When Shormey Adumuah started writing songs in her Chesapeake bedroom at age 14, she never anticipated releasing tapes or playing sold out shows. “My goal was to put a song on SoundCloud and have it get maybe like 500 plays, 100 plays,” said Adumuah, who performs as Shormey.
But in this year alone, Shormey has already released Boogie Tape Vol. 1 on Citrus City Records, performed at SXSW, and played a sold out show in Washington D.C. with Crumb and Corridor. And following the release of Boogie Tape Vol. 1, Shormey has a lot in store for the summer.
On Boogie Tape Vol. 1, Shormey masterfully combines elements of 1970s disco and psychedelia to create a unique, upbeat sound. Bright, warm synth chords and melodic bass lines invite listeners to give into their urges to dance. Shimmering synth riffs create an atmosphere that’s at once chill and tremendously exciting on “Boogie Island.” “Cruise!” stands out as a dreamy pop song complete with a shouted chorus and jangling guitar parts that make for a refreshing, relaxed sound. The tape finishes strong with “LA” and “Outro (Maybe If We’re Movin’),” two delightfully groovy songs that further convince listeners that Shormey is an artist to keep your eyes peeled for.
The release of Boogie Tape Vol. 1 marks the beginning of a busy summer for Shormey. In June, Shormey will embark on the first of three tours she has planned for the summer. While this might seem like an ambitious schedule, a three-week tour with rapper Alfred. to SXSW in March helped to prepare Shormey for the tours to come. “Being on tour with Fred and everyone was crazy,” Shormey said. “I’d never been to Texas before or anything so it was a really fun experience.”
Having released Boogie Tape Vol. 1 on Citrus City Records is something of a dream for Shormey. “When I first started going to shows in Richmond in 2015, I would go to [Citrus City] shows,” Shormey said. “It’s kind of like my dream label… It’s just amazing — a state that I live in can put out these bands I love. It’s like a dream to be on there.”
Shormey describes her sound as “a 70s disco kind of thing with some psychedelic influence in there as well.” This makes sense in light of the fact that she considers acts like Babyface, Toro y Moi, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra to be her main influences.
While Shormey performs with a live band, all of her music is written in her bedroom by herself. She describes her song writing process as constantly changing.
“A lot of the songs start with a drum beat or a certain BPM, and I build it from there,” Shormey said. “Sometimes I’ll just write the song on a guitar or piano and then build the track around it. It’s different all the time.”
When Shormey started making music in her bedroom, she never expected it to be heard by much of anyone. Now, with a brand-new tape release and multiple upcoming tours, she’s pleased to see how far she’s come.
“It’s pretty unbelievable, to be honest,” she said. “I’m really grateful.”
Shormey’s next show is at Gallery 5 on June 3rd with Joy Again and Indigo De Souza. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. For more info, click here.
Top photo by Daniel Diasgranados, via Facebook
Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond
