About

“Neo-Praise.” What Gospel Soul artist, Akirah Renée, calls her sound which is a blend of Neo-Soul and God-inspired lyrics.
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​Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, Akirah Renée gained her love for performing through singing at family functions from an early age. “Music always surrounded me growing up. My dad is a professional musician and my mom is an advent lover of music. They always encouraged me to get in front of everyone and sing.”

Her musical talents were cultivated at J.C. Young Middle and G.W. Carver High school (Atlanta), where she studied choral, classical, and jazz music. “I would say jazz was my first love. My mom always had it playing around the house. We either listened to that, or Radio Disney – I was a huge N’Sync fan (lol). In 8th grade I discovered the 80s, RnB, and Hip-Hop stations. The rest is history. I decided music was life.” In 2013, Akirah earned a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Berklee College of Music and graduated with a greater understanding of the importance of music for child development. “I believe music is a way to develop students’ discipline and connect them to their history, all while captivating their creativity.”

Upon graduation, Akirah began her career as a Music Educator for a metro-Atlanta school. “I discovered the joys of teaching as a peer math tutor in high school. I decided to put the two interests together and be a Music Teacher. Being a solo artist never appealed to me. I loved performing, but all the glitz, glamour, and grind seemed too much for the reward of what, a Grammy?” In 2014, Akirah accepted Christ into her heart as Lord and Savior. Her experiences with praise & worship grew her relationship with Christ and inspired her to use her musical gifts to glorify God. “The closer I grew to God and the more I sang in church, I realized: Wow, this is what my voice is for. I found its purpose. My passion for God began to outweigh my apprehension for being an artist. Once I answered the call, it’s like God opened door after door. It’s been amazing watching Him move through my gifts. I’m just following God step by step.”
Akirah Renée released her first album, Iridescence, in April 2017.