Sonia Aimy takes a voyage of self-discovery with her energizing new album, single and video Reconnect — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Offering an intimate glimpse into her creative heart, Reconnect exudes Aimy’s signature dynamic sound — a blend of Afrojazz, Afrobeat, highlife, and elements of the African griot call-and-response tradition — in a string of easy flowing yet virtuosic performances.
The release reflects the Nigerian-born, Toronto-based multi-talent’s reaction to our tumultuous times, which left her physically and emotionally grounded after years on the move around the world. “I cried,” she reveals. “I thought about so many things. But then, something happened … I began to feel a new connection to myself; I began to really dream about my past, about my childhood growing up with my mother in Nigeria, or about when I moved to Italy. So many things I’d not reflected on in the mad rush. I began to see my life in a sort of rewind that I’d not seen before. And that’s when the music and the words began to flow.”
The quarantine-facilitated reflections and self-realizations prompted Aimy to bury herself in the words and music that poured out of her. Finely tuned and rooted in a rediscovery of her creative passion, Reconnect calls upon that desire to align oneself with “the festive, multicultural spirit felt when the various ethnic and religious groups of Nigeria come together in celebration.”
Inspired by traditional rhythms, Reconnect moves to a seamless Afrobeat groove. “Reconnect is a celebratory song of cultural heritage, as represented by traditional ruler kings who play significant roles in preserving traditions,” she explains. “I imagine myself someday in Africa, with my Caribbean brothers and sisters, and all members of the African diaspora reconnecting through music that resonates with culture and traditions that have been preserved.” The lyrics and concept work on multiple levels, dealing not only with her heritage but also the self-love and nurturing relationshp that we all require as human beings.
Aimy captures this sentiment perfectly: “What at first seemed like a completely negative experience forced me to pause, and allowed me to reflect and be grateful for being alive, to reconnect to myself musically, and to understand people from the outside as well. You find yourself in this situation, but you can also utilize the situation to benefit yourself and others.”
Watch Reconnect above, listen to the full album below, and connect with Sonia Aimy at her website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
