SoMo

Like so many aspiring artists, SoMo began his career by performing other peoples’ songs. The singer born Joseph Anthony Somers-Morales cut his teeth tackling favorites from Drake, Lana Del Rey, J. Cole, Wale, and more. Bringing his powerful voice to these unsuspecting anthems, SoMo showcased his ability to treat smash hits with faithfulness and ingenuity. By the time he dropped his self-titled album in 2014, the Texas-based singer was ready to showcase his own tunes. “Ride” is the standout of that project, a sultry R&B smash that positioned SoMo as the crown prince of raunch. He sings: “Poison in our veins, but we don’t even care/Candles dripping on your body, baby, this ain’t truth or dare.” Things get more heated on 2021’s The Duality of Man, where he snaps back at relationships gone sour and unrequited desires. “Oh, you should write a book about it/Tell me what you know about love/Whatcha wanna do about it?” he sings on “Write a Book.” On 2024’s 9 Lives, the sass gives way to vulnerability, like on “I Need You,” where he favors straight-ahead pop and hip-hop instead of the sexy R&B of yore. “Do I ever cross your mind these days?” he asks, before being unafraid to admit: “Said I need ya, I need ya, I need ya.”