ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

SAMEYA

Photo credit: Isabelle Rist

SAMEYA didn't write her first song until 2019, and for a while she kept her music hidden, with no experience and little belief in her own voice. Raised in the church and seasoned by a few years around Broadway, she's a theatrical powerhouse and emotional storyteller shaped by Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton and Tracy Chapman. Call her a late bloomer or a seasonal flower: "REACHING YOU" is the sound of her refusing to hide just because the wolves exist in the woods.

Why do we love it? I really like her. Her voice has the stretch in the higher, louder notes that keeps it tight, and live I think you'd get the full power. She reminds me of Jennifer Hudson on ALL DRESSED IN LOVE. The layering in the back end of REACHING YOU is a nice touch, and I love the details in it. SARA LEE, while an older track, has those layers again (is that a tongue click?), and the lyrics and vocal delivery are smooth af, the wordplay is delightful. DRIVE! has the best guitar. SAMEYA is so comfortable playing with styles, going with the mood and the music, and she delivers on every track I've listened to. And ONLY LOVER IN THE ROOM? Masterful. The pocket, the flow, the stops and starts, moving her vocals from breathless and airy into a deeper note. Chef's kiss.

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  • Genre: Contemporary / Pop / R&B

  • From: New York City