| Background: | person |
| Alemeda | |
| Birth Place: | Ethiopia |
| Origin: | Arizona |
| Years Active: | 2020–present |
Rahema Alamada,[1] known mononymously as Alemeda, is a Sudanese-Ethiopian singer-songwriter.[2]
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Arizona, her songs have been noted by music media writers to explore themes of love and relationships.[3] Her stage name stems from her last name, Alameda, which she elaborated as a "common name in the Gurage tribe in Ethiopia", of which her grandfather was of. She stated that for her stage name, she changed the spelling to "Alemeda" to be more easily found online.[4] Growing up in a strict household, she was "alienated from music until the age of 10". Describing herself as a "heavy Disney pop-punk kid" growing up,[4] she was inspired to make music by High School Musical.[2]
Her music blends "hyper-contemporary aesthetics with nostalgic R&B vibes".[5] In 2020, she appeared on "Slow Down", a song off the 2020 album New Beginnings by American rapper Reason.[6]
She independently released "Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows", a drum and bass song and her debut single in 2021.[7] She garnered popularity with it on TikTok,[5] though 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.[7]
In 2022, she released "Post Nut Clarity".[8] Also in 2022, she made guest appearances on Capacity to Love and Herbert, albums by Ibrahim Maalouf and Ab-Soul, respectively.[9] [10]
In May 2023, she release "Ur So Full of It".[11] In July, she released "First Love Song".[7] She was spotlighted in a World Cafe playlist for Black History Month in 2024.[12] In February 2024, she released "Don't Call Me".[13] On the song, Consequence of Sound writer Mary Siroky stated that "the air of riot and revolution in ["Don't Call Me"] feels authentically cathartic".[13]