Multi-talented artist Soneni (born Soneni Nkomo), is all at once a singer, songwriter, lyricist and poet. She has been musically active now for over a decade, penning her first song at the age of twelve and going on to perform extensively on the London and Brighton live music scene. The 25 year old says of her music; “it’s a cocktail of my life’s stories and journeys, of the poetry that’s come with that, and the lessons learntâ€. London born with Zimbabwean roots, the artist has an array of musical influences, as diverse as Nas, Queen, Miriam Makeba, to Lauryn Hill and Richard Ashcroft. “I like musicians who have something to say but can entertain you at the same timeâ€, she states.
After years of perfecting her craft, Soneni now releases her debut single StarStruck (produced by creative musical duo Funk For The Soul), which has been described by DJ Ras Kwame as a “sublime piece of soulful house". In late 2008, this very song was not only broadcast on BBC 1xtra, but selected out of hundreds of tracks to be one of three songs used as part of the BBC 1xtra HomeGrown podcast, distributed to around 20,000 listeners. “I’ve got a lot of love for them for that support, it was a real confidence boostâ€, says Soneni. “My goal is to uplift and inspire, but also to convey a message. I feel that I’ve been given a gift with my music and I want to share it with as many people as possibleâ€.
Soneni is now preparing with Funk For The Soul for a further series of performances to promote StarStruck, as well as laying down the foundations for her forthcoming (currently untitled) EP.
StarStruck is out now on iTunes and Amazon.
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Written by Anna Nathanson
