Rahema Shifa Alameda,[2] known mononymously as Alemeda, is a Sudanese-Ethiopian singer-songwriter.[3]
Alemeda | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Rahema Shifa Alameda |
| Born | December 1999[1] Ethiopia |
| Origin | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Genres | |
| Instrument |
|
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Labels | |
Early life
editAlamada was born in Ethiopia and raised in Phoenix, Arizona.[4][5][6] Her stage name stems from her last name, Alameda, which she elaborated is a "common name in the Gurage tribe in Ethiopia," of which her grandfather was a part.[7] She changed the spelling to "Alemeda" to be more easily found online.[7] Growing up in a strict household, she was "alienated from music until the age of 10."[8] Describing herself as a "heavy Disney pop-punk kid" growing up,[7] she was inspired to make music by High School Musical.[3][9]
Career
editHer music blends "hyper-contemporary aesthetics with nostalgic R&B vibes"[4] and explores themes of love and relationships.[5][6] In 2020, she appeared on "Slow Down", a song from the 2020 album New Beginnings by American rapper Reason.[10]
She independently released a drum and bass song called "Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows" as her debut single in 2021.[6][9] She garnered popularity with it on TikTok,[4] but stated it would probably be her only drum and bass song, as she later began adopting more of a pop, alternative rock, and indie sound in her music.[9]
In 2022, she released "Post Nut Clarity".[11] Also in 2022, she made guest appearances on Capacity to Love and Herbert, albums by Ibrahim Maalouf and Ab-Soul, respectively.[12][13]
In May 2023, she released "Ur So Full of It".[6] In July, she released "First Love Song".[9] She was spotlighted in a World Cafe playlist for Black History Month in 2024.[14] In February 2024, she released "Don't Call Me", of which Consequence of Sound writer Mary Siroky stated that "the air of riot and revolution [...] feels authentically cathartic".[8]
On September 20, 2024, Alemeda was announced as the new signee to the Top Dawg Entertainment label, being signed in collaboration with Warner Records.[15] Her debut EP FK IT was released the same day.
Discography
editExtended plays
edit- FK IT (2024)
References
edit- ^ Conteh, Mankaprr. "Meet Alemeda, the East African Pop Rocker Taking on an Iconic Rap Label". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ @alemeda (July 16, 2019). "Rahema Alameda" (Tweet). Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Grove, Rashad (March 13, 2024). "5 Black Women To Watch In Alternative & Rock". BET. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c Williams, Aaron (December 13, 2022). "Alemeda Is 'Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows' In An Attention-Grabbing 'UPROXX Sessions'". Uproxx. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ a b Wang, Steffanee (July 31, 2023). "Mitski's "Bug Like An Angel" & 9 Other New Songs Out This Week". Nylon. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Baird, Nicholas (May 12, 2023). "V's New Music Roundup: Remi Wolf, Victoria Monét, Alemeda and more". V. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c Johnson, Perry (July 8, 2023). "Alemeda releases her latest single "First love song"". Galore. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ a b Siroky, Mary (February 23, 2024). "Song of the Week: SZA's Musical Universe Expands with "Saturn"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Meara, Paul (August 31, 2023). "#OnTheVerge: Alemeda Intentionally Creates The Music She Wants, And It's Paying Off Big Time". BET. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Mench, Chris (October 9, 2020). "Read All The Lyrics To Reason's Debut Album 'New Beginnings'". Genius. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Major, Michael (February 23, 2024). "Pop's Newest Princess Alemeda Releases Breakup Anthem 'Don't Call Me'". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ "Ibrahim Maalouf with Special Guest Angélique Kidjo LIVE At The Grammy Museum July 27, 2023". KPFK. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Saponara, Michael (December 19, 2022). "Ab-Soul's 'Herbert' Album Gets LeBron James' Stamp of Approval". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Perez, Miguel (February 2, 2024). "For Black History Month, World Cafe looks forward to 'Black Futures'". WXPN. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Mamo, Heran. "TDE, Warner Records Sign Alt-Pop Singer Alemeda". Billboard. Retrieved 20 September 2024.