Sonna Rele – Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Mum: Uma Rele – Singer
My mum’s creativity is like a quiet undercurrent that flows through everything I do. Growing up, I’d watch her paint or write, and there was such a stillness and depth to her process—it taught me that art isn’t always about noise or spectacle. It’s about truth. She helped me understand that being an artist is about feeling deeply and then translating those feelings into something real. That’s at the heart of how I write and perform.
She lives with grace, and that grace has artistry in it. Whether it’s how she sets a table, wraps a gift, or listens to someone speak—there’s a poetic nature to how she moves through the world. As an artist, it’s taught me that the small things matter. You don’t have to be loud to be unforgettable.
Her support is like breath—always there, even when I forget to notice it. In the moments I’ve wanted to give up, when the industry has felt too harsh or my health too fragile, she’s reminded me of who I am. She never tries to fix things for me—she just believes in me so deeply that I find the strength to believe in myself again. That kind of faith is unshakable.
She always says, “Don’t lose your softness.” In a world that can make you hard, especially in this industry, her words remind me that my vulnerability is not a weakness—it’s my gift.
There was a time I couldn’t sing—not physically, emotionally. I was broken. And she just sat beside me, day after day, saying nothing… just being there. One day, she softly hummed a tune we both loved, and without realizing it, I joined in. It was the first note I’d sung in weeks. That moment was more than healing—it was a reminder of what love sounds like.
