GRAMMY-nominated artist Somi just released her third single "So You Want To Be A Woman (feat. Lakecia Benjamin)" from her upcoming album *What Does It Take to Bloom?*, dropping August 7 via Salon Africana.
The track digs into the hidden expectations women carry and the weight they're supposed to bear. Somi's powerful vocals paired with a blazing solo from GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin create an unforgettable experience rooted in Black womanhood.
Somi shares: "'So You Want to Be a Woman' is me talking to my younger self who never imagined the beauty and burden of becoming a woman. While the title asks a question, I hope the answer points toward a future with more freedom and possibilities for all women."
This follows two earlier singles – "Sometimes Love (feat. The Cavemen)," a groove-filled love song recorded in Lagos, and "We're All Falling," which confronts mortality head-on.
For Somi, every album creates a sense of place. Her work maps migration and memory, bridging Africa and America. But on *What Does It Take To Bloom?* – recorded across Dakar, Lagos, Paris, and New York – the place she's mapping is herself.
Known for blending jazz, soul, highlife, spoken word, and African heritage, Somi has always defied labels. This album marks a sonic evolution where she takes bigger vocal risks and trusts her instincts.
At its core, the album explores belonging – acknowledging that the path to wholeness isn't straight or finished. Through life's uncontrollable moments and the lived experience of womanhood, Somi charts what makes her bloom.