New Jersey sparkle pop duo, SOHMA, shares their debut single, “Overexposure,” out now via 7hz Recordings. The single, a result of some tough times for the duo, was cathartic.
“I’ve really been going through a lot these past few months with losing my sweet baby kitty Chaya (who meant the world to me) and then almost losing my own life in a car crash on June 9th that left me with a spinal cord injury,” confesses Jess Kenny of NJ-based sparkle pop duo SOHMA. “In addition, there’s been a massive degradation in my mental health, being out of work and unable to enjoy life as I did before. But healing/grieving takes time… a little longer than I had hoped.”
Thankfully, Jess found healing and comfort in creating music and this song. “’Overexposure’ is a song that talks about the reality of going through the heavy things life throws at you while trying to remain open and soft towards the world, a scary and vulnerable reality,” she explains. “Like a photo developing in a dark room, just to end up faded because the camera’s aperture had stayed open too long… It’s an overexposure.”
“Without playing a ‘victim’ role, ‘Overexposure’ is about the reality of human suffering, which is universal,” she continues, thinking about her grief over her cat Chaya. “Sometimes how we react to the things that hurt us and staying soft towards the world isn’t so easy. Keeping space open in your heart can feel like a chore sometimes.”
The track has soft and gentle vocals, and is filled with great lyrics “I’ve seen too much I’ve seen it all…” The track is described by Jess as “the floaty feeling you get right before the mushrooms kick in but in audible form.”
Written with producer Kyle McCammon (Jenny Owens Young, Ron Pope, Maiah Manser), the creation of the track with Jess had her creative partner / best friend, Mike Baron, was effortless. “The process between the three of us was so natural and the pieces sort of just came together,” she explains. “We started with some guitar and a vibey track which sparked my inspiration for the lyrics/vocal melody.”
The band name is from one of her cats. “’Soma’ means moon-god. It’s also a special elixir that only the gods could drink to achieve immortality,” she says. “This reminded me of psychedelic medicine (a magic mushroom perhaps lol) and how it could help us open our hearts and minds and bridge the gap between us and a higher power. I know certain music has acted as medicine for me and had the power to allow me to feel that connection.”
“About six years ago, I fostered and raised a litter of kittens who seemed to come into my life when I needed them the most. I picked beautiful and unique names for each of them, one being Soma. As the story goes, Soma ended up having a crush on Mike. The two are inseparable when they’re together. It was an easy choice to name our project after her since she’s such a blessing in both of our lives. I think many of us could agree that cats > humans.”
Sohma plans to release more music in 2024. “We’re more than ready to share who we are with the world. including all the different sounds and stories that we have,” Jess concludes. “To put it simply, kindness and compassion are free and there’s enough for everyone. Having empathy for one another, and showing love and acceptance is what allows us to feel more connected and supported. As a person who struggles with mental health, I find these practices help me feel less alone.”
