Somi became the first African woman nominated in a Grammy jazz category when her live album Holy Room – Live at Alte Oper received a Best Jazz Vocal Album nomination in 2021. She also became the first Rwandan /Ugandan to receive a Grammy nomination.
Now, Spotify has named Somi its EQUAL Africa Artist for August 2026. The programme features Somi as its August cover artist and highlights women shaping African music. The recognition comes alongside the release of her new 13-track album, What Does It Take to Bloom?, released on August 7 through her Salon Africana label.
The two milestones point to the same issue: the place of African women in global jazz.
Somi And The Visibility Of African Women In Jazz
Somi says African women have not received enough visibility on international jazz stages. She argues that the lack of visibility does not reflect a lack of talent.
“African women have not been very visible on international jazz stages, despite the vibrant community that I know exists across the continent,” she said.
Her Grammy nomination therefore carries cultural weight beyond the award itself. Somi entered a category where African women have had limited representation at the highest level of the global music industry. She also connects her achievement to the artists who came before her. She names Miriam Makeba, Cesária Évora and Letta Mbulu among the women whose work helped create the path she now follows.
“Being able to represent that lineage, and the many voices of African women globally, is something for which I am both humbled and grateful,” Somi said.
Jazz Is Somi’s Language For African Stories
Somi’s music sits between contemporary American jazz and African musical traditions. She describes it as story-based songs framed by modern jazz, pan-African grooves and soulful intimacy.
Her work also reflects her position in the African diaspora. Born in Illinois to Rwandan and Ugandan parents, Somi has used music to explore African identity, migration and belonging.
Her 2014 album The Lagos Music Salon drew from an extended stay in Lagos. She later created Dreaming Zenzile, a theatrical work based on the life of Miriam Makeba, and released Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba in 2022. Her work therefore extends beyond recording music. She uses jazz, theatre and storytelling to examine African history and identity.
Somi also works as a playwright and actor. She performed on Broadway in Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, adding theatre to a career that already spans music and storytelling.
Why The EQUAL Cover Matters
Spotify created EQUAL to increase the visibility of women artists and connect their work with audiences around the world. Somi’s selection places an African jazz artist at the centre of that global platform.
For Somi, however, representation also means having control.
“To make music as a woman, to lead bands, build a label, and hold onto your own voice, is to work in rooms that weren’t designed for you,” she said.
That experience shapes how she views Spotify’s recognition. “Women’s voices don’t just belong here; they shape what this industry becomes,” she added. Her point goes beyond visibility. African women need opportunities to lead bands, build labels, own creative work and make decisions about their careers.
What Somi Wants To Leave Behind
Her new album, What Does It Take to Bloom? continues that work. Somi co-produced the project with Benjamin James of Nigerian highlife duo The Cavemen. The album also features saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and was recorded across Dakar, Lagos, Paris and New York.
The project keeps Africa and the diaspora connected through sound. It also shows how Somi uses jazz without treating it as a barrier between African music and the rest of the world.
For Somi, the bigger goal remains clear. She wants her work to make the path wider for other African women.“I hope my work helps create space for future voices from the continent,” Somi added.
