Samia – Cinder Block
Minneapolis-based singer and songwriter Samia released her breathtaking new album Bloodless earlier this year to widespread critical acclaim, countless top 10 chart debuts, millions of streams, and a rapidly growing viral moment with her 2023 performance of “Pool” for NPR Tiny Desk.
Today, amidst her North American Fall tour, she shares a new song entitled “Cinder Block.” Recorded a few months after Bloodless sessions wrapped in Minneapolis with regular collaborator Caleb Wright, the gorgeous “Cinder Block” finds Samia directly weaving a long-time love of legendary songwriter Leonard Cohen into her lyricism. Here, she interpolates Cohen staples “Suzzane” and “Hallelujah,” singing “I’ve touched your perfect body with my mind” and “This is my Hallelujah” over a gentle electric guitar strum that anchors the song’s patient 3:45 minute run time.
Samia has been going viral on TikTok in recent weeks for her gut-wrenching and poignant performance of “Pool” for NPR Tiny Desk. While the song was written in 2020 for Samia’s critically-acclaimed debut album The Baby and performed for NPR in 2023, “Pool” is gaining remarkable momentum two years later with 10-15,000 new creations per day, countless Spotify, TikTok and Amazon Viral and Popular Chart climbing positions, and 15 million streams in just the last few weeks. While this is still a rapidly-growing viral moment, the connection fans are experiencing to the song is already massive, thanks to the heartbreaking way Samia sings: “How long do I have left with my dog / ’til I start forgetting shit? / How long ’til we’re rich / and then we’re not and then we’re rich? / How much longer ’til I’m taller? / How much longer ’til it’s midnight? / How much longer ’til the mornin’? / Are my legs gonna last? / Is it too much to ask?”
Samia says of the track: “This one’s sort of an extension of Bloodless – took most of it from poems and wanted it to feel like treading water. Was listening to a lot of Leonard Cohen and the Theory of Forms reference in Suzanne felt pertinent – then it just became a recurring bit in the song to quote him. Jack Sparrow’s compass only points to what the person holding it wants the most.”
To celebrate the moment, she recently released a special digital-only 5th anniversary edition of The Baby, featuring performances from the NPR Tiny Desk Concert, as well as the original album, alongside previously-released artist covers and remixes from the likes of Bartees Strange, Palehound, Anjimile, Briston Maroney, Christian Lee Hutson and more from The Baby Reimagined.
Tour dates
09-19 – Los Angeles, CA – Fonda LOW TIX
09-20 – San Francisco, CA – Fillmore LOW TIX
09-22 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom LOW TIX
09-23 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood LOW TIX
09-24 – Seattle, WA – Neptune LOW TIX
09-26 – Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell
09-27 – Denver, CO – Ogden LOW TIX
09-29 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room
09-30 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
10-01 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl
10-26 – Glasgow, UK – G2 SOLD OUT
10-27 – Manchester, UK – Yes (Pink Room) SOLD OUT
10-28 – London, UK – KOKO LOW TIX
11-14-11-16 – Mexico City, MX – Corona Capital
04-12 & 04-19 – Indio, CA – Coachella
+ w/ Hank Heaven
^ w/ Renny Conti
* w/ Sarah Julia
#samiatheband