Arlissa | |
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Also known as | Arlissa |
Origin | United Kingdom |
Genres | Indie pop |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Years active | 2012-present |
Associated acts | Friction, Nas, Netsky, Wilkinson |
Website | www |
Arlissa is an English singer-songwriter raised in Brixton, London She has released three singles, collaborated with Nas and was listed on the BBC's Sound of 2013.
Arlissa is of half German and half American descent. She began writing music while still at school. At 19 she signed to London Records and with Jay Z’s Roc Nation management. She explained how she 'was writing and recording with a friend. He got some people from London Records down to the studio and they offered me a contract the same day'. Her representatives also played some of her music to Roc Nation in New York City, where Jay Brown agreed to sign her.
Arlissa’s track 'Hard To Love Somebody' gained attention from a publisher, who eventually was passed on to Nas, who had previously worked with Amy Winehouse. After hearing the track Nas approached Arlissa to feature on it, and she flew out to Los Angeles to record the collaboration in person. "Hard to Love Somebody" was chosen as Scott Mills' record of the week on BBC Radio 1 in November 2012. Arlissa was named as one of the BBC’s one to watch for 2013, when she made the longlist for the Sound of 2013.
Arlissa's first official single "Sticks & Stones" was released on 3 March 2013, and was described as a 'stomping break-up anthem' and 'a fierce pop song'. The song peaked at number 48 in the UK Singles Chart on week ending 16 March 2013 and spent 3 weeks in the top 100. In April, she was moved from London Records to Capitol Records UK. The song 'Into The Light' was released on 16 December 2013 and appeared in adverts for Littlewoods.
In 2014 she recorded the single 'Stay Up All Night' with Belgian DJ Netsky and performed the song live on tour at 2014 Reading Festival and SW4 She is also a model and signed to Premier London.