Imani

Imani Woomera is a singer songwriter with global flavor. Born in Hawaii and raised between the islands and Nairobi, Kenya, her style fuses Reggae, R&B, Spoken Word, and Bossa Nova influences into a tapestry that is uniquely hers. A poetic lyricist and sultry vocalist, Imani plays the guitar and ukulele, bringing to the stage a compelling balance of sass and vulnerability with an undeniable island edge. Backed up by three incredibly talented musicians, Imani Live, is a band that produces some really good musical energy.

“Growing up in an international environment, I found myself in so many different sounds. My style is rooted in Hawaiian Reggae and fused with my love for acoustic soul and Brazilian music,â€? said Imani citing popular musical influences from Bob Marley, Sade, and Erykah Badu to Jewel, Sam Cooke, and Babel Gilberto. Imani sings in English, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Hawaiian. A former world music radio presenter, she is perhaps most lauded for her lyricism. As an internationally acclaimed spoken word poet, Imani co-founded a platform called Slam Africa—promoting spoken word poetry for youth in Kenya. She went on to write academic curriculum to teach poetry in schools while conducting workshops and performing in Thailand, Spain, Brazil, England, Holland, Canada, The United States, and South Africa. Imani is the author and recording artist of two poetry books and three Spoken Word/World Music albums, Morning Rain (2006), Pearls (2009), and Talking Story (2012). She has performed theaters, festivals, and events for students, presidents, United Nations delegates, and ambassadors, and has compelled standing ovations from diverse crowds across the globe. She has shared stages with the likes of Tony Award winning Def Poet Tamika Harper, Roger Bonair Agard, Shailja Patel, and Guante.

A musical career began to grow for Imani after she released her final Spoken Word album in 2012. "I just had this inner burning to evolve into a singer-songwriter. I wanted to start a band and make music; I knew it had to happen," shares Imani. Learning to play the guitar and a ukulele, and collaborating with other musicians, is expanding her ability to reach broader audiences. Imani is currently working on a full length album with her Florida based band, Imani Live. Their first single, Love and Aloha, an island inspired love song, dropped in February 2014, and is currently receiving radio play in three continents. With show dates stacking on Imani's calendar, she has her eyes set on the festival scene, and is looking forward to bigger stages to come.