Welcome to week number three of our special Women in Music May 2020 segment of posts. It has been great to write about different artists this month working to make their own mark in the music industry, and the world. I appreciate everyone who reads my blog. Many times I notice readers coming from some cities that I have to Google to find out where you live. That is special and I certainly appreciate you all. This week I am featuring another young artist on the rise with big aspirations. 24-year-old singer and dancer Samantha Ayanis Miller (pronounced Aye-yaun-is) is a dreamer, however some of those dreams have proved reality with her recent recordings and performances.
Young feminist Ayanis endeavors to relate to all women with her music, and she fits right in with the influx of new female artists making their way into our homes via recordings and videos. “I want to make music that’s fun. Music that makes you wanna tell somebody you love them. I’m gonna be an exciting, fun, sexy, cool girl on the block— who’s just being herself.”
Ayanis is successfully climbing the charts and finding new fans everyday. Moreover, her story and career provides an opportunity to highlight the business side of music. Hopefully, through this post maybe she can speak to the young girl looking to gain a place in this crazy business. Ayanis has come this far because of the success of artists that inspired her to push for a place in the arts.
Ayanis always knew she was destined to sing. Raised in Texas, and later Atlanta, Georgia, Ayanis grew up like so many other young women who later found their way to performance arts. She sang in church choir and did youth beauty pageants but decided at a young age that she was going to be a professional entertainer. “Gospel music and the choir was my first real introduction to music,” she says. “When I turned nine, I told my family that I wanted to be a singer.” Despite their skepticism, she performed at school talent shows, had a brief stint in a girl group at 14 and put out YouTube covers, including Bruno Mars’ “Billionaire” and Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe.” She laughs, looking back at those early videos. “Growth is real.” Indeed it is!
Even though Ayanis started in a common place to many other artists, there are some things about her that cannot be ignored. Things that are markedly different from others. Some things can’t be taught, and good or bad, it’s the world we live in.
As I prepared for this week by researching Ayanis I found a lot of people who also were viewing/hearing her for the first time like me. I wanted to hear their opinions of her musically. They didn’t offer much beyond comparisons to other artists. By now many long time readers of Weekly Music Commentary know that I do not like comparisons to other artists. I feel that each entertainer must deliver their unique art and that’s what I strive to highlight. Nevertheless, the comparisons are always made and they are repeated over and over until they become a part of the resume of the new artist.
Many compare young Ayanis to late singer/actress Aaliyah. Interestingly, Ayanis has embraced the likeness and even explains that her work is what inspired her early on. Why not? Aaliyah accomplished much in twenty-two years of life. Music and major movie roles made her one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, and still her music and movies are broadcast worldwide. However, Aaliyah died tragically in a plane crash almost twenty years ago. Still, young artists are inspired by her work. Ayanis is one of them for sure.
Remember I mentioned earlier that some things cannot be taught? That’s true. In fact, Aaliyah was a very beautiful woman. That fact was not lost on the masses of fans and those who were not as familiar with her work. Because of her beauty, she was able to parlay her recording success into those major movie roles. Many may downplay her talent because her beauty opened doors, but that is the way the entertainment business works. Natural beauty will get you in the door, but the talent is necessary to stay inside.
Without a doubt Ayanis is a very beautiful woman. This is the first thing many people notice upon first sight. Because Ayanis can sing and dance, the comparison is enhanced. The young singer still works hard at her craft hoping to one day break big into the industry. However, Ayanis was smart enough to understand that old saying; “beauty is only skin deep”. The quote can be traced to English poet Thomas Overbury meaning that physical beauty is superficial. Ayanis made moves early in life that lead me to believe she possibly listened to good advice, and made moves accordingly.
She enrolled at Georgia State University and majored in PR and journalism. “I knew I wanted to be an artist but I chose that because I could learn how the media would be.” In 2013, a cover posted to Instagram piqued the interest of songwriter/producer Mello The Producer. “He was the person who taught me how to record and taught me how to really be an artist.” She found a kindred spirit in Mello and the two cut several demos. “We have a bond musically.” Mello was working with August Alsina and others at the time. “Let’s make this a thing where we’re a team and help each other.”
Two years later, she linked with Atlantic Records’ VP of A&R Chris Jones and in 2017, she met artist and future collaborator Prince Charlez. “They gave me a chance and believed in me!” she says. Ayanis dropped out of college in 2017 to focus on music. Through her relationship with Jones and Charlez, she landed on the radar of Atlantic Records’ CEO/Co-Chairman Craig Kallman, who flew to Atlanta to meet with her personally. She had no clue that this meeting would prove her foot in the door. “I had been given a lot of nos, maybes and ‘we’ll get back to you’,” she remembers.
Even though Ayanis possesses natural beauty, notice that she still dealt with her share of rejection before gaining that foot in the door of the music industry. Her story of hard work and perseverance is what should stand as the model for the next young aspiring singer. In an interview she stated that all of this started seriously for her at fourteen. In between was a lot of work and development. Now she is ready to take off.
Ayanis has scored with some high-profile collaborations and an EP Direction creating a lot of buzz in industry circles. She completed the HBCU Homecoming tour during the 2018 homecoming season. Those performances helped her gain some traction and prepare her for the next phase in music.
She spoke of several people she hopes to work with in the future, and that would be good. There are two that might bring out the best for Ayanis. Pharrell and Timbaland could have the key to unlocking that unique sound that might further separate Ayanis from the pack. For now, the young singer continues to provide lyrics that speak to other women about love, relationships and female empowerment. We’ll wait for the rest of her story.