Ayanis always knew she was destined to sing. From Texas-Atlanta Raised, singer and dancer Ayanis (pronounced Aye-yaun-is) is a dreamer.

“When I turned nine, I told my family that I wanted to be a singer.”

In 2013, a cover posted to Instagram piqued the interest of songwriter/producer Pendrick.

“He was the person who taught me how to record and taught me how to really be an artist.” She found a kindred spirit in Pendrick and the two cut several demos. “We have a bond musically.” Pendrick was working with August Alsina and others at the time.

She linked with Atlantic Records’ VP of A&R Chris Jones and in 2017, she met artist and future collaborator Prince Charlez. “They gave me a chance and believed in me!” she says. Through her relationship with Jones and Charlez, she landed on the radar of Atlantic Records’ CEO/Co-Chairman Craig Kallman, who flew to Atlanta to meet with her personally. She had no clue that this meeting would prove her foot in the door. “I had been given a lot of nos, maybes and ‘we’ll get back to you’,” she remembers.

The dream is now reality. Ayanis signed with island Prolific/Atlantic Records in December 2017. Her self-titled EP is slated to be released fall 2018 and lead by the girl power single, “FIYT” (Fuck Is You Thinking).” “It’s a feminist record with a lot of dynamics. It’s fresh, fun R&B. Every woman out there can relate,” she says.