Spotlight On: SAMIA

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S SHERO IN THE SPOTLIGHT:

Sad and melancholic songs have always had an important place in popular music, no matter what the genre or era. For female artists, the term “sad girl music” started back in the nineties, mostly in indie rock, and was often used as a derogatory term. But lately, there’s been a strong resurgence of music that fits that description, and artists like Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, and today’s guest, are not only embracing it and owning it, but finding massive success and power in its emotional vulnerability and relatability. Because let’s face it, these are hard times, and who doesn’t love and need the catharsis of a good sad song these days? Samia Finnerty, known simply as Samia, is the daughter of actors Kathy Najimy and Dan Finnerty, who grew up first in Los Angeles and then in New York City. While she has done some acting, and grew up inheriting her parents’ love of musical theater, Samia gravitated to music and in her teens found her way to some of the most accomplished writers of sad songs in indie rock, The National and Elliott Smith. Samia was born in the mid-nineties, right about the time that a song by her musical hero Elliott Smith was nominated for an Academy Award, and as a teenager, she began writing and performing songs at open mic nights in New York. It wasn't long before her music was discovered online, and Samia's career as an artist began taking off. Her critically hailed debut album, The Baby, arrived in 2020, just as the pandemic was taking hold. Forced solitude gave way to creativity and Samia teamed up with friends to create the highly collaborative new album Honey recorded in the woods of North Carolina at Sylvan Esso’s studio, Betty's. I'm thrilled to celebrate its release and welcome Samia as this week’s SHERO In The Spotlight.

SHERO BIRTHDAYS: We celebrate the SHERO birthdays of Sarah McLachlan on 1/28, Jody Watley on 1/30, and Shakira on 2/2!

This week’s Radio SHERO: Bruce Trujillo of Indie 102.3 in Denver, Colorado, joins us this week, sharing the track “Mi Nombre” from María José Llergo.