Alemeda is a force to be reckoned with, captivating over 59,000 followers on Instagram with her electrifying sound as she emerges in the music industry with her Indie Pop and Alternative Rock music. With the support of her fans, this Ethiopian-Sudanese songwriter and artist invites listeners to explore the wide range of emotions she layers throughout her music. She shared with GU, “I know that most of my music expresses a lot of anger, but I believe anger is a healthy emotion to feel. Especially as a Black woman, I feel like you’re not allowed to be angry. I’ve genuinely felt my whole life like you can’t be angry because it’s going to come off as ten times worse than anybody else’s. For me now, it’s like, bro, who cares? Just feel how you want to feel. Who’s going to say something?” This rising star released her debut EP, FK IT, in the fall of 2024, promoting themes of strength, self-love, and the importance of expressing true emotions as a means of self-improvement.
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Arizona, Alemeda grew up surrounded by two primary genres: Hip Hop and Rock. Having been one of the only Black children in every class, she often explored the world beyond her community online. Although her mother initially prohibited her from listening to music and encouraged her to stay indoors until she was older, Alemeda’s passion for music blossomed at the age of ten. Her curiosity to learn more about the world fueled her rebellious desire to explore music.
Growing up in a strict and religious household, Alemeda was inspired by her mother’s journey as a refugee who won a lottery ticket to come to America with her sister. Alemeda reflects on her mother’s perspective of that opportunity: “She thought of it as a very impossible chance,” Alemeda explains. This perspective shaped Alemeda’s belief that anything is possible, motivating her to leave home at the age of 17 to pursue her dreams.
Her musical journey began with releasing cover songs online and on SoundCloud, where she gained recognition through the support of her East African community. This led to an intern at TDE, who was also part of that community, discovering her music and reposting it. This ultimately led to her being signed at the age of 19, just five to six months later.
She further explains that her journey into music was both freeing and therapeutic, contributing significantly to her emotional growth as she grappled with imposter syndrome. “I just feel like I had a lot of emotions I wanted to let out… I didn’t know whether or not I was going to take music seriously because I was broke, working multiple jobs, and barely had time to really go to the studio. Getting that very rare lucky chance was like a sign that I’m in the right direction or I was meant to be here,” she told GU.
In her music videos, Alemeda aims to capture the essence of her upbringing in Arizona. “Growing up in Arizona was a significant influence on this project, which is why many of the songs are desert-themed and reflect my experiences,” she explained to GU. Laughing about the viral tweet regarding her video “Don’t Call Me,” she described it as an authentic portrayal of her journey. She clarified that she did not film that video in a motel she had personally been to and emphasized that the concept behind the tweet was a fictional scenario, but found it humorous.
In true Sagittarian fashion, Alemeda experimented with various sounds to develop her unique style. She ensures that each track she performs authentically embodies the emotions and essence of her music. In her songs, Alemeda is unapologetically authentic about her emotions. She expresses this sentiment in the line, “Fuck your therapist, she didn’t change a thing / You’re still everything you said you wouldn’t be” from her track “UR SO FULL OF IT.” Alemeda describes her musical process, saying she begins each song with a guitar loop, singing melodies that reflect her current emotions. She revealed that most of her songs are drawn directly from her diary, stating, “I have a diary where I write all my feelings, and I take that diary with me to the studio,” she shared with GU. Alemeda considers herself very hands-on with her production, reflecting her admiration for musicians who perform live. She also enjoys playing the guitar herself.
Through her sensational music, many have referred to her as embodying the nostalgic era of the 2000s. This led us to discuss her love for Disney and some of her favorite sitcoms and films. It felt like chatting with an old friend about our shared obsession with Hannah Montana, saying, “I was obsessed with Hannah Montana and Demi Lovato, especially her role in Camp Rock.” We also discussed her top three genres: pop, jazz, and rock, and some of her favorite albums. Alemeda shared, “I loved Amy Winehouse’s first project, Frank; Rihanna’s albums Good Girl Gone Bad and Rated R; Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream; and AM by Arctic Monkeys.” She also mentioned multiple favorite artists: “I loved Arctic Monkeys, and I think my favorite would have to be Paramore,” she told GU.
She described her EP FK IT as a representation of her growth, stating, “Just how I changed, grew, and moved throughout the world,” Alemeda explained. While the world is enthusiastic about Alemeda’s future, she shared with GU that she plans to release one more project. She also plans to tour with a few artists and perform at festivals from May to September. During this time, she will be streaming her existing music as well as new releases, giving it her all.