Töme is not standing still. In a year riddled with unprecedented challenges and land-marked by momentous movements, Töme’s voice has continued to break forth through it all, merging diasporic influences with rhythms from West Africa in her exciting interpretation of afro-fusion. Bigger Than 4 Walls, her 2020 album, brought her vision to the fore with its sashays and calming influences that segued, at times, into a warm party feel, getting critical acclaim and respect from her colleagues.
The French-Canadian-Nigerian continues to work hard at fine-tuning her burgeoning sound in spite of all that has come. Her latest, a three-song pack, titled I Pray is as much a show of Töme’s multi-cultural diversity as it is an acceptance of the small mercies of 2020, the miracles that seemed improbable but became possible regardless. This gospel-tinged body of work features Töme singing over warm guitar riffs in English on the original song, in French on a remix, and trading verses with Sean Kingston on another remix with a distinct spry patois cadence that accentuates her flow and makes her case more sturdy and resonant.
“Tome is an incredibly unique artist with a beautiful voice, I really vibed with this song and I respect the fact that she is an independent Afro artist on the rise. I’m happy to be a part of a record the world truly needs right now” – Sean Kingston
Nobody who has lived through 2020 will be immune to I Pray’s charms, how it soothes and washes over the knots of worries that can seem omnipresent. It also shows Töme in a new light: as the singer who refuses to be one thing, giving into new plains of her artistry and creating a song for the times.
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