Taking over Brooklyn’s very own Baby’s All Right this past Tuesday, 18-year-old upcoming pop sensation, Sombr, played an unforgettable, nearly-sold out show for his home city. His sensational vocal range and transcending guitar abilities transformed the intimate venue into a safe space for all to unwind as the snow drifted down outside. The performance was everything you could possibly imagine and more from the upcoming alternative, indie-pop scene, it left us wanting more from Sombr, impatient for his next musical endeavors. As the artist continues to soar in streaming numbers and viral plays, we recommend hopping on the bandwagon now; Sombr is one to keep your eye on and it won’t be long before the world catches onto what New York has fallen in love with.
At only 14-years-old, Shane adopted the name Sombr while standing over his microphone in a makeshift, bedroom recording studio he funded from a summer job scooping ice cream. The now 18-year-old honed his talents at New York’s LaGuardia High, a renowned public performing arts school credited for inspiring the film Fame, spending his days studying classical music and nights invested in his at-home studio. Sombr wasted away the days of high school fixated on his musical projects, trawling for like-minded musicians to contribute to his record label. Thus, when COVID hit, the young artist became entirely invested in music, finding an escape through his compositions, including his major label imprint “Caroline,” which garnered over a million listens within its first week. It’s the type of trajectory that is perceived as once in a generation, confessing to the power Sombr exudes.
Raised on uninhibited creative expression, Sombr notes one of his biggest inspirations as his father, who fronted a seminal NYC performance-art rock band while dressed in drag. With his background in classical training and the confidence from his father’s personality, Sombr is eye-catching and captivating in all the most satisfying ways. Throughout the years, the rising artist has taught himself his way around piano and guitar in addition to self-producing his entire output and having a background in the classical genre, even so, Sombr mentions “My voice is a more powerful tool than anything else.” From his classical background, Sombr developed a remarkable ear - something he describes as his “specialty.” Sombr’s ear for pitch allows him to mimic any melody without flaw while also experimenting and building upon established progressions seamlessly. In this way, the music has a sense of familiarity that is candy to the ears while at the same time expressing authenticity and originality.
With a stained glass backdrop behind the musicians and a disco-ball spinning above the crowd, the ambiance of Baby’s All Right is already elevating as is, then Sombr’s dreamy vocals, eclectic style, undeniable charisma catches your breath and takes it away, omitting an air of mystery and magnetism. Sombr’s voice, a mesmerizing blend of traverse scales, versatility, and emotive delivery, fills the venue with his undeniable beauty. His vocals soar effortlessly over the lush instrumentation, even during times he picks up the guitar, drawing listeners in with pristine quality and evocative lyricism.
As the music builds to a crescendo, Sombr moves with grace and fluidity across the stage, engaging with the audience and connecting with listeners. With each song, he transports fans into a world of imaginable fantasy and whimsy, inviting them to lose themselves in the magic of his music. Onstage, Sombr is a true musician, effortlessly commanding the attention of audiences with his magnetic energy and spectacular talents compositionally, leaving fans spellbound and craving more.
Beyond the music, Sombr is inspired to give back to the music community. While Sombr is most passionate about his own, and rightly so, the artist’s primary objective is to assist in promoting and supporting underground musicians through fresh audio engineering. Sombr has recently partnered with Warner Records to sign a variety of artists which have collectively compiled nearly two billion streams across platforms to his own imprint.
“I make my own unique art that I feel is very magical, and it’ll find its way no matter what, but I’m just as happy to be boosting other artists. I just love art and as long as I can use my talents to make good art heard by more people, I’m happy.” - Sombr
Comments