Experience Tranquility with UMI
She even sings in Japanese on this album, something that she had been manifesting. Her Black and Japanese heritages have been a big part of her music. UMI’s Forest in the City is an album that can transport you straight to stillness and quietude in the midst of chaotic energies. Her most recent music video for "wish that i could," a sonically and visually gorgous story on a love and desire that we love to say we don't need, but deep down are longing for. On a rest day during her tour, she spoke with office on her process, spirituality, and her inspirations.
First of all, how was your day? How are you?
I’ve been good, this is an off day. I just got to this hotel and I’m going to go to the science center after this call. It’s been a good day, I’ve been taking it really easy.
This album feels like you're coming to terms with a lot and explores some different themes. What is Forest in the City all about?
Forest in the city started with me in the park one day, about a year ago. I was sitting there and I was hearing bird chirps, and I was hearing sirens, I was hearing dog barks, I was hearing honking. I felt like I'm in this intersection between forest and city and wondered if being in this intersection, and like not fully being in a forest environment has an impact on the mentality of people and the way we connect with each other, and the way we feel about ourselves. And I guess just like, what impact does that have on the human psyche? And then, with that thought, in the back of my mind, I just started finishing this album. And when it got to the point where it was time to choose the songs for the album, and figure out what message I want to share that question came back to mind. I think that it's possible to feel peaceful, while you exist in the city because it's like ‘forest peace’ exists within me, I know it because I can meditate and I can find it again, no matter how chaotic the city feels. And I was like, I'm gonna make a project that can help people access that space inside of themselves. So even if they're stuck in traffic somewhere, or they're in a busy subway, or anywhere, they can put on this album and remember what it's like to feel peaceful again. And that's why it's called forest in the city. It's like, the album itself is this forest and it reminds people of that forest that exists within them, which I think is like this collective, big, lush forest that we all can walk in together. So, that to me was the message behind the project.
You sing in Japanese for a bit in “everything will be alright,” what was that experience like recording in a language that’s part of your heritage?
I love that song. It's so fun. It's funny too because I have finished the album and I was mixing it. I had maybe a month before the album had to be delivered. And I was like, “I don't have any songs in Japanese, I need to write a song in Japanese.” So I spent two weeks doing sessions to find the song. And this was the very first session that I did, and I remember the second verse literally just came through me so easily. And when that happens, I’m like, that's the one. And I never really had the chance to sing in Japanese so, it was fun to approach a sound like that. I really love Japanese because you say a lot less with a lot more space. So, I can really take my time explaining something in Japanese versus English.
I feel like that's something that doesn't really happen anymore. But there've been a couple of moments where I feel like everybody kind of lets go and your shows definitely emulate that. Your music has been described as healing. Do you treat your performances as spiritual experiences between you and your audience?
It's such an exchange that happens. I open every show with meditation and at that moment, I feel people's hearts open up and people be like, “Okay, I'm safe in this space.” I think it helps people to just sing louder and be freer after shows and I see it. I see how open people feel and I know it's our spirits communing together. It's like ego is gone. Nobody's worried about what people think anymore. It’s just like, I just want to have fun. I think that's a spiritual experience right there. So, I witness it every night seeing people connect so deeply.
What is it about musicians like SZA and Eryka Badu that inspire your own music and how do you implement those inspirations?
I love their creativity. And the fact that they're unafraid to just be themselves in their music. Both of them I see it in the words that they use to write like, I'll be like, “What you could use that word in a song?” You can talk about that in a song?” I just feel like they can continually expand my mind and the musicality to it so them, and it inspires me to just be me by myself and not be bound by anything, any rules.
What was the hardest song to write on the album?
Two songs. “100 days” is this really gospel-inspired song. Writing it was really easy. I wrote the whole song in one day, but it was everything else. Because I knew I wanted a choir section in it. I knew I wanted to add an organ. There are all these things in my mind, but it was very meticulous to finish and that was one of them. And then there's a song on the project called “synergy.” That song took so long to finish to where I wanted to give up so many times but I'm so happy I did it because people love the song. The song started in a completely different key and I wrote it with my friend. His name is Shaka. So it was a duet between me and him and then at first I thought I wanted to add somebody else to the song and then I was like, I'm gonna do it by myself. So I'm gonna pitch the key and like, I pitched that song up and down so many times, I rewrote the verse so many times. It's funny because I ultimately finished the song. I went to Coachella this year, and literally, on the drive back to Coachella the second verse hit me in the head, I was like, “Oh, my God.” I was with my friend Vron, who helped me executive produce the album, we were driving back together, and I was like, “We can't go home. Go, we gotta go to the studio.” So we went to the studio, and I finished a song right there like a week before I had to submit the album. That was a fun song.
I love that. Do you have a church background or religious background?
You said you wanted to like a very gospel inspired song. On my dad's side of the family, a lot of them are Baptist, Christian. I just grew up going to church with them with my grandma and my dad, and to be honest, I feel like the teachings there, I'm sure some of them are in my subconscious, beautifully in my subconscious. I remember my excitement to go to church, especially as a kid was the music. I just loved music. And that sticks in my heart more than anything from church. I still love gospel music and listen to gospel music because it feels so good to listen to. So I wanted to write a song that had that vibe to it.
Do you feel like this religious background influenced you a lot within your music currently, and also with your spiritual journey too because you're very spiritual?
I would say, I don't really consider myself to be religious or feel particularly connected to one religion. I'm really grateful that my parents growing up always told me,” You can believe what you want to believe, this is what we believe, we're going to show you what we believe. But you can build your own beliefs.” My dad’s beliefs were rooted in Christianity, my mom's beliefs were rooted in Buddhism. So I feel like I blended the two to kind of create my own. And I read a lot of books and have formulated my own beliefs that definitely drive the music that I create, and just remind me there's more to life than what meets the eye. There's more to music than what touches your ear, there's so much depth to it. There's power in knowing how deeply you can touch somebody through music. That motivates me to want to make music to be like, “Oh, I can make people feel better. I can make people remember that everything will be alright, I can get a crowd of people to jump at the same time to something that makes them smile.” Like those things make me really happy.
Yeah, that’s a really beautiful thing. I remember when “Butterfly” came out I couldn't stop playing it. What song do you think resonates most with your fans from Forest in the City?
I noticed a lot of people love “sorry”. And I could just see people singing “I'm sorry.” And they’re so into it. We all got things to forgive ourselves for and I just see people embracing that when we sing the song together. I really think people love that one.
Is this album a meditation in and of itself?
This album is a top to bottom kind of album. There's a whole story and experience when you do it’s very meditative. So, yes.
You’re touring currently, how has it been performing new material to your fans?
How long has it been since you’ve toured also? Like three years, it's been a minute. It's been cool. It’s been really fun to see, as the shows go on, more and more people know more of the songs. So it's cool to see people learn more of the songs. And it's also cool because like, the songs everyone knows we all sing along, we all jam out to, and then the newer songs that I'm introducing to people, I just see people sitting and witnessing me almost like they're in meditation watching me perform. And at first I was like, I wish people would sing. And then I took myself out of it and thought to myself, people having such a good experience. It's a unique experience. So it's been beautiful to have that mindset switch and then to then really tap in and be like, wow, people are enjoying it in a different way.
What’s been your favorite part of the tour so far?
So many things. I'm on tour with people I really love. I feel like I spent a lot of time learning who to bring with me curating my family. And I think I'm in a really great place where I'm like, Ah, I love the people with. I love everyone I've toured with, of course, but it's always like a trial and error. I'm touring with people I really click with now, which is really beautiful. And also, I'm really enjoying people's reactions every night. People singing and like it doesn't matter what mood I am in before I go on stage. By the time I leave, I'm just happy and tired but in the best way and energized.
Do you get that kind of euphoric feeling after a show?
Yes! It's so real because you just shared so much and you feel like you’re floating.
What's the main takeaway that you would want from this album for others to be listening to?
I guess a feeling. Feeling good. My biggest intention is just no matter what song they click on, by the time the song ends, even a millimeter, they feel a millimeter better. I don't even feel like I have words for it. It's more of a feeling that I want people to take away. And I feel like once you feel that way when after listening to music, it's like your soul seeks music that makes you feel good. And I hope people remember the music you listen to does impact your state of mind. It does impact your mental health, it does impact your perception of yourself. And so I just hope people can know that like my music is safe to listen to.
It’s a safe space.
It’s a safe space. I thought about how you would feel listening to it. I’m not gonna do you wrong. You're gonna feel good.
