only 23 years old there’s little doubt in my mind that UMI will become one of the most dominant forces in R&B. She can hold her own against the Ella Mai, Kehlani, & Summer Walker’s, and it’s just a matter of time before people begin to hop on the wave. ‘Forest in the City’ is out on all major streaming platforms, so go check it out.