“When you listen to the EP, every song encompasses a different sound,” Ameerah told RemixdMag. “I really wanted to make sure that each song was distinctive but also cohesive to the theme of love.”
Ameerah is an independent artist that you should be on the lookout for. The rising songstress is based in Ontario, Canada and recently dropped her debut EP Vibes for the world to hear. The project showcases her singing ability and effortless vocal range.
She decided to pursue a career in music just last year in July 2019, after always realizing she had a passion for the art and had the ability to sing.
Ameerah’s sound can be described as versatile with no limits. Her 4-track EP serves as a great introduction to exactly what she is capable of, but also positions her as an artist with room for potential and growth. Nonetheless, Vibes is an impressive body of work that audiences can have on repeat.
A standout track on the EP is “In the Club,” where Ameerah creates a smooth, catchy song over a sonically pleasing melody.
Keep reading to learn more about Ameerah and stream Vibes below!
What is your artist name? What is your real name? How did you get your artist name?
My artist name is Ameerah and so is my real name. I decided to use my real name as my artist name because the name Ameerah is different and represents my Pakistani (South Asian) roots!
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
Throughout my whole life, I have been surrounded by a family of singers – from my great grandparents, to my grandparents and even my parents – they have definitely played a role in shaping my sound as an artist. As a Pakistani, most of my family would sing Hindi songs, so I was always used to the high soprano and classical sound – which allowed me to explore my range. Up until today, I try to learn how to sing classical Hindi music as a form of practice for my voice because it allows me to reach notes that sometimes western singers may not have explored. Growing up, my family had a very versatile music taste, but I primarily vibed with Hip-Hop and R&B. I would say my style and my sound is heavily influenced by a mix of old school and current Hip-Hop/RnB. As a singer, RnB is one of my favorite genres of music because the genre allows me to really hit notes, play with my vocals and explore new ways of singing. However, there is something about hip-hop that I’m obsessed with. I love the rhythm that hip-hop brings, I love the culture and how large the genre is – from drill, to Atlanta, to West/East Coast hip-hop, there is just so much versatility. I definitely think my love for both of these genres is what also helped to shape who I am as an artist and what kind of sound I bring to the table as an artist.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
To new readers, I would describe myself as an artist who uses her vocals in a versatile way without limits. To me, sticking to a specific genre is not my main concern. I think music is universal and is a form of expression – so I love to compose music with various types of beats and honestly just sing what my heart and mind is feeling. I want my listeners to be surprised and have a built up anticipation on what I’m releasing next. I love singing so much, that sometimes I want to sing pop, RnB and Hip-hop, so that’s why I want my readers/listeners to know that my music sound may be unexpected, but I will always incorporate my vocals.
What ultimately inspired you to dedicate yourself to a music career?
I think my passion and my love for music is what inspired me to dedicate myself to this career. Upon starting my career professionally, I was given an opportunity to record a song with DJ Rose Gold and Chillaa (Based in Mississauga) after I won a contest on Instagram. That was my first time ever being in a studio and from the moment I began to record, I knew I was on the right path. Everything came to me so easily – melodies, lyrics, the vibe – it was all there. I didn’t realize how much I loved to make music until I experienced myself creating in a studio. From that point on, I knew that if I loved this and it was something that came naturally to me – why not pursue this? Life is about being happy right? My whole life I aspired to become a singer and I finally had the opportunity to prove to myself that this was right for me. When I accomplished this milestone, It truly inspired me to keep reaching for the stars and really prove to myself what my true potential was.
What’s one reason you are passionate about music and what inspires you?
Growing up I used to move around a lot as a kid and It would be hard to adjust in new spaces and meet new people – I felt like I didn’t have stability in my life. The one thing that kept me sane and happy was music, because it never left me. To me, music is all about expression – it helped me cope when I was feeling happy, sad, excited, scared – I always admired how artists had the ability to really touch my heart and help me even when we didn’t know each other. I really feel like that inspired me even more to want to actually pursue music as a career. I want to create music that showcases how I express myself and what things are important to me. I want to be able to reach my fans and be personal with them, even if we don’t know each other. Music is my way of showing my emotions, feelings and expression. Being able to do something I love, while also tapping into my psyche is honestly so rewarding and important. I would say music is almost like my therapy, which is why I am so passionate about it. Music is who I am and I could never imagine myself without it.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
Growing up with music my whole life, I would say my musical influences are all over the place. Rihanna is one of my main musical influences because she screams versatility to me. As a fan, Rihanna always keeps me on my toes because I never know what to expect (and that’s a good thing!!). She’s so mysterious, and so talented, I love it. Plus, I love her fashion sense, and I respect her so much because she’s not only an artist, but a multi-business owner. I love to see women being successful! As an artist who doesn’t want to stick to just one genre of music, I definitely feel like Rihanna inspires me to step out of the box and try new sounds/experiment
Another musical influence of mine is Michael Jackson. During the pandemic I made an effort to research different artists and get to understand their creative process. When digging deeper into MJ I learned that he is really in tune with nature and people around him. MJ loved to take inspiration from happiness, emotions and animals. I felt like that was so peaceful and I really admired how something so simple gave him inspiration to create hits. It made me realize that sometimes the most simple things in life have the ability to impact you into creating something so bold.
Drake is also another big musical influence for me. The one thing i admire about Drake is that he is able to tap into the most recent music trends and add his own flavor, to make an amazing song. Being able to adapt is really important in the music industry. I feel like if you just stick to one specific way of singing and composing music, eventually people will begin to get bored because it’s repetitive. Drake has shown me that it’s really important to see what fans want and tap into it quickly.
What are some of your music career goals for the future?
Well my biggest goal is to become one of the most iconic and legendary artists. I want people to remember my legacy, but because of how my music has impacted them. I really hope that I am able to impact people in their lives and be there for them with my music. Asides from that, I would love to have the opportunity to perform at the Grammys, VMA’s, chart on the billboard top 10 (and lock in a #1 spot!). I would love to have my music featured in movies and TV shows. I want to sell out the Air Canada Centre and Madison Square Garden and just be an amazing performer. I hope that I will always continue to grow as an artist, never lose inspiration and never forget what i came from and what my roots represent – I want to stay authentic to myself.
Tell us about your latest EP Vibes. What’s it about?
Vibes is a collection of music that I have made during my first year of being a recording artist. I have spent about eight months perfecting and ensuring that every song on this EP represents a certain type of vibe/mood. When you listen to the EP, every song encompasses a different sound – I really wanted to make sure that each song was distinctive but also cohesive to the theme of love. The first song off of the EP is called “Drop to the Floor” – I was inspired by summer and my love for dancing when making this track. I love to go out and dance with my friends to good music and I felt like I wanted to also create a track that was upbeat, easy to understand and fun to dance to. The song discusses topics of love and follows this idea of dancing while in love. The second track is called “In the Club” – this song is more of a sweet love song. It talks about going to the club and pretty much being love struck and falling in love. This song really showcases vocals and also has a bit of an old school RnB vibe to it with the beat. The third song is called “Not the One.” This song is heavily influenced by my love for hip-hop. Not the one incorporates elements of sing rapping and pretty much talks about this concept of self-love and knowing what you want. I would say its a little more on the savage/Bad B vibe. And the final song is called Private dancer – this song is meant to be a nice end to the EP as its slow and mellow but kind of sexy. It discusses this idea of being a private dancer for your significant other and really showing them what’s good in the bedroom.
What has the response been like to that project?
The response for my EP has been amazing! I think this body of music really surprised people because they didn’t realize that I was about to go hard and mix up the genre of the EP. My fans told me that they appreciated the way I was able to tie in so many different elements into this EP. Personally, I think this EP was amazing and I’m really happy about it. However, my own criticism would be that I need to work on my writing. I think that I have the potential to be a great writer, but I need to start digging a little more deep – however, these are small steps in becoming the best version of myself … there is always room for improvement!
What are some projects you’ve done in the past that you are most proud of and why?
One song that I’m really proud of is my single called “After Hours.” I was going through this weird time with a guy I liked, but knew I couldn’t be with. So i decided to write a song about it and that’s how after hours formed. This song was probably one of the songs that got me recognized as an artist and showed listeners my true potential. I was able to really play around with my vocals, while staying true to myself as an artist.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for? Include some dates if you have them.
There are so many things I’m looking forward to, but to name a few – I am working towards creating some dope visuals. I don’t have an official music video released yet, so that is something I would love to accomplish by the end of 2020. I’ve been working in the studio trying to just write more, explore new sounds and hopefully come out with some more heat. No specific dates yet, but the anticipation is there! I can’t wait 🙂
What message do you hope fans take away from your music?I
hope my fans take away that exploring and experimenting is okay. I think sometimes fans expect an artist to have only one sound and get disappointed if the artist doesn’t meet their “specific” sound. But for me, I want my fans to know that there is art in music and expression in every song. Since every life experience is different, that means that there is potentially for every song to really encompass a different type of vibe. I want my fans to be comfortable with the uncertainty of what to expect next from me. I want them to be on their toes, but always know I will come through with the vocals.
Being a south Asian female, I want my fans to know that they can literally do anything they want in their life. May it be music, art, fashion – whatever makes them happy, I want them to know there is representation and that it doesn’t matter who you are, you can literally do anything you want – you just have to have passion!
Where can we follow you on social media?
My username is universal on all my socials! You can follow me on:
Instagram @RatedAmeerah
Twitter @RatedAmeerah
Tik-Tok @RatedAmeerah
Youtube @RatedAmeerah
FaceBook @RatedAmeerah
Make sure you check out Vibes below!
