Somaya

When you listen to Somaya’s inspirational songs, you not only enjoy the music, you find yourself feeling empowered and courageous as well. The talented songwriter has used music to inspire others and heal herself from a very young age. “When I was 13, I went through a difficult time, and music helped me feel better. Writing music was very therapeutic for me, so I figured if I could make a career out of helping myself and others through music, it would be amazing!”

Somaya is strongly committed to delivering inspiring songs that can help people through tough times. A recent release, “Stand Up”, was inspired by the many victims of sexual assault. And amazingly, it has empowered many women to speak up against this injustice (and given the recent news headlines, it seems really timely too).

According to Somaya, “The song is about standing up against sexual assault. I wrote it last October in about 15-20 minutes! I had actually already written another song about sexual assault, but it was much more personal and sad, so I decided to move forward with Stand Up because it felt more empowering to me. Sexual assault is a very big issue that isn’t always taken as seriously as it should be, so this song is my way of raising more awareness and letting victims know they’re not alone.”


The song has a powerful message. Sexual assault is a pervasive and rampant crime that no one used to talk about. The song urges society to break its long ѕilеnсе in order to bring thеѕе ѕеnѕеlеѕѕ аѕѕаultѕ tо an еnd. Wе hаvе tо raise our voices and say that wе will no lоngеr tоlеrаtе this bеhаviоr. It hаѕ no рlасе in our families, соmmunitiеѕ, or nation. With ‘Stand Up’, Somaya is able to breathe courage into survivors of assault and make them believe they are not alone. She calls on society to take notice and do something about this culture of assault on women.


As far as the primary driving force behind her passion, she says: “My goal in every song I write is to make people feel something. I consider myself successful any time my music evokes emotion, or even a step further, helps someone get through something. I’ve always turned to music when going through a tough time, so to be a part of that outlet for someone else is always an amazing feeling.”

Suddenly, a number of powerful women in Hollywood are coming forward against powerful men, and Somaya is hopeful that ‘Stand Up’ will inspire even more women to do the same, knowing they are not alone in this fight. ‘Stand Up’ is a stirring anthem to let society know that women everywhere are coming together and they are going to change the world. - Huffington Post

Somaya’s love for music spurred when she started playing the piano at just four years old. At age 11, Somaya began playing the guitar. For Somaya, music wasn’t just noise, music opened a gateway to mental and emotional healing. Now, she shares her music with the world.

HC: What was your first experience with music like? What song/band sticks out the most to you from your childhood?

Somaya: "I actually grew up listening to a lot of Bollywood music. I didn’t really start listening to any American music until around fourth grade, but I remember one of the first American pop songs I loved was 'Everytime We Touch' by Cascada."

HC: When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in the music industry?

Somaya: "I think I discovered how deep my passion for music was around 13."

HC: What can listeners expect to hear from the music you make? (Like what message/feel are you hoping to get across to your listeners?)

Somaya: " They can expect honesty. I try to be as open as possible with my lyrics, whether that be in singing about mental health, social issues, or sexuality."

HC: Describe your music in three or four words (genre, mood, tone, etc.):

Somaya: "Honest, emotional, and powerful."

HC: Musically, who inspires you the most? (This can be another artist, family member, religious figure, etc.)

Somaya: "Artistry wise, Halsey is a big inspiration because of the rawness of her music. But what inspires me to write my songs the most is what I see going on around me and how I experience the world."

HC: What do you think your “biggest break” or “greatest opportunity” has been so far in your musical career?

Somaya: "I think being able to make my album with Matt Bronleewe as my producer was really cool. He’s so respected in the music world and has worked with a lot of big people, so it’s a privilege to have had the opportunity to work with him."

HC: What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Somaya: "It was definitely a learning process to understand the importance of flexibility and to know that the journey of my career isn’t going to be exactly like the picture I had in my head when I was 16."

HC: What does your 5-year plan entail? What are your goals, and where do you hope to be?

Somaya: "In five years, I’d love to be doing music full time and to have grown my fan base more."

HC: Have you been involved in any type of benefit performances or fundraiser performances/events? If so, what was it and how did you become involved?

Somaya: "I have sung for a couple charity events. I’m very open on social media and in real life about my passion for activism, so I think people who know me and are running charity events know they can reach out to me to perform for them."

HC: What would you say is your favorite part of being in the music industry?

Somaya: "I love having the freedom to be creative." - Her Campus

It’s not easy to face the truth. Fear, doubt, self-loathing plague you, often careening your psyche into an endless loop. Your assault plays over and over and over again. All you want is someone to listen, to comfort you, to believe you. #MeToo and #TimesUp, both movements ignited on social media, serve as tools to aid survivors in their journey to rediscovering their identity and reclaiming a sense of control. Like many, sprightly newcomer Somaya has had enough. With her daring new single “Stand Up,” she outlines a rather common scenario many sexual assault victims find themselves wading through, rather fearlessly. “She walk into the house surrounded by friends,” she sings on the opening lyric, dressing the scene with maturity well beyond her years.

“She took each shot down, didn’t want the night to end / Till he got her alone and took a piece of her,” she confesses, wearing her heart and that tragic moment on her sleeve, almost like a scarlet letter. “You say, ‘Brush it off.’ But there’s no cure.” Somaya walks a tight rope, and her voice colors with every shade of emotion, from anger and sullenness to heroism and optimism.

“We’re saying, ‘We’ve had enough’ / So stand up!” reads the twinkling hook, zagging between stark pianos and quaking drum loops. By the time the synths erupt, you can’t help but cheer for her bravery. “Sexual assault is a very personal issue to me, and I was tired of hearing the classic ‘boys will be boys’ excuse, so I decided to write a song about standing up against it,” she told a reporter last year. “I don’t think victims receive enough support, so hopefully this song can help them feel less alone and encourage society to stand up against it, as well.”

The story gets even grimmer when everyone around her has all but abandoned her. “The man in the uniform, he won’t help / Says there’s nothing he can do / So, she blames herself,” Somaya sings, cutting her heart open and dissecting the searing mental trauma. “And now anytime a guy gets close, she gets scared / And she lies awake at night crying, ‘How is this fair?!?'”

“Stand Up” is lifted from Somaya’s debut album of the same name, which covers other such topics as alcoholism and love. - B-Sides & Badlands

I think that if you've been around long enough you know how much music means to me. Especially when the music has been created to give a voice to those that are a voiceless. To act as a delivery system for a message. To empower the listeners to make a positive change in society. And that's exactly what New York based singer-songwriter Somaya is going to do with this song. There is so much conviction and power in her voice as she's bringing awareness to a subject that we don't talk about enough in our society. I don't want to detract from her message so I'll let her do the talking. Please listen and share the video. It's an incredible song and she absolutely does a gorgeous job with it. - Pop, Rinse, Repeat

Writing inspirational songs that encourage you while leaving you feeling empowered at the same time, singer-songwriter Somaya writes music that inspires others. Somaya, who released her debut album “Stand Up” last June is on the rise in music. Full of emotion and powerful lyrics, the young singer makes her mark in music by not only helping herself but others through her lyrics. We caught up with Somaya recently to talk about “Stand Up” and what is next for her in music. - Imperfect Fifth

Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard complaints of sexual assaults in the entertainment industry. Sadly, this is not only happening in Hollywood but also in different places of the world. Leveraging the strength of protests, Somaya releases a song called “Stand Up”. It is the lead single and title track of her debut album that features 7 songs with social themes. She wants you to stand up against sexual assault with her music. Above and beyond that, Somaya has a wonderful singing voice that will surely touch your heart. Honestly, I feel this song is beautiful and it should be considered as an anthem for the victims who suffer on a daily basis. And most importantly, the lyrics were written to raise awareness about this issue that needs to end. - Electro Wow