Rahema Alamada,[2] known mononymously as Alemeda, is a Sudanese-Ethiopian singer-songwriter.[1]
Alemeda | |
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Born | 2000 or 2001 (age 23–24)[1] Ethiopia |
Origin | Arizona |
Genres |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 2020–present |
Early life
editBorn in Ethiopia and raised in Arizona, her songs have been noted by music media writers to explore themes of love and relationships.[3][4][5] Her stage name stems from her last name, Alameda, which she elaborated as a "common name in the Gurage tribe in Ethiopia", of which her grandfather was of.[6] She stated that for her stage name, she changed the spelling to "Alemeda" to be more easily found online.[6] Growing up in a strict household, she was "alienated from music until the age of 10".[7] Describing herself as a "heavy Disney pop-punk kid" growing up,[6] she was inspired to make music by High School Musical.[1][8]
Career
editHer music blends "hyper-contemporary aesthetics with nostalgic R&B vibes".[3] In 2020, she appeared on "Slow Down", a song off the 2020 album New Beginnings by American rapper Reason.[9]
She independently released "Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows", a drum and bass song and her debut single in 2021.[5][8] She garnered popularity with it on TikTok,[3] though 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.[8]
In 2022, she released "Post Nut Clarity".[10] Also in 2022, she made guest appearances on Capacity to Love and Herbert, albums by Ibrahim Maalouf and Ab-Soul, respectively.[11][12]
In May 2023, she release "Ur So Full of It".[5] In July, she released "First Love Song".[8] She was spotlighted in a World Cafe playlist for Black History Month in 2024.[13] In February 2024, she released "Don't Call Me".[7] On the song, Consequence of Sound writer Mary Siroky stated that "the air of riot and revolution in ["Don't Call Me"] feels authentically cathartic".[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c Grove, Rashad (March 13, 2024). "5 Black Women To Watch In Alternative & Rock". BET. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ @alemeda (July 16, 2019). "Rahema Alameda" (Tweet). Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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 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 c Siroky, Mary; Consequence staff (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.
- ^ "Ab-Soul's 'Herbert' Album Gets LeBron James' Stamp of Approval". HipHopDX. December 19, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Perez, Miguel (February 2, 2024). "For Black History Month, World Cafe looks forward to 'Black Futures'". WXPN. Retrieved May 31, 2024.