On a stopover to the Sauti za Buhara Festival in Zanzibar, Somi and her band put on a thrilling one-hour performance to a packed and appreciative audience at the Tribe Hotel last Thursday night.
The night kicked off beautifully, as everyone was sipping welcome Glenfiddich cocktails and enjoying delicious canapés. The legendary singer, Eric Wainaina’s voice boomed on the microphone requesting us to take our seats. He then went on to warm up the crowd with some jokes, followed by a short but endearing performance.
Dressed in a metallic floral dira, Somi glides on to the stage joining her skilled band. The American Jazz vocalist of Rwandan and Ugandan descent delivered a deeply moving and entertaining show. Known for her storytelling, she preludes each song with a little snippet of what it means to her.
After the show, Somi proves herself to be every bit as charismatic and engaging a personality as she was on stage, she’s an international star but she remains as approachable and friendly as the girl next door.
The night of jazz under the stars was organised by East African talent booking agency AS+A, Safaricom, Africology, and other sponsors.