Comai

A Fresh New Voice

By Will murphy

There is nothing better than hearing a sweet, sensual voice serenading you. When was the last time you heard a song that made you feel proud to be a man? Past greats like Gladys Knight, and Aretha Franklin were past good at touching those inner cords of men and women alike. In this day and age, the R&B game is nothing like it used to be. You have your few shining stars like Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Keisha Cole, but overall there is a missing piece to the puzzle. Fret not I tell you, for there is new comer on the rise that is sure to fill the gap. Comai, a young, beautiful diva, with an explosive voice and commanding stage presence is on her grind. Born in Indianapolis, IN, she moved to Nashville with her family at the age of 2. It was here that the young songstress honed and developed her skills. Coming from a musically inclined family she naturally attended the Nashville School of the Arts before transferring to Maplewood High School where she graduated. At age 24, she moved to Atlanta to pursue her music career. Having seen her live I can say, the girl has SKILLS!!! It’s refreshing to see a young artist on the come up that is humble, focused, and actually talented. The young diva is single, happy with herself and her music. With a sizzling album sure to be on the way, this young lady is sure to take the world by storm. By a chance encounter, Comai was happy to sit down and give us some insight as to who she is…

I know you probably get asked this a lot, but what does Comai mean?
Comai: “It means beauty from ashes…”
Wow. Where did you come up with that?
Comai: “Dealing with different situations in life. It’s not what you go through, its how you go through it.”
Well spoken. So when did you know you wanted to be a singer?
Comai: “I would say since birth (laughs). It’s funny but true, my mother actually always knew I would be a singer because when I was born, my first cry sounded more like I was hitting a note. So hearing that story growing up I kind of just stuck with it.”
So when did you fall in love with music?
Comai: “I was 9 years old when I fell in love with music. My family is musically inclined, but they tend to do more gospel. I never had a problem with that, but at that age I knew if I ever made a career out of it I would be doing more R&B.
So when did you first start working in the studio?
Comai: “I actually started when I was 12 years old. That was when I wrote and recorded my first song.”
And that was?
Comai: “It was a song called Since You Been Gone.”
Sounds a little beyond your time. What could inspire a twelve year old to write and record a song like that?
Comai: “Well as child I was very observant. That song was actually brought on by a situation that my mother was going through with a male friend of hers.”
So when you write your songs, where does that inspiration come from?
Comai: “When I write my songs, I try to visualize and pull from my own experiences or experiences that somebody close to me is going through. I really try to just mix that with overall creativity.”
So the people want to know, who is Comai?
Comai: “(laughs) Comai is a soulful, strong, determined, loving, caring, outgoing, off the wall talented young woman preparing to take the industry by storm.”
That’s a lot to be. So how do you view yourself?
Comai: “I’m confident, but humble. I know a lot of people start off one way, and then they get fame and change. That’s not me.”
So what are you bringing to the table that is different from other singers out there?
Comai: “I’m not just looks and a nice voice. I’m also not one dimensional, I want to show my versatility. Whether I’m in the booth or on stage. I’m looking to bring real music back to the forefront. My music isn’t just good music to be heard, its good music to be felt.”
Good music to be felt?
Comai: “Yeah, like music that you can ride to, talk to your kids to, and make love to. Real feel good music with understanding and meaning.”
That’s what we need. What inspires you to do music?
Comai: “The people around me. They are the ones who pushed me to do it in the first place. The fans definitely play a role as well. I love to perform on stage. I feel like my stage presence embodies the essence of who I am, and I use it as a way of saying thank you to the fans. I love giving love and receiving it from the masses. It’s my high (smiles).”
So you moved to Atlanta to pursue your career, but Nashville is known as “Music City”. What made you choose ATL over home?
Comai: “Life in Nashville is cool, but I didn’t think it was good for R&B marketing. The Nashville market is more gospel and country unless you are already a major artist. Because of that, Nashville is often overlooked and that doesn’t create a strong support foundation.
How do you see yourself fitting into the scheme of the industry? Like when people look back at what you brought to the game, they will say your name with whom?
Comai: “I really like to think I’m in a class of my own. I’ve heard people compare me to Erykah Badu, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Kahn, and Monica. I feel honored to even be considered in the same standing with those ladies but when I make my mark, I don’t want to be mentioned along with, I’d rather be mentioned as just Comai.”
How do you feel about the current state of R&B?
Comai: “There is some good music out there, but it seems a lot of artists just put out music just put out music hoping that people will buy it off of their name. Like I said before, I plan to be more than just a pretty face with a voice. I’m seeking that legendary status.”
So who is in your system right now, who are you listening to?
Comai: “I listen to Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Kanye West, and T.I. I love T.I., he is my future husband.”
Wow. So do you think R&B is lacking?
Comai: “Just a little bit. Everybody is stuck on the money. I think old school music is where the epitome of good music lives. I don’t want to say that new music is trash, but it’s losing the structure. There has to be a foundation in order to be stable. Without the foundation, so many different people will be dipping and dabbing and just making what THEY want to make rather than what the people want to hear. We need to shape it back up.”
Are you worried about being stuck in one market?
Comai: “Not at all. I think as long as I stay two steps ahead I should be straight.”
So do you have anything on the table currently?
Comai: “I’m talking to a couple of labels, and I stay in the studio constantly trying new ideas. I’m always writing and I’m currently touring around Atlanta.”
So when you get the deal, what’s the first thing you’re going to do?
Comai: “A lot of people talk about buying fancy cars and big houses. That’s all nice but I really want to build a youth center for disabled kids. Part of being blessed is never forgetting where you come from and giving back.”
That’s very admirable. I can assure Culture Shock Mag is glad to have the opportunity to sit with you and get to know the real Comai. How can the people hear some of your music?
Comai: “Thank you for giving me a chance to give you the real me. For the fans, you can hear some of my work on Myspace.com/kokonashville. And my email address is nucomai83@yahoo.com”
Word. Any shouts?
Comai: ‘’ I want to send a big shout out to anybody that supports me. Also to anybody that is struggling. And to my family, you know who you are.”