Today we’d like to introduce you to Aayla.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Aayla. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in a small town called Morton, IL. I started my musical journey at the young age of two years old. Ever since then, I’ve been singing and been surrounded by music almost my entire life. My father was/is one of the biggest inspirations and influences to me. He put me on to the most popular music of past generations. Everyone from The Beach Boys to The Temptations, Bill Withers, The Four Seasons, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Etta James, etc. So I was exposed to Rock, R&B, Pop at a young age, which has truly shaped me into the artist/songwriter I am today. I pull a lot of my musical inspiration from old school soul and R&B, as that’s my favorite genre by far. My father and I would go sing at open mic nights or karaoke together, he would play the guitar and we would duet.
Those were my early memories of performing and sharing my gift with others. I kept at music consistently and after high school, I decided to start using social media platforms to post covers and content of me singing. That’s when I first saw the impact I could have, as I accumulated over 1,200,000 views on FaceBook, 47k+ YouTube views, 40k+ Twitter views, 80k plays on SoundCloud, and 100,000+ views on Instagram. I began taking my career seriously and decided to move from IL to Los Angeles, CA, at the age of 19 years old to pursue my dream. Then shortly after I moved to Atlanta, GA, where I was surrounded by an abundance of talent and began collaborating with many amazing producers, songwriters, artists, and others in the industry. I’m constantly growing, learning, and fully dedicating myself to my craft every single day. I’m also currently working on and soon releasing my debut EP, which consists of talented, grammy-nominated accredited veterans in the game. Elevating my sound to a different plateau. I’m so excited and anxious to put out my first project and share a piece of me with all my current and potential supporters. Only bigger and better things to come.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think there is ever a smooth road in any area of life. There is always going to be obstacles, struggles, and roadblocks in your way, but it’s really about how you handle them. I’ve had times where I’ve doubted myself or rethought my desires and wants in life as an artist, as many of us do. No matter how many times I fail or don’t receive the outcome I’m looking for in this industry, it pushes me to be better and it helps me grow as an artist and just as a young woman in general. I can’t stay away from music for too long anyway, I’ve tried before and it never lasts. Music is in me forever and as long as I can share my voice and my words with the world, hopefully touching someone positively through the process, then it’s all worth it to me. To any upcoming or aspiring creators, just keep at it and stay perfecting your craft, everything will fall into place at the right time! Patience is key.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is subjective, but for me personally, it is able to wake up and do what I’m passionate about every single day. To fulfill my purpose and to give back to my loved ones for their unconditional love and never-ending support. Everybody has their own definition and I say as long as you’re happy, nobody can define your success but YOU.
Contact Info:
- Email: aaylaofficial@gmail.com
-
Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/onlyaayla/ -
Twitter: https://mobile.
twitter.com/onlyaayla
Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
