Samara Cyn
{{Short description|American musician}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Samara Cyn
| birth_name = Samara Henderson
| birth_place = Murfreesboro, Tennessee
| years_active = 2019–present
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of dates | 26 | 2024 | 11 | 26 | 26 | 2025 | 05 | 10 }}
}}
Samara Henderson,{{Cite web|url=https://www.grimygoods.com/2024/05/20/artists-you-should-know-samara-cyn/|title=Artists you Should Know: Samara Cyn |website=Grimygoods.com |language=en-US |access-date=2025-04-13 |date=2024-05-20 |archive-date=2024-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525021543/https://www.grimygoods.com/2024/05/20/artists-you-should-know-samara-cyn/ |url-status=live}} known professionally as Samara Cyn ({{IPAc-en|s|ɪ|n}}), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. In 2024, she released her debut EP, The Drive Home.{{Cite magazine |last=Okusanya |first=Emanuel |title=Samara Cyn is Rap's next trailblazer, insider her debut album "The Drive Home" |url=https://www.ebony.com/samara-cyn-is-raps-next-trailblazer-inside-her-debut-ep-the-drive-home/ |access-date=2025-04-13 |magazine=Ebony |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-10-31 |date=2024-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241031005944/https://www.ebony.com/samara-cyn-is-raps-next-trailblazer-inside-her-debut-ep-the-drive-home/ |url-status=live}}
Early life and education
Samara Henderson was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.{{Cite magazine |last=Jordan |first=Meagan |title=Samara Cyn is keeping it moving |date=2025-03-19 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/samara-cyn-rapper-new-music-interview-1235290444/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319135547/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/samara-cyn-rapper-new-music-interview-1235290444/ |url-status=live}} Growing up, she also lived in Augusta, Georgia, El Paso, Texas, Hawaii and Colorado.{{cite news |last1=Siber |first1=Alex |title=Best New Artists |url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/a/alex-gardner/best-new-artists-spring-2024 |access-date=23 May 2025 |publisher=Complex |date=30 May 2024}} Her mother was an English teacher and her father was in the army, which caused the family to relocate frequently. She began writing poetry in fifth grade when she was bored,{{Cite magazine |last=Gee |first=Andre |title=Samara Cyn took a nomadic journey to her viral breakthrough |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/no-filler-november-best-indie-rap-1235181090/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241126161938/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/no-filler-november-best-indie-rap-1235181090/ |url-status=live}} encouraged by her mother, who introduced her to Brave New Voices. Her interest in poetry developed while attending Arizona State University,{{Cite magazine |last=Rose |first=Jordan |title=Four Sight: Samara Cyn is Rejecting All Musical Boundaries |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/j-rose/samara-cyn-music-interview |access-date=2025-04-12 |magazine=Complex |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250412175647/https://www.complex.com/music/a/j-rose/samara-cyn-music-interview |url-status=live}} where she performed at Poetic Soul, a weekly open mic. After a night out in her second year of college, while her friends were rapping, she rapped one of her poems to a beat and discovered a love for music.{{Cite magazine |last=Chaudhry |first=Aliya |title=Meet the C24 Artists: Samara Cyn |url=https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/samara-cyn-c24-meet-the-artists-3772491 |access-date=2025-04-12 |magazine=NME |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250316023834/https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/samara-cyn-c24-meet-the-artists-3772491 |url-status=live}}
Career
After writing her first song in 2019, Cyn performed her first live show in November of that same year. In November 2021, she opened for Teddy Swims in Arizona. In 2024, she opened for Isaiah Rashad on his Cilvia Demo 10 Year Anniversary Tour.{{cite news |last1=Hussain |first1=Shahzaib |title=Samara Cyn’s ‘Chrome’ Surveys Artistic Truths |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/samara-cyns-chrome-surveys-artistic-truths/ |access-date=19 May 2025 |publisher=Clash Music |date=9 June 2024}}
After releasing her debut EP The Drive Home in 2024, she was cosigned{{when|date=April 2025}} by Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill. In November 2024, she opened for Nas on his Illmatic 30-year anniversary tour in London.{{cite news |last1=Duldulao |first1=Marissa |title=25 Artists to Watch in 2025 |url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/a/alex-gardner/25-artists-to-watch-2025 |access-date=23 May 2025 |publisher=Complex |date=29 January 2025}} In March 2025, Cyn performed with Hill at the Jazz in the Gardens Festival in Miami.{{Cite magazine |last=Okusanya |first=Emanual |date=2025-03-10 |title=Doechii and Samara Cyn joined Lauryn Hill onstage at Miami's Jazz in the Gardens Festival |url=https://www.ebony.com/doechii-and-samara-cyn-joined-lauryn-hill-onstage-at-miamis-jazz-in-the-gardens-festival/ |access-date=2025-04-13 |magazine=Ebony |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250310204433/https://www.ebony.com/doechii-and-samara-cyn-joined-lauryn-hill-onstage-at-miamis-jazz-in-the-gardens-festival/ |url-status=live}} At the 2025 South by Southwest festival, Cyn won the Grulke Prize for Developing U.S. Act.{{cite web |title=The Grulke Prize |url=https://www.sxsw.com/festivals/grulke-prize/ |publisher=SXSW |access-date=23 May 2025}} Starting on April 23, 2025 in Vancouver, Cyn supported Smino on his Kountry Kousins tour through North America,{{cite news |last1=Bernstein |first1=Elaina |title=Smino and Samara Cyn To Hit the Road on 'Kountry Kousins' Tour |url=https://hypebeast.com/2024/12/smino-samara-cyn-kountry-kousins-tour-info |access-date=23 May 2025 |publisher=Hypebeast |date=11 December 2024}} during which they would release the single Brand New Teeth. {{cite news |last1=Ibrahim |first1=Shamira |title=Samara Cyn Is All Fired Up |url=https://www.thecut.com/article/samara-cyn-ep-music-interview.html |access-date=5 June 2025 |publisher=The Cut |date=30 May 2025}} Her second EP, Backroads, {{Update after|2025|06|20|text=is set to be released}} on June 20, 2025.
Discography
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Album details |
| scope="row"| The Drive Home
|
|
|---|
= Singles =
- "Backseat" (2022)
- "Pride's Interlude" (2023)
- "Auto-Pilot" (2023)
- "Wake Up" (2023)
- "Moving Day" (2024)
- "Magnolia Rain" (2024)
- "Katana" (2024)
- "Chrome" (2024)
- "Sinner" (2024)
- "Pop n Olive" (2025)
- "Bad Brain" (2025)
- “Brand New Teeth” (2025) (with Smino)
= Guest Appearances =
- "Janky Moral Compass" (2025) (Ray Vaughn featuring Samara Cyn & Sydney Leona)
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cyn, Samara}}
Category:African-American women rappers
Category:21st-century American songwriters
Category:21st-century American women rappers
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:People from Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Category:Singers from Tennessee