néomí‘s output in her young career has been sensational, and her new song “somebody’s daughter” continues that trend with aplomb. The Dutch/Surinamese songwriter – real name Neomi Speelman – forgoes her talent for deft-handed balladry for something a little more propellent. “somebody’s daughter” is no less moving however: its lithe upbeat chamber pop forms the backdrop for weightier sentiments, as Speelman chisels away at the shells we have built around ourselves, and in doing so, reminding listeners that everyone you encounter fights their own hidden battles.
“‘somebody’s daughter’ was written in the same week as the single ‘your girl’,” Speelman says of the song. “As I was still in that same mood (pained and angry by misunderstanding words by others) I was writing more and more while carrying these unknown feelings around. To me ‘somebody’s daughter’ feels quite heavy as the message is really: whatever a person does, don’t forget he or she will still be someone’s kid. Times can get rough, and being mad on one another is healthy, but to forget the humanity behind a face can feel a bit cruel. I felt left out by that time, by people I saw as family. I am not saying that was their fault, or even mine, it was a feeling that I carried inside and wrote about.“
“somebody’s daughter” is a song that takes a familiar theme of human alienation and spins it into something fresh and comforting. “The song developed itself by taking me on its own story. All of a sudden I felt a bit more rage and anger for all the daughters (even boy, girl or non) that were mistreated on behaviour they were judged about. It is a sort of “cry for help” like, ‘hey I am juggling through life too.’ Just like you and you and you, don’t forget I am still somebody’s daughter. Why are we alive if you can’t make mistakes, and what did I do by loving them all that time and getting just a simple rejection in return. Somehow in that state I was in, it didn’t feel fair. As if they forgot I am still somebody’s daughter.”
Listen to “somebody’s daughter” below and find it on streaming outlets.
