#IMMusicMondays: 10 Questions with… Aya Bleu

Manchester-born artist Aya Bleu has been singing from a young age and is now fully immersed in her musical journey. From performing backing vocals for other artists to singing on cruise ships, the experience is wide-ranging. But recently, she’s shifted focus toward establishing herself as a solo artist. The singer’s R&B-rooted vocals, delivered with a pop sensibility and a whole lot of self-assurance, have been turning heads. She even earned a feature on BBC Introducing on 1Xtra in 2022.

In this Q&A, Aya Bleu opens up about her deep-rooted connection to Manchester, the story behind the upcoming single ‘Pressure‘, and what it was like singing backing vocals for Rod Stewart.

Manchester has a legendary musical history, and your Instagram bio suggests you’re a proud Mancunian. Would you say growing up there influenced your love for music?

I am a very proud Mancunian, and I literally scream ‘0161’ everywhere I go. I have to be honest and say that the actual city didn’t influence my love for music. But, I would say that the struggle of where I grew up did. I love Manchester so much but being from the ‘hood’ really gave me that drive to want to be somebody, because nobody at that time had dreams outside of what they had already seen. I’ve always felt a sense of being an outsider here, but at the same time, there’s nowhere else in the world I could ever call home.

Do you have a favourite Mancunian band or artist?

My favourite Mancunian band has to be Oasis – super iconic.

Performing at the iconic Maida Vale Studios for BBC Radio 1Xtra’s R&B Cypher recently must have been an incredible experience – what was that like for you?

Maida Vale was such a surreal experience for me. So many legendary artists have performed there so to do it myself was such an honour. Shoutout to Theo Johnson and Kayah at BBC 1Xtra for always supporting my journey, because without them I would never have had that opportunity. 

Your recent songs were produced by OiPower (who gets a shoutout at the start of ‘Diamonds‘) and co-written with The Hit Brothers. What do they each bring to your creative process?

All 3 of the guys are so amazing to work with. I have worked with Power since my first single ‘Do me like that’, and we gelled right away because he just understands all genres of music and he allows me to create how I want to create. We have so many amazing songs together. Me and The Hit Brothers have been working together for a couple of years too and bringing them in with me and Power just created another dimension to the sound. People always ask me what it is like working with males and I absolutely love it – we all have our role and when we come together it’s magical, the music speaks for itself. 

Can you share a bit about how your upcoming single, ‘Pressure‘, came to life? Is it part of a larger project, like an EP or album?

‘Pressure‘ came to life from a real-life situation and it talks about a connection between two people, each bound by different circumstances. Despite their efforts to stay apart, they always find themselves returning to each other. It’s a song that speaks of the complexity of desire, the pain of separation, and the undeniable bond that keeps them coming back for more. When I started writing it, I was speaking of a situation that happened the night before, so the lyrics came really naturally to me. The producer on this is a very talented producer from London, called F1 – we actually have a few songs together which I cannot wait to release. The Hit Brothers also assisted with the production and writing, along with a girl called Tinkz, so the outcome was inevitable. 

Social media engagement plays a big role for emerging artists – how important is it for you to connect with an audience online?

My connection with an audience online is very important because at the end of the day, you are trying to sell something to people who do not know you, so being able to connect with fans is important to me. The comment I get most is that people like how I am totally myself on social media and that is really important to me as I wouldn’t want people to invest in something that is not authentically me. 

You’ve shared some incredible short covers on your socials. If you could professionally record a cover of any song, which one would it be and why?

Ahhh, thank you so much. That’s a really good question … at the moment I am in my lover girl era, so I would love to record a cover of ‘EX’ by Kiana Ledé – her pen game is amazing. 

What is your experience with vocal training – have you had professional coaching, or are you self-taught?

I have never had professional singing lessons, but I did go to a music university called BIMM, which helped me develop my voice, as it pushed me to sing songs I would never normally sing.

Singing backing vocals for well-known artists must have come with some memorable moments. Are there any standout experiences, and did being in the background fuel your desire to step into the spotlight?

There have been many standout experiences doing backing vocals. It’s most definitely one of my favourite things to do as I love singing with other people and hearing the blend and the texture of voices. I would say a standout moment for me (was) going to Rod Stewart’s house and recording some backing vocals on his album. It made me realise that even at such a high level, all artists create the same way we create, and it was really nice to watch. He was also such a humble man. Doing backing vocals did fuel my desire to be in (the) spotlight because I know it’s something I am capable of. I would love the world to enjoy listening to my music as much as I enjoy making it, and I love performing live too.

Having performed at some amazing venues and festivals already, is there a dream venue or festival – whether in the UK or anywhere in the world – that would be the ultimate goal to play?

I know this is going to sound like a very boring answer, but one of my dream venues is the AO Arena (once called the M.E.N Arena). I say this because I actually used to work there. It’s crazy because I used to volunteer to take the bins down to the back of the arena (because that’s where the tour buses parked up), and I would stand there for ages and just stare at buses, and just say, “One day I will be on the other side of it.” So, it would be cool to have a full circle moment.  

Lastly, what is a song or artist you’re loving right now that our readers should check out?

My ultimate song at the minute is Crush by Jorja Smith and AJ Tracey, but I’m sure the whole world has heard it now (lol). If the readers want to check out some Aya Bleu music that would be great. 

Pre-save Bleu’s new single, ‘Pressure’ (released on April 25th).

Aya Bleu is on Instagram, Threads, and TikTok. You can find more interviews here and stream Bleu’s recent tracks below.

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