The last time we were graced with new music from Samona was April 2022, and since then, her honeycomb vocals have only grown richer and suppler with each passing day. Her previous single, “Bloom”, was already an awe-inspiring masterpiece, but with her latest EP project, “Song In The Night”, Samona reaches new heights with her singing, displaying a depth and warmth that is truly unmatched. Hailing from Oakland and raised in Sacramento CA, Samona is a multi-talented contemporary gospel singer-songwriter who defies easy categorization.
Samona’s music seamlessly blends jazz, blues, soul, and R&B, creating a truly unique and captivating sound. Her reputation is built on the sophisticated passion of her singing, in which she doesn’t even need to raise her voice to convey the full spectrum of human emotions.
“Song In The Night” is a beautiful project that showcases Samona’s incredible phrasing ability. Although the lyrics of the songs may not be overly preachy, listeners will still get an extensive glimpse into her personal world and her relationship with faith and spirituality.
As with all of her releases, the recording and production are top-notch, but in this EP, it’s truly Samona’s voice and the music that shine. Not forgetting the resonance of her faith and worship messages, which abound across these tracks.
The recording opens with the sultry tones of “Cycles”, where Samona’s voice is at once seductively expressive. Things become even more captivating on the slow burning mellowness of “Afflicted”, as the songstress disperses elements of her testimony.
If anything, “Unnamed Woman – Extended Version”, is an even more moving tale, narrated and sung in a most affecting way by Samona. She never once descends into unnecessary melodrama, which would be so easy to succumb to here.
This is followed by the transformative melody of “I Call Jesus”, and the poignant rhythm of “Talk Back”. Singing in a hushed, ever-so-sultry style, you feel like Samona is sitting right next to you in a quiet room, as she sings her ode of gratitude, “Missing Heaven”.
This brings us to Samona’s masterwork thus far, “Bloom”, which highlights all of her tremendous singer-songwriting skills in just three minutes and twelve seconds. If you only had the time to listen to one song by Samona in your lifetime, this is the one to go with for now.
Like “Bloom”, “Song In The Night” captures the very essence of Samona’s artistry and the power of her faith. The EP closes with “Unnamed Woman – Radio Edit”, which is similar to the previous extended version, minus the spoken-word narrative.
As one who has listened to and appreciated much of Samona’s work, I know “Song In The Night” will undoubtedly satisfy her most avid listeners who came aboard since she started building her career. I’d also suggest to those who are new to Samona, or have been resisting her for some unknown reason. Put your headphones on and listen to the finesse and nuance of Samona’s craft all throughout this project. You can’t help but be thoroughly impressed, if not totally in awe of her talent.
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