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Los Angeles Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Kali Uchis' new album ‘Sincerely,' is a love letter to mothers everywhere
To celebrate her latest album release, Kali Uchis hosted a tea party in Hollywood. It was by no means a modest affair. Scores of glamorous women draped in lace, silks and pearls descended upon the event space Citizen News last Friday night to ring in the arrival of the singer-songwriter's fifth studio album, 'Sincerely,' released May 9 on Capitol Records. A collection of spectral R&B-pop songs sung in the key of life, Uchis' new record echoed through the halls of the venue as the star herself — dressed in frilly white chiffon with a Rococo-style corset and pink satin platform boots — snapped photos with fans and friends. Special guests included rapper Saweetie and drag superstar Valentina, with whom Uchis judged a ballroom competition between the formidable vogue dancers from the House of FUBU and the rivaling House of Telfar. The judges liberally doled out scores of 10 to the performers, who swanned deftly across the parquet flooring in colorful, 'Alice in Wonderland'-inspired costumes. The tea party was a unique, if not rare, public appearance for the Grammy-winning artist, who these days much prefers to stay at home in Los Angeles with family and a select few confidantes. (So much so that she even named her skincare line 'Homebody.') Yet the collective spirit of the event — an exaltation of the feminine in its many expressions — felt authentic to Uchis' work as an artist. And in the making of 'Sincerely,' which beholds her most revealing lyrics yet, authenticity was key. 'My main intention with the album was to make it autobiographical,' Uchis told De Los a few days before her album release, inside her hotel room at the Hollywood Roosevelt. 'Each song was a letter — to my homegirl, to my man, to my baby, to the world. I felt that with all my albums, like 'Orquídeas,' I was just having fun. I never made an album where I just talked about my life story — instead of a general, 'Ooh, I look cute, I look good, my p— good' type of music.' For her previous album 'Orquídeas,' a collection of dance floor-ready, Spanish-language songs released in 2024, Uchis recruited guest vocalists from across Latin America — from Karol G to Peso Pluma — to join her in girly-pop revelry. Yet that was all before last March, when the artist gave birth to her son, whom she shares with her partner, Houston-born rapper Don Toliver. It was also around then that Uchis, now 30, began an intense process of reconciling with her once-estranged mother, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. After a series of healing heart-to-heart conversations, Uchis' mom worked for her daughters' forgiveness — and spent ample time with her grandson before she tragically died in April. It's in part why Uchis dedicated 'Sincerely,' released the Friday before Mother's Day, to her late mom. 'I tried to go out and do stuff while not telling anyone [she died],' said Uchis. 'It just felt disrespectful to her life and her legacy … Because it's the first thing that's on [my] mind as soon as [I] wake up and as soon as [I] go to sleep. My mom was really proud, and dedicating the album to her felt like the right thing to do.' Uchis sampled her mother's voice from a home movie in 'Sunshine & Rain…,' the album's sanguine lead single. 'Good morning, sunshine!' chirps her mother in lo-fi, as a sitar shrugs along, giving the soul ballad a psychedelic touch. Born Karly-Marina Loaiza in Alexandria, Va., Uchis was the youngest of five children in a Colombian American family, which split time between the U.S. and her father's hometown in Pereira, Colombia. She had a fraught relationship with her parents, who put their children to work on construction in the apartment building her father managed. Uchis was a sensitive child who would rather write poetry and play saxophone in a jazz band with her classmates; she was still in high school when she left home. It was while living on her own that she recorded and produced what eventually became her buzzy 2012 mixtape, an R&B experiment she uploaded to the internet called 'Drunken Babble.' 'I had a lot of odds stacked against me,' she said, reflecting on her early days. 'I didn't come from money ... I never got any vocal training. The main thing that people used to say when I was starting was just, 'Well, your voice is very unique.' I didn't know if that was a dig, but I said, 'You know what? I'm going to lean on that. Because it's true.'' Uchis built rapports with a number of artists over the years, including eccentric L.A. rapper Tyler, the Creator, as well as producers like BadBadNotGood and Kaytranada, who all appeared on her 2015 EP, 'Por Vida.' In 2017, Uchis racked up collaborations with Gorillaz and Juanes; the following year she opened for Lana Del Rey on tour, signed a record deal with Virgin EMI (under Universal Music Group) and released her debut album, 'Isolation.' Her star rose even brighter in late 2020, when she released her first Spanish-language album, 'Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)' — from which the single 'Telepatía' climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Latin Songs chart and No. 25 on the Hot 100 in 2021. Her next albums, 2023's 'Red Moon in Venus' and 'Orquídeas,' would inch up the Billboard 200 charts to No. 4 and No. 2, respectively. Her first album since Capitol Records merged with Interscope in March, 'Sincerely,' had been in the works for two years before its release. Uchis wrote the opening track, 'Heaven Is a Home,' in 2023, just after she discovered she was pregnant. And, as the gravitas of motherhood had started to weigh on her, she decided to set forth her intentions in the song — to undo the generational trauma she'd incurred through her immigrant family and create what she calls her own 'bubble of protection and light.' Creating life, as it would turn out, stimulated the same part of her brain that created art. She began writing the ballad 'ILYSMIH (I Love You So Much It Hurts)' at the hospital, on the very day her baby boy was born. Uchis later decided to sample her son's bubbly laughter for the song, which would then qualify him for a song credit: He's listed on Spotify as 'Pooks.' 'I want him to have his moment — and to have publishing [rights],' she explained. 'After he started talking, I was like, 'Oh — I have to get a voice note of him!'' she recalled with a laugh. 'But it wasn't until a few months ago that he really started talking, like a lot. I wanted to get him to say 'mama' for [the song], so it's very recent.' Even before she became a mother, Uchis was happiest working remotely with collaborators. After spending her 20s tirelessly hopping from studio to studio to build her portfolio, she now insists on writing, recording and producing at home. 'I started in the shower, I finished it in the car,' she said, using 'ILYSMIH' as an example. 'Existing in my life, working off of my phone and taking inspiration as it [comes] to me, is a lot more honest and intuitive than sitting in a studio and trying to come up with something.' Recorded primarily in English, Uchis retains her 1960s soul and doo-wop roots in 'Sincerely,' — namely in sparkling cuts like 'All I Can Say' and 'Daggers!' Yet she detours into alt territory in the second half of 'Lose My Cool' and the next track, 'It's Just Us.' Adrift in a 1990s-esque dream-pop reverie, Uchis coasts through a tunnel of love, her ethereal voice cradled by reverberations of electric guitars. 'There was like a full week where I was just trying to make something bar-for-bar inspired by Cocteau Twins,' she said, which gave way to this romantic sequence. Uchis has a laundry list of foremothers for every album; her past muses have ranged from La Lupe to Nancy Sinatra. 'I've been very inspired by women who have a little bit more depth to their writing, like Fiona Apple, Sade, Amy [Winehouse] ... the Cranberries and Brenda Lee as well,' she said of her latest record. She wrote and executive produced the entirety of 'Sincerely,' — a necessity for the artist, for whom multigenre exploration, at risk of alienating fans, has always been the utmost priority. It's how Uchis has excelled in what so many pop artists struggle with: She remains the main celestial body for the sounds she experiments with to orbit, and not the other way around. 'It's been so many times where fans have been mad, or the label has been mad, or whatever,' she said with a shrug. 'Not everybody has that experience of growing up in two cultures and having the influences I have. The main thing I want young artists to take from me is to lean on what makes them different. I never compromised on who I am or tried to make myself fit into one box.' Other artists can't help but show their admiration; British hyperpop queen Charli XCX recently paid tribute to the singer by projecting the words 'Kali Uchis Summer' onscreen during her set at this year's Coachella. Uchis indeed has big plans for this summer, including a North American arena tour, which kicks off Aug. 14 in Portland, Ore. and includes an Aug. 20 stop at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. It would be her first tour as a mother; and as with her music, it's just one more experiment she's ready to take on. 'I was already an emotional person, [but] since my pregnancy I've been able to feel a lot deeper,' she said. 'We all see mothers and know that they exist, but you don't really understand until you are one. When your child is born, you're reborn in a lot of ways. It's a death and a rebirth of yourself. But I think a lot of joy and hope comes with that.'
India Today
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Kali Uchis announces first arena tour: Dates, cities, and how to get tickets
Grammy-winning artist Kali Uchis is hitting the road this summer for her inaugural headlining arena tour. The 24-city North American tour kicks off on August 14 in Portland, Oregon, and wraps up on September 25 in Denver, tour is backing her latest album, Sincerely, which was released on May 9. Opening for Uchis is retro-soul band Thee Sacred Celebration of Her New Album Sincerely marks Uchis' return following her debut work, Orqudeas, and features recent releases like "Sunshine & Rain" and "ILYSMIH." Alongside the album's debut, Uchis premiered a visually rich music video for her track "All I Can Say," further fueling tour will showcase her signature blend of dreamy vocals, Latin rhythms, and R&B influences — now on the largest stages of her career to Dates in Major CitiesAs reported by Pitchfork, The Sincerely Tour brings fans to major venues across North America. Notable stops include Madison Square Garden in New York (September 11), Chase Center in San Francisco (August 18), and Scotiabank Arena in Toronto (September 17). Uchis will also visit cities such as Miami, Dallas, Chicago, and Los tour dates:Aug 14 – Portland, OR – Moda CenterAug 20 – Inglewood, CA – Kia ForumSep 02 – Houston, TX – Toyota CenterSep 11 – New York, NY – Madison Square GardenSep 25 – Denver, CO – Ball ArenaadvertisementTickets Now On SaleTickets for The Sincerely Tour are available through Ticketmaster and other authorized outlets. Given the size of the venues and buzz around the new album, fans are encouraged to buy tickets READ: Anna Camp sparks romance rumors with stylist Jade Whipkey on Instagram
Express Tribune
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Kali Uchis announces 'Sincerely' tour following the album release
Kali Uchis is gearing up to hit the road for her first-ever North American arena tour, following the release of her fifth studio album, Sincerely. The Grammy-winning singer will kick off the 24-date trek on August 14 in Portland, Oregon, with special guests Thee Sacred Souls joining her for the entire tour. The Sincerely, Tour will bring Uchis' lush, genre-blending sound to major cities across the continent, including stops in Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, Toronto, and Chicago. The tour will conclude at Denver's Ball Arena on September 25. Uchis' album, released on May 9, marks her most intimate and vulnerable work to date, with 14 tracks spanning a variety of genres, including doo-wop, R&B, and dream pop. The Colombian-American artist wrote and executive-produced the project, which follows the success of her Latin Grammy-nominated album Orquídeas. In a statement to Variety, Uchis explained that her idea of success is about doing something unique and inspiring other artists to express themselves freely without over-explaining their identity. "I love to inspire other bicultural artists to express themselves without fear," Uchis shared. "Success is about doing something no one else can do." The Sincerely album tour will see Uchis headlining prestigious venues like the Kia Forum in Los Angeles and Madison Square Garden in New York. Her set is expected to highlight the emotional depth of her new album, as she connects with fans through deeply personal music. Thee Sacred Souls, an 11-piece band from San Diego, will support Uchis on the entire tour. Presale tickets will be available starting May 14 at 10 a.m. local time, with the general sale kicking off on May 16 at 10 a.m. local time through Uchis' official website.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kali Uchis announces 'Sincerely' tour stop at Acrisure Arena in August: 3 things to know
Grammy Award-winning artist Kali Uchis announced she will be taking her "Kali Uchis - The Sincerely, Tour" to Acrisure Arena in August. The singer will perform at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert on Saturday, Aug. 23. The 25-city North American tour comes in time for her fifth studio album, "Sincerely," which was released last week. Joining Uchis on all dates are Thee Sacred Souls, the 11-piece band from San Diego that performed on the main stage of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival last month. Tickets will be available, starting with various presales beginning 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14. Verizon will offer an exclusive presale for customers. Tickets for select shows will begin 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, until 10 p.m. Thursday, May 15. For more details visit American Express card members can also purchase tickets in Canada before the general public beginning 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, through 10 p.m. Thursday, May 15. General ticket sales begin 10 a.m. Friday, May 16 on The tour will also offer a variety of VIP packages and experiences for fans. For more information, visit Palm Desert isn't the only stop in California for Uchis' tour. Other performances include: Sunday, Aug. 17: Golden 1 Center in Sacramento Monday, Aug. 18: Chase Center in San Francisco Wednesday, Aug. 20: The Kia Forum in Los Angeles Sunday, Aug. 24: Pechanga Arena in San Diego The tour kicks off on Aug. 14 in Portland and will wrap up on Sept. 25 in Denver. Uchis' fifth studio album, "Sincerely," has been described as her most intimate and vulnerable body of work to date. The 14-track record showcases deep love and represents the way Uchis romanticizes life and her inner world. The project arrived alongside an official music video for standout track "All I Can Say," which was inspired by classic film noir and the 1950s as Uchis transforms into a timeless on-screen siren. With forays into R&B, alt-pop, reggaeton and Latin strains, Uchis has blazed her own trail in the music industry. She won the Grammy Award for best dance recording for "10%" with Kaytranada in 2021, and her fourth album "Orquídeas" launched her career to new heights. Uchis has also performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival a few times in recent years, including just last month with Blackpink's Jennie. Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at or on Twitter @ema_sasic. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 3 things to know about upcoming Kali Uchis tour stop in Palm Springs
Gulf Today
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Kali Uchis pours her heart into new album ‘Sincerely'
Kali Uchis wrote the album she knew her future self would need to listen to. The Grammy-winning artist unknowingly was crafting her own audible remedy. 'I really did make the music that I needed for my grieving process, for just the place that I'm at in my life right now,' she says of the album out on Friday. 'Sincerely,' (yes, the title includes the comma) began as a collection of letters to herself, friends and loved ones but took on a deeper meaning as the Colombian American songwriter gave birth to her first child and processed her mother's recent death. The first single, 'Sunshine & Rain...,' includes a clip of Uchis' mother saying, 'Good morning, sunshine.' 'I wanted to immortalise her in the project,' said Uchis. 'I thought it was just a beautiful way to open the album.' The 14-track album finds Uchis proudly wearing her heart on her sleeve with songs like 'Daggers!,' where Uchis encourages a close friend to lean into self-love, or 'ILYSMIH,' which includes baby coos at the beginning and was written as she lay in her hospital bed with her newborn. Uchis hopes that after listening to her fifth full album, fans will feel more connected to themselves and more in touch with their emotions: 'I hope it will give them some type of solace.' How was working on this album healing for you? It's crazy because a lot of times I feel, and especially with this album in particular, I felt that I really made music that my future self would need, that I didn't realise I was going to need at that time. The album is actually dedicated to my mom. My mom later ended up getting diagnosed, and she's no longer here. ... And so pretty much all of the songs ended up taking on a deeper meaning to me because of that and because of it being dedicated to her. ... At the time, I might not have even realized subconsciously that I was making all of this to heal myself. Is that how you got to the title 'Sincerely,'? At one point, I was like, 'I'm gonna make sure each of these songs is like, this is my letter to the world, this is my letter to this person, this my letter to that, this one to myself.' I tried to really conceptualize in a different way that I never have when making any other album. And then ... when my mom passed, a lot of what I had left from her is letters that she wrote to me, and so it ended up, like I said, just more and more reasons for me to realize that it was the correct title for the project. What does that mean to you to have your mother's voice be a part of the album? After she passed, one of the first things I did was go through all of the audio messages that she had ever sent me and I was just listening to all her messages over and over, wanting to hear her voice. When I heard that one I just thought of, 'Oh how perfect is this that the song is called 'Sunshine &Rain...,' and she had said, 'Good morning, sunshine.' It was for my son that she sent that message. I thought it was just a beautiful way to open the album, considering that it's dedicated to her. I struggled a lot with whether or not I wanted to share because I'm a very, very private person. So I struggled a lot with if I even wanted to share that my mom was no longer here, but I felt I just had to not be afraid of that vulnerability and not pretend like it didn't affect me or didn't have some type of impact on me when it had such a big impact on me and still does. Associated Press
