ANNIE SUMI is an ethereal-folk artist with a unique ability to capture the subtleties of nature and spin them into melodies. Her latest release, In the Unknown, is a collection of stories that speak to the journey of the human experience. Since the release of her debut album, she has received nominations for “New/Emerging Artist of the Year” (Canadian Folk Music Awards, 2018), “Best Singer-Songwriter” (TIMAs, 2015), “New/Emerging Artist of the Year” (Hidden Roots Collective, CFMAs, 2017), and more.
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“If you’d like to hear the future of contemporary Canadian folk music, take a listen to the sophomore release from Annie Sumi.”
Penguin Eggs
“Sumi’s music has a mystical bent. With her pure voice, finger-picked guitar, and smiling banter, she communicated joy and wonder. ”
Sarah Greene, Exclaim!
“There is a beautiful, natural lilt to Sumi’s voice and she’s capable of delivering world-weariness, deep yearning, or arresting fury.”
Matt Williams, NOW Magazine
“Sumi’s songs are contemplative and thoughtful, songs that one would expect to be written by someone that has walked this planet for three, maybe four decades.”
Ben Yung, The Revue
Sumi’s third album, Solastalgia, was written at the foot of Sleeping Buffalo Mountain on Stoney Nakoda and Blackfoot territory at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The album digests terminology found in Dr. Glenn Albrecht’s Earth Emotions in hopes of creating conversation about the ongoing climate emergency.
“Solastalgia is the ‘homesickness you have when you are still at home’. In a lot of ways, this word shattered me: to be a human and feel a deep connection to the Earth as ‘Home’ and simultaneously participate in the structures we have created to destroy it. Now, it seems like we are slowly remembering to listen to the land and follow the lead of people that have been living traditions of connection and conservation. That space of humility, gratitude, and deep listening is where these songs have come from.”
Solastalgia explores the feeling of homesickness in our environment, in our relationships, and in ourselves. Through song, the artist dares to dream about how community and cooperation could restore the symbiotic relationships on our planet. Solastalgia is available for pre-order now, and will be released in October, 2021.