Umi (singer) explained

UMI
Birth Name:Tierra Umi Wilson
Birth Date:9 February 1999[1]
Birth Place:Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Years Active:2017–present

Tierra Umi Wilson[2] [3] (born February 9, 1999),[1] known mononymously as Umi, is an American singer and songwriter. Born in Seattle, Washington, she attended the University of Southern California, but dropped out in 2019 in order to pursue music.[4] She is best known for her 2018 song "Remember Me", which has over 140 million streams on Spotify.[5] She also accompanied Conan Gray as an opening act on his Comfort Crowd Tour in 2019.[6]

Early life

Wilson was born in Seattle in 1999 to an African-American father and a Japanese mother.[7] [8] Her mother taught her how to read, write, and speak Japanese. Wilson's mother plays piano and her father plays the drums. UMI started writing music when she was 4 or 5, with a songwriting journal.[9] Throughout high school, she was involved in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and her track team at Tahoma High School in Maple Valley.[10] In high school, she discovered YouTube beats and started writing to tracks.[11] She would record the songs with a USB mic and upload them to SoundCloud and YouTube.[12] She soon started to get copyrighted on SoundCloud by posting covers of other songs.[13] This made her start writing and posting her own originals.

Career

2017–2018: Happy Again and debut EP

In 2017, UMI released five singles before her four-track debut EP, Interlude. This led to making it onto Spotify’s Fresh Finds Best of 2017 playlist. She opened for rapper ODIE in Los Angeles.

UMI's most popular release to date is "Remember Me". She has over 33 million views on YouTube and 117 million plays on Spotify. UMI debuted "Remember Me" with a music video, highlighting universalism by portraying couples of different race, class, and sexual orientation. She said, "the message in the video, for me, is that no matter who you love or how you love, we all hurt the same in the end."[14]

2019–2021: Balance, Love Language, Introspection EP, and Introspection Reimagined

She released the Balance EP on May 17, 2019, which included the songs "Ordinary" and "Down To Earth." On October 30, 2019, they released their EP, Love Language[15] On June 21, 2020, she released her EP, Introspection.[16] Following the release of her EP, Introspection, UMI released a follow-up EP entitled Introspection Reimagined on March 26, 2021, featuring new versions of the songs on the Introspection EP as well as two new interludes.[17]

2022–present: Forest in the City debut album and tour

On May 26, 2022, Umi released her debut album, Forest in the City, which featured the singles "Moonlit Room", "Whatever U Like", and "Sorry", and was the focus of her first headlining tour.[18]

Artistry

UMI has cited her biggest musical influences as Frank Ocean, D'Angelo, Jhené Aiko, Erykah Badu and SZA.[19] She grew up listening to R&B, soul, gospel and Japanese pop/rock. UMI has been described by Vogue as having a "lo-fi, alternative, laid back, R&B style".

Discography

Extended plays

Title! scope="col" style="width:18em;"
Details
Interlude
  • Released: January 25, 2018
  • Label: 408
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
Balance
  • Released: May 17, 2019
  • Label: UMI
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
Love Language
  • Released: October 30, 2019
  • Label: UMI
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
Introspection
  • Released: June 21, 2020
  • Label: RCA, Keep Cool
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
Introspection Reimagined
  • Released: March 26, 2021
  • Label: RCA, Keep Cool
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
Talking to the Wind
  • Released: January 19, 2024
  • Label: RCA, Keep Cool
  • Format: Streaming, digital download

Singles

As a lead artist

TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
Dig.

[21]
US
R&B
[22]
CAN
Dig.
[23]
NZ
Hot

[24]
UK
Dig.

[25]
WW
[26]
"Friendzone"2017
"Midnight Blues"2018Interlude
"River"rowspan="4"
"Remember Me"
"Lullaby"
(
"High School"2019
"Down to Earth"Balance
"Sonshine"
(
BO Y
"Love Affair"Love Language
"Mother"2020
"Introspection"Introspection
"Open Up"
"Sorry"2022Forest in the City
"Whatever U Like"
"Say Im Ur Luv"
"Wish That I Could"
"Happy Im"2023Talking to the Wind
"Why Dont We Go"
"Wherever U R"[27]
5 20 10 3 6 99

As a featured artist

TitleYearAlbum
"Play Too Much"
2020Suga
"JULIETTE"
2022But For Now Leave Me Alone

Promotional singles

TitleYearAlbum
"Happy Again"2017rowspan="2"
"Butterfly"2018
"Sukidakara"2019Love Language
"Runnin'"
"Picture Perfect"2020
"Pretty Girl hi"Introspection
"Moonlit Room"2022Forest in the City

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About. Facebook. 20 May 2019.
  2. Web site: Yu. Eda. June 22, 2020. Rising R&B star UMI makes soulful songs to help us heal. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200623022848if_/https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/y3zw5v/rising-randb-star-umi-makes-soulful-songs-to-help-us-heal. June 23, 2020. August 17, 2020. i-D. 0894-5373.
  3. Web site: Sanchez. Omar. January 12, 2020. Musician and artist UMI manifested community through a charity yard sale event. August 17, 2020. The Daily Titan. en-US. 15193278.
  4. Web site: Chang . Joyce . 2022-11-21 . With Peace and Love, UMI . 2023-06-15 . Character Media . en-US.
  5. Web site: UMI . 2023-08-27 . Spotify . en.
  6. Web site: REVIEW: Conan Gray, Umi @ House of Blues 11/13 WTBU Radio . 2023-06-15 . sites.bu.edu.
  7. Web site: Yu. Eda. September 12, 2019. UMI Is a Neo-Soul and R&B-Inspired Artist Creating Space for Healing. August 17, 2020. Complex. en. 1538-6848.
  8. Web site: Saunders. Luke. November 14, 2019. Introducing UMI: delivering neo-soul magic that's out of this world. August 17, 2020. Happy Mag. en-US.
  9. Web site: February 22, 2019. Interview with Singer and Songwriter UMI. 23 March 2019. Bright Lite Magazine.
  10. News: Cotterill. TJ. April 21, 2016. Tahoma's 4x100 relay team, Olympic-hopeful Princess Joy Griffey are fast company. The News Tribune. August 17, 2020. 1073-5860.
  11. Web site: Chan. Justin. February 19, 2020. UMI's soulfulness is hard to miss in her lo-fi music. August 17, 2020. In The Know. en-US.
  12. Web site: Soey Kim. Soey. December 2, 2018. Here Come The Youth – The Young Breakthrough Musicians Making Noise In The Music Industry. 25 May 2019. British Vogue.
  13. Web site: Little. Heartleigh. May 13, 2019. Meet UMI, The R&B Songstress Who Swears By Her Morning Meditation. August 17, 2020. Cools.com. en-US.
  14. Web site: Robinson. Kristin. October 17, 2018. Meet UMI, the Lo-fi R&B Songstress Capturing the Human Experience. 23 May 2019. Ones to Watch.
  15. Web site: del Rosario. Michael. November 1, 2019. Love Language EP- [UMI]]. July 13, 2020. Lyrical Lemonade.
  16. Web site: Folk. Antwane. June 22, 2020. Stream UMI's New EP Introspection. July 13, 2020. Rated R&B.
  17. 1374073492346388485 . whoisumi . Introspection Reimagined • out this Friday

    This project is an art piece channeled from my spirit. Inspired by artists like D'angelo and Erykah Badu - and recorded live at Shangri-La, I hope this project brings you peace.

    Welcome to the next evolution of Introspection . Umi . March 22, 2021 . April 10, 2021.
  18. Web site: UMI | Forestin the city .
  19. Web site: Heifner. Makaila. March 7, 2018. UMI Talks Activism, Frank Ocean, and Remaining Authentic. Berkeley B-Side.
  20. Web site: UMI Announces Her Debut Album, 'Forest In The City' With The Release Of New Single + Video "Sorry". RCA Records. March 11, 2022. April 13, 2022.
  21. V Chart History: Digital Song Sales. Billboard. https://web.archive.org/web/20240109152452/https://www.billboard.com/artist/v/chart-history/hds/. January 9, 2024. live. January 9, 2024.
  22. V Chart History: Hot R&B Songs. Billboard. January 9, 2024.
  23. V Chart History: Canadian Digital Song Sales. Billboard. January 9, 2024.
  24. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. January 8, 2024. Recorded Music NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20240106031658/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles?chart=5742. January 6, 2024. live. January 6, 2024.
  25. Web site: UMI FT V songs and albums full Official chart history . Official Charts . January 5, 2024.
  26. Billboard Global 200: Week of January 13, 2024. Billboard. January 9, 2024.
  27. News: UMI unveils heartfelt lyrics for 'Wherever u r' feat. V of BTS, ahead of highly anticipated release . December 31, 2023 . . December 29, 2023.