Samia brings her ethereal presence to St. Louis.
- Michelle Zigler
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
September ended in just the way it should have with Samia closing out the month with her ethereal presence in St. Louis.
It was another night at The Pageant for me and I was eager to see how the night would play out. Samia was headlining at 9PM with Renny Conti, the Brooklyn-based indie singer and songwriter as the opener. In January of this year, Renny released his self-titled fourth album which the audience got to experience firsthand that evening.
Renny started things off with a laid-back introduction. In a red hoodie and sneakers, he brought a relaxed vibe in both his presence and his music – an easy-going guy is what instantly came to mind. His songs have a unique variety between them in the rhythm, but each still carry the same dreamy indie-folk consistency. One of my personal favorites from the album was “South Star” for its guitar chords that bring a sound reminiscent of 90s indie, and added the perfect amount of energy to balance the rest of Renny’s set.
As preparation began for Samia’s performance, the stage grew dark as the audience watched lightbulbs placed about begin to glow, instantly setting the mood. When she walked out, Samia was beaming, a big smile on her face as the venue erupted with cheers. The brief sounds of “Biscuits Intro” signaled it was time to start the show.
From Los Angeles, Samia Finnerty has been performing under the mononym “Samia” since 2017, releasing three albums characterized by her poetic and confessional style of singing and songwriting. Her lyrics are special as they read like a poem and rarely repeat, if at all; lacking a chorus, it challenges the listener to contemplate the writing more closely. Her voice is what seals it all together though, singing passionately and fueled with swirling emotions you can’t help but feel with her.
What I found to be so enjoyable about Samia’s performance was how she tailored the lighting and stage props to each of her songs. It wasn’t just like reading a poem, it was also like watching a play. A folding chair sat on the stage next to a large cooler with “Samia’s Cooler” labeled in black Sharpie sprawled across it. Samia would occasionally sit in the chair and lean her head back, a single light glowing purple around her as the music played on. Some of her songs would end abruptly, the music stopping at the same moment the lights would all go off, leaving the audience in complete silence and darkness. While Samia is clearly a talented musician, this live performance took her music to a new, incredible level.
Currently, Samia is on tour for Bloodless, her newest album released early this year. She will be touring until mid-November, and is expected to perform at Coachella in April 2026. If you’re a fan of her music but have yet to see her live, this is an artist that will give you a performance worth remembering.
