Samia and Donna Missal Light Up the Sinclair
Samia is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter on her second bus tour around the country. At each stop, she opens for Donna Missal, whose debut album This Time was released last September.
Samia happened to be band-less for this stop of the tour, accompanied only by her guitarist, Sara. Nonetheless, the two put on a show comprised of quiet ballads, lively guitar solos by Sara, and firey dancing.
Having just released two new singles, Lasting Friend and Paris, at the end of January, Samia performed both during her set at the Sinclair. Her near-angelic falsettos in her newest single, “Paris” filled the venue with the personal lyric: “I hid my heart in our nook there / In Paris I’m still in your arms.” With “Lasting Friend,” her gritty, pop-rock side came out, belting “I’m not ashamed of my past,” as she bounced across the stage. Looking towards the future, she revealed to Melisma that she is currently working on an LP.
Before each song, Samia explained their significance. For “Lasting Friend,” she laughed and said it was about how she used to let the middle school boys line up in the gym and touch her boobs. For “Milk,” she confessed “this song is about my dead grandma,” or for another, she smirked, saying “I wrote this song period-sobbing in Colorado.” Her frankness between songs was charming and enthralling.
Although she danced across the stage for a couple of songs, her voice was at the crux of her set; oftentimes, it was just Samia, hands in pockets, with a light guitar backing. From her powerful, rock-pop vocals to wistful, airy falsettos, Samia didn’t miss a note, which, considering that she was sick and taking water breaks between each song, was an even more impressive feat.
Donna’s set carried on the ferocity that Samia ended with, playing hits off of her debut album, like “Driving” “Keep Lying” and “Girl.” In each song, she let the music flow through her as she tossed out her fists in punches in sync with the powerful drums of “Jupiter” or as she leaned backwards and twirled her hand during softer songs, like “Test My Patience.” Her stage presence was undeniably as powerful as the jaguar tattoo on her right shoulder. The photos of her staring directly into the camera are just a glimpse into the emotional connection she quickly formed with the audience, through her passionate singing, fluid dancing, and enigmatic charisma.
The two will be performing until mid-May across the country, and those dates are pictured below! In the meantime, I recommend you listen to my personal favorites, “Milk” by Samia and “Driving” by Donna Missal.
