Meet the latest artist buzzing out of St. Louis
An eclectic youth movement has recently spawned in the St. Louis region seemingly out of nowhere. There is a palpable buzz throughout the city centered around a rise in unique, talented artist reclaiming what it means to be from the STL. Long gone are the days of the catchy dance inspired artist which garnered national attention over a decade ago. Now, a push for individuality has empowered our vast talent pool to create waves of their own.
Blossoming among the field, is an amazing 23 year-old vocalist by the name of Aida Ade. Her soulful and raw, but commanding voice is a fresh addition to a singing genre where it’s hard to stand out. Similar to her influences Erykah Badu and Chaka Khan, the vocals seem effortless but the tone is deep and heartfelt.
Many were introduced to Aida via battle rap legend Aye Verb’s “Beautiful Creature” music video. As impressive as Verb’s transition from punchline bully to song making artist continues to be, it was Aida Ade’s smooth hook that left you with goosebumps.
Besides being a classically trained violinist, the homegrown talent is also a songwriter with her own original acoustic performance videos and an official ode to St. Louis found on her YouTube channel. She followed her debut Soundwheel EP (2017) with a live performance at Urb Arts in late January commemorating her latest release, the Blue EP (2018). The packed house was treated to hear the four new tracks backed by the singer’s impressive band, An emotional performance of birthday joy and family loss brought the art gallery crowd into her world. Stuck firmly at center-stage, a long dress hiding black Old Skool Vans, Aida delivered an intimate performance with added context for each song delivered. Still at the genesis of her young career, and already extremely gifted, it’s exciting to see what growth and support will bless Aida, St.Louis, and the world with for years to come.
