| Background: | person |
| Alemeda | |
| Birth Name: | Rahema Shifa Alameda |
| Birth Date: | December 1999[1] |
| Birth Place: | Ethiopia |
| Origin: | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Years Active: | 2020–present |
Rahema Shifa Alameda,[2] known mononymously as Alemeda, is a Sudanese-Ethiopian singer-songwriter.[3]
Alameda was born in Ethiopia and raised in Phoenix, Arizona.[4] [5] Her stage name stems from her last name, Alameda, which she elaborated is a "common name in the Gurage tribe in Ethiopia," of which her grandfather was a part. She changed the spelling to "Alemeda" to be more easily found online.[6] Growing up in a strict household, she was "alienated from music until the age of 10."[7] Describing herself as a "heavy Disney pop-punk kid" growing up, she was inspired to make music by High School Musical.[3]
Her music blends "hyper-contemporary aesthetics with nostalgic R&B vibes" and explores themes of love and relationships. In 2020, she appeared on "Slow Down", a song from the 2020 album New Beginnings by American rapper Reason.[8]
She independently released a drum and bass song called "Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows" as her debut single in 2021.[9] She garnered popularity with it on TikTok,[4] but stated it would probably be her only drum and bass song, as she later began adopting more of a pop, alternative rock, and indie sound in her music.[9]
In 2022, she released "Post Nut Clarity".[10] Also in 2022, she made guest appearances on Capacity to Love and Herbert, albums by Ibrahim Maalouf and Ab-Soul, respectively.[11] [12]
In May 2023, she released "Ur So Full of It".[13] In July, she released "First Love Song".[9] She was spotlighted in a World Cafe playlist for Black History Month in 2024.[14] In February 2024, she released "Don't Call Me", of which Consequence of Sound writer Mary Siroky stated that "the air of riot and revolution [...] feels authentically cathartic".[7]
On September 20, 2024, Alemeda was announced as the new signee to the Top Dawg Entertainment label, being signed in collaboration with Warner Records.[15] Her debut EP FK IT was released the same day.