The Emirati-British singer is stepping into a new chapter with a sound that brings together pop, R&B, dance and Arabic influences. But behind her confident debut is a young woman who has been dreaming of this moment since childhood. Before ALYA became a recording artist preparing to introduce her music to the world, she was a little girl in Dubai, singing around the living room with a television remote for a microphone.
One of her earliest memories is singing along to Adele’s debut album, "19", when she was just three or four years old. Music was already a big part of her life, thanks in part to her mother, whom she watched perform while growing up. Looking back, ALYA says there was never one defining moment when she decided to pursue music. It was something she had always imagined herself doing.“I think I always knew, in some way, that performing was what I wanted to pursue,” she says.Now 21, the Emirati-British singer is taking a major step towards that dream with “Lemonade”, her official debut single and the first release from her forthcoming debut EP through gamma.
The track introduces an artist who is playful, confident and ready to explore what pop music can sound like when different cultures meet. Blending pop, R&B and dance with Arabic-influenced percussion, “Lemonade” offers a glimpse into ALYA’s world without asking listeners to understand every part of her story just yet.“I wanted to introduce myself through something that makes you want to have fun, dance and sing along,” she says.For ALYA, the single is about making a first impression on her own terms.
Finding her sound in a world of influences
Growing up in Dubai, with an Emirati father and a British mother, gave ALYA access to different cultures, sounds and ways of seeing the world. Rather than feeling the need to choose one side of her identity, she has learned to embrace both.That mix is reflected in her musical taste. Her childhood listening included jazz, soul, R&B, rock, opera, pop, Arabic music, UK garage and drum and bass. She was also inspired by the live music scene in Dubai, including performances by local artist ABRI.These influences helped shape her understanding of music and continue to inform the artist she is becoming.
“There were definitely times growing up where I felt like I was between two worlds, but I’ve always embraced both sides of my identity,” she says.That sense of belonging to more than one culture has become an important part of her creative direction. ALYA wants to make music that can reach people across the world while remaining connected to where she comes from.“I don’t want to put myself into one box or feel like I have to choose between the two,” she says.
“I want to take all of those influences and make music that feels like me.”It is an approach that feels particularly important as she begins introducing herself to a wider audience. ALYA believes music from the Middle East is often expected to fit a particular sound or style, overlooking the variety of talent and creativity coming from the region.She hopes her work can challenge that perception.“I don’t want to hide where I come from to make my music more accessible. I want to bring that part of me with me.
”For her, Arabic music is more than an influence to add to a pop production. It carries a feeling of home. While working on “Lemonade” with production team Afterhrs, she introduced the team to traditional Arabic music and artists such as Rashed Al Majid and Miami Band to help communicate the sound and feeling she wanted. The goal was not to make a choice between her heritage and a contemporary global sound, but to show how the two could exist together.
From Dubai to Los Angeles Recording
“Lemonade” in Los Angeles was another important moment in ALYA’s journey. For the young singer, the experience meant fulfilling a childhood dream of travelling to Hollywood to create music. Working with Afterhrs, whose credits include projects for artists such as Teddy Swims, Maroon 5 and One Direction, also gave her an opportunity to learn from experienced international creatives.She describes the process as smooth, creative and enjoyable, with a natural connection in the studio.“Everything just clicked the way it was meant to, and when you have those moments in the studio where everything comes together so naturally, it really does feel like magic,” she says.
The experience encouraged her to think bigger about what she could achieve while trusting her own instincts. It also gave her room to develop the ideas she already had, learning more about songwriting, production and how a track comes together.For an artist still finding her place in a competitive industry, those lessons matter. ALYA has been creating music since she was 14, a journey that has included experimenting with different sounds, making mistakes and learning what feels authentic to her. She understands that the music industry is crowded with talented people, but believes the answer is not to become a copy of someone else.“I don’t need to compete with everyone else. I just need to be the most authentic version of myself,” she says.It is a simple idea, but one that has guided her as she moves into this new phase of her career.
More than a song you can dance to
ALYA’s background in dance and acting gives her a different way of approaching music. She does not think only about how a song sounds. She also considers how it might feel, how it could look on screen and how she might bring it to life on stage.When she hears a track she connects with, she can already begin imagining the movement, visuals and performance that could accompany it.“Music, dance and acting all work together to tell the story,” she explains.That thinking is central to “Lemonade”, which comes with a visual identity designed to show another side of her performance skills.
Developing the choreography pushed her beyond her comfort zone, even when the process proved challenging for her and her dancers.Rather than seeing those difficulties as setbacks, she embraced them as part of the work.The choreography is different from what she has done before, and she hopes it will give audiences a better understanding of what she can do as a performer.For ALYA, growth means continuing to challenge herself rather than repeating what already works. Each project offers another opportunity to discover something new about her abilities.That ambition extends to the music itself.
Her forthcoming EP will bring together old-school pop influences and modern production, drawing inspiration from artists such as Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Beyoncé.She describes the project as a taste of what is to come, rather than a complete statement of who she is as an artist. With a wide-ranging musical taste and a willingness to experiment, she expects her sound to continue changing as she grows.“I feel like my sound will become something that’s completely my own, almost like its own genre,” she says.
A new chapter with gamma
Signing with gamma. marks another milestone in ALYA’s career. She says the company believed in her vision from the beginning and has played an important role in bringing “Lemonade” to life.Having that support behind her debut EP gives her confidence as she prepares for the next stage of her journey.It is also a moment that has encouraged her to pause and appreciate how far she has come. ALYA admits that she is often so focused on what comes next that she sometimes forgets to recognise what she has already achieved.For someone who has spent years working towards a career in music, the release is a reminder that the dream she had as a child is becoming a reality. Yet she does not see this new chapter as leaving her past behind.
The dancer, actress, daughter and Dubai girl who once sang into a television remote are all still part of her.“I don’t feel like I’m leaving those younger versions of myself behind. I’m taking all of them with me,” she says.That perspective helps explain why she is so determined to carry her cultural background into her music. Her identity is not something she needs to put aside to reach a wider audience. It is part of what she brings to the table.
Getting to know the woman behind “Lemonade”
For all the confidence and energy of her debut single, ALYA says there is another side to her that listeners may not immediately recognise. People who discover her through “Lemonade” might expect her everyday personality to match the song’s lively, outgoing energy. In reality, she describes herself as more chilled and laid-back, someone who enjoys laughing, relaxing and not taking everything too seriously.
She is also thoughtful about what she creates and cares deeply about the people around her.“I think there’s a much more thoughtful side to me that people won’t necessarily get from one song,” she says. It is a reminder that a debut single can only tell part of an artist’s story. “Lemonade” introduces ALYA through movement, confidence and a playful sense of fun, but there is much more to discover as her music develops.
For now, she is focused on enjoying the journey, learning from the people around her and building a sound that feels true to who she is. Her ambition is to reach audiences beyond Dubai without losing the influences that shaped her. If listeners discover a little more about her home, her culture and her personality along the way, that will be part of the reward. With “Lemonade”, ALYA is not trying to fit into an existing mould. She is beginning to create her own space in pop music, bringing her different worlds together and inviting listeners to come along for the ride.
