AINA is a 16-year-old singer-songwriter with a bright future thanks to her versatility. Hailing from California, the young star’s career has just begun with the release of multiple singles, including “Lightnin’” and “Hauntd,” as well as a poetry book titled “You Don’t Know Me.”
Some of AINA’s musical inspirations include Taylor Swift, arguably the number one person aspiring singer-songwriters look to learn from, and the late great “Unforgettable” singer Nat “King” Cole. With inspirations like these, AINA has a knack for learning from the best, as Swift and Cole are two of the most successful and talented musicians the world has ever seen.
To add to this point, some of her poetic inspirations include the late great Maya Angelou and the late great Robert Frost; both Angelou and Frost are world-renowned and should be credited as two individuals who have given more of a voice to the poetry community.
Back to “Lightnin’,” AINA not only sang the song but also produced and wrote the track; with it being her producing debut, AINA’s versatility continues to blossom at such an early point in her career.
The teen singer-songwriter sat down with Celeb Secrets to let us in on what it was like working on Lightnin’, her mixture of poetry and music writing, and her eagerness to perform her music in front of crowds!
Read the full Q&A below and let us know your thoughts on AINA and what you want to see from her next! You can connect with AINA by giving her a follow on Instagram & Twitter at @aina_xl.
https://twitter.com/aina_xl/status/1488137453261111304?s=20&t=Dl7gIPilXEiErgtMmlZcmA
Celeb Secrets: Hi AINA! Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. For people that aren’t familiar with you and your journey, can you talk to us about what sparked the interest in pursuing music?
AINA: “Thank you for having me! I started writing poems and songs long before I even dreamed to start pursuing music. One day, I decided to take a chance and start releasing my songs.”
CS: Who would you say are your musical inspirations?
A: “So many different artists inspire me from all different eras but, some of my biggest inspirations have to be Billie Holiday, Taylor Swift, and Nat “King” Cole.”
CS: For people that haven’t heard your songs yet, how would you describe your sound?
A: “My sound is pop, mellow and at the same time, energetic.”
CS: Can you talk to us about your song “lightnin” – what can fans expect from it when listening?
A: “You can definitely find yourself thinking about your crush while rocking out to my song.”
CS: Do you have a favorite memory from making the song?
A: “This song was the first song I tried to produce which really created so many memories. The day I began producing the song, I sat by the computer all day, experimented with every single sound and tried every trick I knew.”
CS: In addition to making music, we know that you also write poems. Who are some of your favorite poets?
A: “There are so many wonderful poets! I enjoy reading Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and many more.”
CS: What’s your favorite poem that you’ve ever written?
A: “I have many more poems that I haven’t even published yet. I don’t think I can choose a favorite. All of them show different sides of me and show various emotions.”
CS: Writing poems is similar to writing songs – do you write your own music as well?
A: “Yes, I write all the lyrics and melodies to my songs.”
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CS: What are some goals that you’d like to achieve this year?
A: “This year, I hope to perform more!”
CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets about you that our fans wouldn’t know?
A: “Something many people don’t know about me is that I am a California girl, born and raised.”
