When one thinks of music from Milwaukee artists, they typically think of a certain Drill music sound. Artists like MyaaP, AyooLii, and J.P. have been truly putting Milwaukee on the map recently, with their energetic and raucous Hip Hop music captivating fans across the nation. If one looks a bit deeper into the Milwaukee music scene, though, one would see that the city is thriving with diversity. There are so many musicians in the city making music that sets them apart and is distinct from their peers; it seems like there is something for all kinds of music fans in the Milwaukee music scene. One artist with a unique style of music that is super appealing and fresh is *aya. They make Alternative R&B music infused with Indie Pop that has a sound that is classic but also fresh. One can hear elements of artists like Erykah Badu or Jill Scott in their music, but one can also hear elements of Phantogram or even Death Cab for Cutie. *aya first started putting music on streaming services in early 2023, and they have been fairly prolific in their releases since their first drop. In addition to putting out multiple stand-alone singles, *aya also put out two albums last year, titled time & metaphors and SWEET SONDER. All of these excellent releases have cemented *aya as an exciting rising star in Milwaukee who has received heaps of praise from avid followers of the Milwaukee music scene. *aya started 2024 strong with their single ‘everything is under control,’ which I wrote about back around the time it came out in January(please go read that write-up after finishing this one if you have not done so yet). After collaborating on a single with fellow Milwaukee artists Emmitt James and dak duBois called ‘townie’(also a very good track that you should check out), *aya recently released their second single of 2024, which is titled ‘june :(.’ Below, I wanted to briefly highlight the song ‘june :(,’ as it is yet another example of why *aya is an artist that needs to be paid attention to. Please let me know in the comments below how you feel about *aya and ‘june :(,’ and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming artists you think I should check out.

‘june :(‘ is a song that feels absolutely timeless. This song has a sound that feels old-school but does not feel outdated in any way. The Jazzy instrumental for this song is super soothing and charming. Although the song is aptly named because the tone of the melody is definitely melancholy, there is still something so soothing about this track. I really enjoy how the instrumental feels strong and soft at the same time. The underlying bassline of this track is funky and punchy, and the guitar and synths are light and airy. The beat for this track is super interesting, at times having a typical Jazz-Pop tempo and at other times almost taking on a bit of a Trap feeling. As cool as the instrumental is, the thing that stands out the most about ‘june :(‘ are *aya’s vocals. *aya’s vocal performance on this track is frankly excellent. Their sultry and smooth tone is extremely warm and inviting, and the awesome range that *aya sings with gives the song so much texture. On ‘june :(,’ *aya sings about seasonal depression in the cold months of Milwaukee and how blissful and fun their life felt last June. This is a sentiment I can relate to based on my own mental health issues. ‘june :(‘ is a beautiful track with such an everlasting feeling, and it makes me so excited to see what *aya does next because it is easy to see that their talent is immense.