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Somi

2 concerts

Illinois-born jazz vocalist Somi (Ugandan/Rwandan roots); Grammy-nominated, Billboard-charting writer/actor. Holy Room w/ Frankfurt Radio Big Band; NAACP, Doris Duke.

Concert Info

Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz, afro soul, contemporary vocal jazz

Catch the Somi concert in Evanston at Evanston Space on Friday, September 18, 2026, at 8:00 PM. Purchase your tickets!

Profile

Vocalist, composer, actor, and playwright Somi Kakoma is the Midwestern daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda.

Reception

Hailed by The New York Times as a virtuosic performer in full command of her instrument and powers, she is known in the international jazz world simply as Somi.

Grammy nomination

Her 2021 Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album made her the first African woman ever nominated in any of the Grammy jazz categories, as well as the first Rwandan or Ugandan ever nominated for a Grammy.

Projects

Her last release, Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba, was a companion project to the critically acclaimed original musical Dreaming Zenzile that Somi also wrote and starred in Off-Broadway as a tribute to the great South African singer and activist.