Alewya

Alewya
Alewya performing in 2021
Born
Alewya Demmisse

Saudi Arabia
Modelling information
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Hair colourBrown
Eye colourBrown
Agency

Alewya Demmisse, known artistically as Alewya (pronounced ah-leh-wee-yah), is a British singer-songwriter, producer, multidisciplinary artist, and model.[2]

Biography

[edit]

Demmisse was born in Saudi Arabia to a Sudanese-raised Egyptian father and an Ethiopian mother.[3] She was brought up in Sudan before her family relocated to the UK as refugees when she was five and then grew up in West London. She is heavily influenced by her African and Arab roots. Her name means "the highest" in Amharic.[4][5]

She released her debut single "Sweating" in mid-2020. The song was produced by UK and Ghana-based production duo Busy Twist[6] and was mixed and mastered by Shy FX. The video accompanying the song includes some of her visual art and was directed by Jack Bowden. She later made a guest appearance in Little Simz's track "Where's My Lighter".

British entertainment website NME included Demmisse in its fifth edition of "The NME 100: Essential emerging artists for 2021" selection.[7]

The artist's second single, "The Code", was released on 17 March. It is a collaborative record with British drummer, producer and composer Moses Boyd, who also stars in the song's live performance video.[8][9]

In the summer of 2021, she supported rapper Little Simz on a tour across the UK.

Demmisse is also a sculptor and illustrator.[10] In March 2021, she starred in Tall Are the Roots, a short film directed by Fenn O'Meally for Byredo.[11]

In November 2021, Demisse performed "Ethiopia", a track from her EP Panther in Mode on A Colors Show.[12]

Modelling

[edit]

While dancing on the set of the film Kids in Love, she was discovered by Cara Delevingne, who got Demisse to sign with her modelling agency. At the time, Demisse had been accepted into King's College to study maths and philosophy and was working as a waitress and as a marketing assistant before the semester started. She was introduced and presented as "new model obsession" by Vogue in September 2014, and at that time her agencies were Women in New York and Storm in London.[13]

She walked the DKNY runway at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 in September 2014.[14]

Discography

[edit]

EPs

[edit]

Singles

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ "Alewya Demmisse – Model". MODELS.com.
  2. ^ "BBC Music Introducing in London – Featured Artist: Alewya – BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  3. ^ "One to watch: Alewya". the Guardian. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Alewya – Coeval Magazine". COEVAL. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  5. ^ "BBC Radio 6 Music – Lose Yourself with..., Alewya's Tour of 'Ethiogypt'". BBC. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  6. ^ Warner, Solly (11 December 2020). "Co-signed by Tiffany Calver 2021: Alewya". Notion. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  7. ^ "The NME 100: Essential emerging artists for 2021". NME. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  8. ^ Cr, Evan; ell (22 March 2021). "Alewya teams with Moses Boyd for powerful single "The Code"". Earmilk. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Qui est Alewya, la musicienne londonienne aux allures de gourou ?". Numéro Magazine (in French). Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  10. ^ Verney, Harriet (4 March 2020). "Alewya Demmisse is this decade's triple threat". LOVE. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Byredo Taps 3 Suitably Cool Young Creatives For A Short Film". British Vogue. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Alewya – Ethiopia | A COLORS SHOW". COLORSxSTUDIOS. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  13. ^ Satenstein, Liana (16 September 2014). "Alewya Demmisse, Discovered by Cara Delevingne, Is Our New Model Obsession". Vogue. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  14. ^ "DKNY Spring 2015 RTW – Runway". Vogue. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Alewya Releases Debut Project 'Panther In Mode'". Clash Magazine. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  16. ^ Helms, William Ruben (7 October 2021). "New Video: Rising Artist Alewya Returns with a Sultry and Playful Banger". The Joy of Violent Movement. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  17. ^ Dazed (9 June 2021). "Vote for Alewya on the #Dazed100". Dazed. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Alewya – Spotify".
  19. ^ "Alewya Drops Seismic New Single 'Jagna'". Clash Magazine. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  20. ^ Pareles, Jon; Herrera, Isabelia; Russonello, Giovanni; Zoladz, Lindsay (23 July 2021). "Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow's Prison Break, and 13 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  21. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (26 July 2021). "10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Luke Hemmings, The Linda Lindas, Indigo De Souza & More". Billboard. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Alewya's 'Play' Is A Phenomenal Marker". Clash Magazine. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
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