Experience the Tranquility of UMI Through Her Neo-Soul Single
Produced by LUCY IVEY, styled by hannah hauge, makeup by kasha lassien, hair by Mitchell Cantrall, shot at msa studios, sponsored by g- shock
Living through surreal moments is hard to capture. A dream was lived but all that could be focused on in the moment is how much you need to give, how much you need to deliver. It’s weirdly beautiful to experience surreal moments because those are rare. For R&B singer-songwriter, UMI, those surreal moments have come in many forms. From performing at Coachella last spring, to creating her soon-to-be-released EP, to sitting front row at New York Fashion Weeks, UMI’s surreal moments have allowed her to be a vessel of fun and free spiritedness for millions of her fans.
The 24-year-old Seattle native has been creating music since 2018 and remembers the days sitting in her University of Southern California dorm room creating visions boards with dreams to perform at Coachella, attend New York Fashion Week and create music that can be a vessel for healing and human connection. Set to release her upcoming EP, talking to the wind on January 19th, UMI has been on adventures the past five years she only could envision.
“Coachella was on my vision board in college. Performing there this year reminded me that you can do anything you dream of,” UMI said. “It was a surreal moment for me and it was a moment that I got to share with my fans that I’ve dreamed of for years.”
After releasing her second single off her EP titled, “why dont we go” UMI reflects on how much she’s accomplished since beginning her music career five years ago and where she is going as an artist. The singer-songwriter says her music is timestamps of her life and that her upcoming EP, talking to the wind invites listeners into a time where she didn’t know which direction life would take her. It’s a reflection of her early-twenties and how people are in the process of self discovery for their present and future self.
“The EP is an important time stamp because it tells you who I am and where I’m going. When people listen to it I want them to feel comfortable and that it’s okay not knowing where the wind is going, where it will take you.” UMI said.
While creating her first single off her upcoming EP, happy im, the neo soul artist takes her listeners to a time in her life where she was overthinking about love. Writing this single, which has garnered millions of streams since being released in August, was the Seattle native reminding herself to follow joy and that it’s okay to go celebrate your own happiness and the bonds that make you.
UMI, which means ocean in Japanese, makes her carefully crafted melodies and music with an intention always in mind. When creating music, she factors in how her songs make her feel just as much as how it sounds. Listening to her 2022 album Forest In The City to her most recent song why don’t we go, listeners clearly hear how she is not tied to one sound but to a feeling. The blending of the two allows her music to be free flowing like the ocean and take her fans on a melodic and spiritual journey.
“Everything I do is about community. My purpose is to allow people to make friends and pick each other’s brains,” UMI said.
Attending one of her shows, listeners will experience a sound bath and a group meditation session where UMI shares her intentions for the show. These methods may seem irregular to most concert-goers, but they allow the R&B artist to foster a community at her shows. When listening to the singer-songwriter’s music, crowds have shared the feeling of being deeply listened to. UMI’s songs make her fans feel heard and that they’re experienced are valid too. Beyond her shows, UMI fosters community by sharing meditation practices daily at 11 AM so her listeners can always have an outlet to feel free.
Many may ask how UMI got to the point where she can be so vulnerable on stage in front of thousands of people. The artist would tell you she still gets nervous before shows but she can be vulnerable because she knows she’s no longer that person in the song she’s singing. Her vulnerability connects her more deeply to her fans and has allowed her to be a vessel of love and free spiritedness for them.
Looking toward her upcoming EP while reflecting on her past year, UMI attributes her success to understanding comparison is the thief of joy. In an industry where success is measured by the amount of streams and awards, the artist realizes giving energy to comparing herself to others does not serve her creative process and allow her to create music that resonates with others.
“I no longer am comparing myself. I realize even if I did the exact same thing they did it wouldn’t necessarily bring me joy,” UMI said. “I’ve reframed jealousy into inspiration and into being patient.”