Ascendant young R&B star UMI has released a brand new single “10AM” via Epic Records. The new track comes replete with a music video that explores the journey of love through three different couples, with UMI as their storyteller.
Written by UMI, and produced by longtime collaborator V-Ron (Alicia Keys, Sabrina Claudio), “10AM” is a breezy, languid love song that evokes the haze of woozy, romantic mornings. Drawing on the influences of her musical heroes Sade and Lauryn Hill, UMI delivers a velvety vocal performance and captivating, soulful songwriting.
Made up of a cast of fans and friends, each couple in the “10AM” music video represents different stages of love and distinct aspects of UMI’s identity. Overall, the video is stripped of plot or performance, presenting a raw visualization of real people loving and living—an honest look at love.
“10AM” feels like waking up inside a memory—warm, unhurried, and sacred. What did you want this song to hold emotionally, and what parts of you did it reveal in the process?
with 10AM i wanted to capture the feeling of love & turn it into a song. So no matter where you are , if you open your heart to it , my song could remind you that love is real. inspired by the true love story of a friend – the song is sparked from truth.
When i was finishing this record – i kept trying to re-record the lead vocal because i recorded it as a scratch take , didn’t warm up my voice , on a random day … but nothing could beat the feeling of this first take. This process reminded me that capturing a
Your influences—Sade and Lauryn Hill—feel spiritual, not just sonic. How do their legacies shape your path as an artist trying to stay grounded in truth and vulnerability?
i feel like both of these artists were refreshing to a world where everyone was doing the same thing. and no matter what noise existed around them , they stayed true to their unique expression. that’s the artist i strive to be in my own way. untouched by the expectations of the world – like a child. and to show others that being yourself can be the key to it all
V-Ron’s production on this track is lush but never crowded. What’s your creative relationship like in the studio—how do you two get to that place where the song breathes just right?
I feel we both understand how to take feelings and turn them into sounds. when a collaborator can connect two unseen things (emotion and sound) magic happens. V-Ron listen from the heart , she asks “does this sound feel right?” “did this make me feel good?” – it’s an inside out approach to music and it helps the song become just right. we take our time and we listen to what the song needs.
Coming off “HARD TRUTHS” with 6LACK and then releasing “10AM” feels like emotional whiplash—in the best way. How do you decide which shade of your heart to share next?
hahaha i love this question. my next release is a look into my creative world. it’s for the joy of creativity and the curiosity of where that can take me. i feel a bit rebellious
Love has so many textures. What part of love are you still trying to understand or write your way toward?
i’m learning how to keep my heart open through conflict and disagreement. to let love not pride lead.
You’ve been floating between genres since day one, but now with Epic behind you, does the industry ever try to “define” you—or have you already decided not to play that game?
i’ve decided not to play the game – especially with this album. this album is a tapestry of my artistic range & influence. i want to show people that UMI is not one sound but a feeling of rawness. People will define me for the ways i made them feel not the genres i make. and that’s who i’ve decided to be already.
i am tired of black artists being held in R&B and i’m ready to keep breaking that box. i’m like … stop saying i make alt-R&B i just make good music XD
You recently played major festivals across Asia. What did it feel like to share something as intimate as “10AM” on such a global stage?
it felt like singing with no clothes on. the only way to deliver that song is to go all the way. and that’s what touches other people.
i hope no matter the size of the stage i continue to wear my heart on my sleeve like that. and i’m grateful that 10AM taught me how to do that in a bigger way.
If someone’s listening to “10AM” alone on a Sunday, still searching for that wordless bliss you describe—what do you hope the song says to them?
i hope it says this…
if this song that i can’t even touch or grasp is real to me – then love that i can’t see yet or explain yet must also be real.
