Jazz vocalist Laura Kabasomi aka Somi has been nominated for the 2021 Grammy Awards. The US-based Rwandan-Ugandan songwriter received the news during a virtual live stream earlier this week.

This included her latest album Holy Room – Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band was nominated in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category.

Other artists in the category include Thana Alexa’s Ona, Kurt Elling’s Secrets Are the Best

Stories featuring Danilo Pérez, Carmen Lundy’s Modern Ancestors, and Kenny

Washington’s What’s The Hurry.

Somi’s Holy Room was recorded in an 18th-century opera house during a live concert in May2019. The album features songs from Somi’s previous releases reimagined into brassy

orchestral arrangements by award-winning conductor John Beasley. The illustrious

Frankfurt Radio Big Band accompanies the honey-voiced singer with lush dexterity and

freshness throughout the concert.

With this Grammy nomination, Somi becomes the first African woman to ever be

nominated in any of the jazz categories and the first African artist to be nominated for a

jazz vocal performance.

The awards are scheduled to take place on January 31st, 2021 at the Staples Center in Los

Angeles and will be hosted by South African comedian Trevor Noah.