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Haar nummer Bright Lies opent de Hollandse Nieuwe sampler, haar EP siert de Luisterpaal en ze is net verkozen tot Serious Talent: we hebben het over Sumera. Sumera Espinel groeide op in Duitsland en Spanje en woont pas drie jaar in Nederland, waar ze in 2010 meteen meedoet met tv-talentenjacht X-Factor. Ze werd zesde, nadat Gordon haar wegstemde, maar is blij met de ervaring. "Het is goed voor me geweest. Anders zou ik nu de EP niet hebben, want dan had ik Rutger Hoedemaekers (Bart Constant) niet ontmoet. Iemand van X-Factor kende hem en bracht ons in contact."
Via Hoedemaekers kwam de 27-jarige ook in contact met twee andere Nederlanders die in Berlijn vertoeven: Michiel Flamman en Thomas Azier. "Rutger heeft de productie van mijn EP gedaan en we hebben als creatief duo bijna alle nummers samen geschreven. Bright Lies is samen Thomas Azier geschreven. Hij is een vriend van Rutger. Ik leerde hem kennen toen ik lange tijd in Berlijn was om inspiratie op te doen en aan mijn sound te werken met Rutger. Michiel en ik hebben aan de lyrics gewerkt, hij is heel goed met woorden. Ze hebben allemaal op verschillende manieren het beste uit mij gehaald."
Sumera krijgt nu veel aandacht, maar heeft het niet idioot druk met optredens. Wel is ze bezig met een vervolg op debuut-EP Stop Heart. "We werken met hetzelfde team aan een nieuwe EP. Kijken of we een gelijkwaardige EP kunnen maken. Ik heb ook weer een nummer samen met Thomas Azier geschreven. Het hogere doel is wel om uiteindelijk een album te maken." Voordat het zover is komen er eerst nog vier remixes van Bright Lies aan. Voor de eerste tekent RipTide. "Die komt volgende week uit op zijn mixtape. Het worden vier compleet verschillende remixen, die een voor een online komen en die we denk ik gratis gaan weggeven."
De EP heeft Sumera in eigen beheer uitgebracht. "Ik heb daarvoor een eigen labeltje opgericht." Ook het artwork doet ze zelf. "Ik studeer Product Design en maak ook mijn eigen logo's en hoezen."
Ook 3voor12radio dj Roosmarijn Reijmer is erg gecharmeerd van Sumera. Ze draaide Bright Lies sinds juni al regelmatig in de uitzending en schreef onlangs: "Ik snap niet wat Sumera te zoeken had in X-Factor, want deze single had op het nieuwe Gossip album moeten staan en had dan het niveau van die plaat aardig omhoog gehaald." - 3voor12 Dutch Online Music Magazine
We wrote about the producer Amateur, formerly half of Blokgolf, back in March. Recently he has joined forces with Dutch singer Sumera. Brought up in Germany and Spain, and with Caribbean and Portuguese heritage, she's got a pretty multi-faceted background. This might also show in her music, which she says comes from her love for the symbiosis of pop music and electronica.
Coming up is the iTunes release of "Bright Lies" together with a free remix package consisting of four remixes. We're premièring the remix by Rogerseventytwo, also known as half of techno duo TWR72 which is the second remix put up online. It's an uptempo trancey affair...
"Bright Lies" was included on the "Stop Heart" EP, released last spring and produced by Bart Constant. My favourite track is the beautiful "Intro Gender Blender". See, we don't just like deep house nowadays! - Tracasseur Blog
Sumera has worked on her comeback alternating between Amsterdam, Berlin and London in order to develop her own sound in the meantime.
The latter is self-described as ‘a clever mix of pop and dark electronic sounds’, and is definitely the best way to put it when listening to her debut EP Stop Heart. Those of you that love Sweden’s Robyn, will notice a resemblance – in a very positive way.
Opening track Gender Blender is a dark and minimal song featuring creepy synth sounds and beautiful vocals, of which the lyrics are worth listening to carefully. The track’s vocals are recorded in a very low-budget way, probably intentionally – as you’ll hear a motorbike passing by in the background. But all for the best, as the atmosphere is haunting yet pleasant. Stop Heart is our favorite. The song breathes catchiness and is supported by tom drums alternated with electronic drum computer sounds. Think Florrie vs Florence + The Machine with a dash of Robyn. Curtain That Falls, starts off sounding like the EP’s jazzy intermezzo, but appearances are deceptive. Soon enough the track grows into a sublime slow-paced electronic track, carried by swelling synthesizer sounds. Track 4, Try, is possibly the least of the bunch. It doesn’t have the darkness and rawness we’ve been introduced to through the previous tracks and tends to sound a little too Beyoncé. The last track is Bright Lies, which Sumera has bombarded as the main single off her new album. With a slight resemblance to Robyn’s Dancing On My Own, the song holds its own in this, and takes the listener along into a hypnotic and perfect electropop trip – definitely one of the highlights of the EP. - Glitchmag Blog
Sumera is a electronic pop artist based in Amsterdam. Last year, she alternated between Amsterdam, Berlin + London in order to evolve & develop her own sound, a clever mix of pop + dark synths.
During these travels, Sumera developed, co-wrote (with producer Rutger Hoedemaekers) & recorded her debut EP, Stop Heart, which she describes as “a vivid musical concept about the dark side of love”.
Stop Heart is available now on iTunes + you can fully stream the 5 tracks on Soundcloud. Sumera is currently working on her 2nd EP, which is due later this year. She’s also planning on releasing some remixes in the meantime. I have the pleasure to share the 1st one to be released by Dutch producer, RipTidE. - Welikeitindie Blog
Discography
Realeases Europe:
- Single 'Bright Lies'
- EP 'Stop Heart'
Streaming/Airplay:
- Single 'Bright Lies'
- Track 'Stop Heart'
- Track 'Curtain that falls'
- Remixes 'Bright Lies'
Photos
Bio
Sumera is a pop-electronic music artist based in Amsterdam.
After alternating between Amsterdam, Berlin and London last year in order to evolve and develop her own sound, a clever mix of pop and dark electronic synths, she is now emerging with her debut EP ‘Stop Heart’.
During her travels, the ambitious singer developed, co-wrote and recorded a vivid musical concept about the dark side of love with producer Rutger Hoedemaekers (Bart Constant).
The organic sound of Sumera finds its origins in her diverse cultural background. Sumera grew up in Germany and Spain, and has a Caribbean and Portuguese heritance; a perfect blend of exotic layers that can be found in her music.
‘I love the symbiosis between Pop Music and Electronica. The atmosphere and abstrusity of electronic sounds combined with the relatable structure of Pop Music is the world I like to move in. I hope to create songs that captivate and let true emotions resonate.’
‘Stop Heart’, a 5 track record, has recently been released.
Sumera is currently working on her second Ep, which is due to be released in early 2013.
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