SOMBR is the first face of CLASH 133. From the moment he first exploded onto the technicolour pop landscape, SOMBR – real name Shane Michael Boose – has had his finger on the proverbial pulse of popular culture. Beneath the eye-watering streaming figures and high-profile co-signs, however, lies a tender soul, someone who seeks independence at any cost. 2025 brought debut album ‘I Barely Know Her’ and a slew of international hits, with the coming year promising yet more twists and turns in his narrative. SOMBR lit up our screens at the BRIT Awards with a dazzling, instantly iconic performance, the entrancing opening salvo in a crucial year for this defining pop voice. CLASH gains an intimate audience with SOMBR live and direct from his New York home, and finds an artist who allows himself space to react, and move forwards. He tells us: “If you listen to my music, you can tell that I don’t have the answers. Just learn to move on. It'll take time and it’ll be hard, but you will get through it. Even if it’s ugly at times, it’s part of why life is also beautiful.” A rare and revelatory conversation, SOMBR adds: “I do not have any regrets. I hate when anyone tells me what to do. And that sums me up as a person.” Pre-order your copy now. Magazines will be shipping out from the UK from Friday 27th March 2025, please allow sufficient time for your copy to arrive if ordering internationally. --- Words: Sasha Mills Photographer: Aaron Crossman Styling: Harry Clements Creative Direction: Rob Meyers SOMBR wears Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.
