Umi (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
UMI
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| Birth name | Tierra Umi Wilson |
| Born | February 9, 1999 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2017–present |
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| Associated acts |
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Tierra Umi Wilson, known by her stage name UMI, is an American singer and songwriter. She was born on February 9, 1999. UMI is known for her unique mix of R&B, neo-soul, and alternative pop music.
She grew up in Seattle, Washington. UMI went to college for a bit but decided to leave in 2019 to focus on her music career. UMI first became well-known in 2018 with her popular song "Remember Me." Since then, she has released several successful music projects. These include EPs like Love Language and Introspection. Her first full album, Forest in the City, came out in 2022. She also released the EP Talking to the Wind in 2024. UMI has performed on tour with artists such as Conan Gray and Jhené Aiko. She has also worked with famous singers like BTS's V. People know UMI for her soulful voice and thoughtful song lyrics.
Early Life and Music Beginnings
UMI was born in Seattle in 1999. Her father is African-American and her mother is Japanese. Her mother taught her how to read, write, and speak Japanese. UMI's mother plays the piano, and her father plays the drums.
UMI started writing music when she was very young, around 4 or 5 years old. She kept a special journal for her songs. In high school, she was part of DECA, a business club, and her school's track team. She went to Tahoma High School in Maple Valley.
How UMI Started Making Music
During high school, UMI found instrumental music tracks on YouTube. She started writing her own songs to these beats. She would record her songs using a simple USB microphone. Then, she would upload them to SoundCloud and YouTube. At first, she posted covers of other artists' songs. But when she started getting copyright notices, she decided to focus on writing and sharing her own original music.
UMI's Music Career
UMI' officially started her music career in 2017. She has released many songs and projects since then.
2017–2018: First Songs and EP
In 2017, UMI released five single songs. After that, she released her first EP, called Interlude. An EP is like a mini-album with fewer songs. Because of her music, she was featured on Spotify's "Fresh Finds Best of 2017" playlist. She also performed as an opening act for rapper ODIE in Los Angeles.
"Remember Me" and Its Message
One of UMI's most famous songs is "Remember Me." The music video for "Remember Me" has been watched over 33 million times on YouTube. The song has also been played over 117 million times on Spotify. The video shows different kinds of couples, from various backgrounds and sexual orientations. UMI explained that the video's message is that "no matter who you love or how you love, we all hurt the same in the end."
2019–2021: New EPs and Reimagined Music
UMI continued to release new music. On May 17, 2019, she released the Balance EP. This EP included songs like "Ordinary" and "Down To Earth." Later that year, on October 30, 2019, she released another EP called Love Language.
On June 21, 2020, UMI released her EP Introspection. This project was very popular. After that, on March 26, 2021, she released Introspection Reimagined. This EP featured new versions of the songs from Introspection, plus two new short musical pieces called interludes.
2022–Present: First Album and Tours
On May 26, 2022, UMI released her first full-length album, Forest in the City. This album included singles like "Moonlit Room," "Whatever U Like," and "Sorry." After the album came out, UMI went on her first tour as the main performer. In 2024, she released the EP Talking to the Wind. She also has a new album, People Stories, planned for 2025.
UMI's Musical Style
UMI's music is often described as "lo-fi," "alternative," and "laid-back R&B." This means it has a relaxed, warm sound. She grew up listening to many types of music, including R&B, soul, gospel, and Japanese pop/rock.
Who Influenced UMI's Music
UMI has said that some of her biggest musical inspirations are artists like Frank Ocean, D'Angelo, Jhené Aiko, Erykah Badu, Sade (singer), and SZA. These artists are known for their soulful and unique sounds, which have clearly influenced UMI's own style.
Discography
This is a list of UMI's music releases.
Studio Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Forest in the City |
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| People Stories |
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Extended Plays (EPs)
| Title | Details |
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| Interlude |
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| Balance |
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| Love Language |
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| Introspection |
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| Introspection Reimagined |
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| Talking to the Wind |
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Singles
As a Lead Artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Dig. |
US R&B |
CAN Dig. |
NZ Hot |
UK Dig. |
WW |
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| "Friendzone" | 2017 | – | – | – | – | – | — | non-album single | |
| "Midnight Blues" | 2018 | – | – | – | – | – | — | Interlude | |
| "River" | – | – | – | – | – | — | non-album single | ||
| "Remember Me" | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Lullaby" (featuring Yeek) |
– | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "High School" | 2019 | – | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| "Down to Earth" | – | – | – | – | – | — | Balance | ||
| "Sonshine" (with Deaton Chris Anthony) |
– | – | – | – | – | — | BO Y | ||
| "Love Affair" | – | – | – | – | – | — | Love Language | ||
| "Mother" | 2020 | – | – | – | – | – | — | non-album single | |
| "Introspection" | – | – | – | – | – | — | Introspection | ||
| "Open Up" | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Sorry" | 2022 | – | – | – | – | – | — | Forest in the City | |
| "Whatever U Like" | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Say Im Ur Luv" | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Wish That I Could" | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Happy Im" | 2023 | – | – | – | – | – | — | Talking to the Wind | |
| "Why Dont We Go" | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Wherever U R" (featuring V) |
5 | 20 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 99 | non-album single | ||
| "Hard Truths" (with 6lack) |
2025 | – | – | – | – | – | — | People Stories | |
| "10AM" | – | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "Somewhere New" / "What Now" |
– | – | – | – | – | — | |||
| "—" means the song did not appear on the music chart or was not released in that country. | |||||||||
As a Featured Artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Play Too Much" (Kyle Dion featuring UMI & Duckwrth) |
2020 | Suga |
| "JULIETTE!" (pH-1 featuring UMI) |
2022 | But For Now Leave Me Alone |
| "Lose My Focus" (Raveena featuring UMI) |
2025 | Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain (Deluxe) |
| "Do What You Want" (BAEKHYUN featuring UMI & Jang-Yi-jeong) |
Non-album single |
Promotional Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
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| "Happy Again" | 2017 | Non-album single |
| "Butterfly" | 2018 | |
| "Sukidakara" | 2019 | Love Language |
| "Runnin'" (featuring Yeek) |
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| "Picture Perfect" | 2020 | Non-album single |
| "Pretty Girl hi!" | Introspection | |
| "Moonlit Room" | 2022 | Forest in the City |
| "Butterfly II" | 2024 | Non-album single |
