Published on April 18th, 2022 | by Tallie Spencer

Aiya Kareem: From pop-songwriter to a New Sound in R&B

As a successful songwriter, Aiya Kareem has contributed to many artists’ musical careers. From highly commercial pop song productions like the soundtrack for Dutch kids movie “Meesterspion”: Give You All I Got, performed by The Voice of Holland winner, Maan to ghostwriting forfamous Dutch tv-personality, Arjen Lubach’s alter-ego: Hartebees, and even co-writing submissions for the Eurovision Songfestival. Aiya had a very lucrative songwriting career in the Netherlands, before becoming the break-out neo-soul artist we know and love today.

Writer

To make it as a writer, you really have to figure out how to stand your ground, but also how to compromise. As a songwriter, you get to join so many tables and your input might not always make it to the final product. You learn to deal with setbacks and all different types of people. That’s why, for Aiya Kareem, crossing over from songwriting to performing went rather seamlessly. She’d already known the business inside-out.

Collaborations

In Amsterdam, the main breeding ground for everything music-related in Holland, Aiya Kareem is a known entity when it comes to songwriting and production. In her hometown, once you’ve done noteworthy collaborations, the tale of your talent spreads like a wildfire. Because of her work ethic and unique contributions, she was asked to write the anthem for the Dutch national women’s soccer team. The song was performed by Dutch pop-singer Elize and the project made several headlines.

Headlines

Her work for Eurovision Songfestival-contenders O’gene, did not go unnoticed either. Even ghostwriting and -singing the single ‘Summer Go’, by deep-house artist Hartebees, garnered nationwide attention. Because of her recognizable skill and sound, she was also recruited to write the soundtrack for Dutch kids’s movie ‘Meesterspion’, sung by The Voice of Holland winner, Maan. Maan is a hugely successful recording artist in the Netherlands and mentioned that she loved working with Aiya Kareem for her creativity and talent.

Aiya Kareem

Crossing over from songwriting to being a recording artist herself, Aiya Kareem had to really differentiate herself and her sound from her previous work. She’s familiar with both the US and the European market. Luckily, authenticity is her second nature and her sound is something that comes from deep within herself. Her slightly raspy, yet mature and soulful voice fits perfectly within the wave of female r&b artists such as H.E.R., Summer Walker and SZA.

City on Lockdown

Debuting her own original work, she started off with a song that describes a sentiment most of us are able to relate to. In City on Lockdown, she sings about distant love. It’s catchy hook and melodic verses will stay with you throughout the day after hearing the song. It’s that brilliant songwriting we already knew from her earlier work, but combined with a unique sound that comes at the exact right timing in the R&B scene. With City on Lockdown giving us a little taste of what we can expect from her as a recording artist, we’re more than excited to see what’s coming next.

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