Aliyah Bah, known artistically as Aliyah’s Interlude, originally caught attention with her unmistakably “Aliyah-core” outfits she was showing off on TikTok. Now, her music is bringing her from internet stardom to an IRL set at Lollapalooza this year. The Atlanta-raised singer-songwriter gained a viral following on social media during the pandemic. She was a freshman at Georgia State with a passion for thrifted clothing and maximalist, colorful styling. Her signature studded belts, plaid miniskirts, furs and fishnets styled through the lens of Y2K and Harajuku cultures had viewers in a chokehold. They demanded a title for the aesthetic they’d soon start adopting and Aliyah named it fittingly: #Aliyahcore.
In the years following her sudden fame, Aliyah began a modeling career, walking for Mowalola in their Autumn/Winter 2023 show in London and Dominnico’s Autumn/Winter show in Barcelona that same year. Music was the next step, first via her cameo in Doja Cat’s “Agora Hills” video, then with her own single, “It Girl.”
The single made waves, hitting No. 11 on Billboard’s “Bubbling Under” chart. Since that success, she’s released follow-ups like “Fashion Icon” and “WTF My Drink @?” and her latest offering, “Brand New,” which dropped July 25. The song’s title hints at what’s to come for the rapper — she's feeling bold, refreshed and ready to step into all the excitement her career promises.
Ahead of her Lollapalooza set, Aliyah sat down with PAPER to discuss the performance, her Atlanta origins, her current style inspirations and dream future musical collaborations.
Thanks for sitting down with PAPER. “Brand New” just came out. How are you feeling after its release?
I feel good about it because I do feel brand fucking new. This is the halfway mark of the year, I have Lolla coming up and there’s gonna be a lot of brand new stuff that I’m doing so it’s really exciting.
What inspired the song?
I had this feeling that I can just start over whenever I want. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. It doesn’t have to be a specific time or place. You don’t have to be getting over someone or something. It’s all up to you. I think “Brand New” 100% feels like that. I think the inspo came from me being fed up. I don’t want to do the same shit the way I’ve been doing this past year. Let’s switch this shit up a little bit. All my new music is going to be in that vein.
How has Atlanta influenced your sound? You’re so vocal about your connection to the city. How does that affect your music? And how did your time in New York City change that?
Atlanta has been the birthplace for a lot of trends within Hip Hop. From Andre 3000 to Migos to Young Thug. It’s the birthplace of hella icons. Growing up around that gave me the confidence to truly be myself and not be afraid to be weird and cool. A lot of people forget that Georgia is still the South. There’s still a lot of having to step outside of the box. I’m usually the most eccentric person in a room. That taught me how to stand out wherever I was. Going to New York, it was a place where everyone understands the stuff you’re on, whether it’s fashion or music and they embrace it. They embrace it in Atlanta too, but I feel like New York is more open arms, they encourage you to be creative. In Atlanta, I feel more connected with it. I really want to further my bars and get better at rapping. New York, of course, helps with that, too, especially visuals-wise. I just think there’s so much inspiration everywhere you go.
They’re such different places. But there’s so much opportunity for inspiration in both. Who are some of the people or what are some things that are inspiring your sound and fashion in this “Brand New” era?
Right now, Kelis and Gwen Stefani. Those are my top two mothers right now when it comes to style and music. They fuse the two, fashion and music, together so effortlessly.
Who are some dream collaborators right now? Who are some peers you’re excited to see at Lolla?
I really want to work with Rico Nasty. I love her and all the stuff she’s done. I’d love to work with some K-Pop girls. I know KATSEYE isn’t K-pop, but they’re going to be at Lolla. I’m so excited to see them perform.
They’re gonna be incredible.
I want to see Twice, too. But I come like the day before the festival, so I don’t know if I’ll make it. Also Mariah the Scientist is performing. I’m excited to see her. Oh, and I want to collab with FKA Twigs.
How are you feeling about your own set at Lolla? It’s such a big festival. What are the emotions right now?
The emotions are definitely high and everywhere. I want to do really well. We’ve been practicing. But I’m also excited at this point in my career, because I started music two years ago. People wait their entire lives for opportunities like this so I’m super excited that this has come upon me so fast through my hard work. This is my reality. But get prepared to be gagged. We’re really working hard on this performance and it’s gonna be really cute. I love live performance too because I think that building a crowd’s energy with your songs really gives you confirmation that you’re doing the right thing.
100%. Do you ever let your live performances influence your writing? Do you ever write with the intention of, “This is going to sound great live?”
Yes. I love putting parts into my songs that people can scream and release energy during. I love a call and response moment. When I was writing “Fashion Icon,” I have a part where I’m screaming out in the crowd. Whenever I say “fashion,” I make the crowd respond “icon.” I always think about that when it comes to writing. Unless I’m showing off my bars or something. In my new singles, there are so many parts where people can really get into the lyrics and internalize them in the most amazing way.
I love that. So on the topic of new music, what’s next? What can you tell PAPER about this “Brand New” era?
I don’t know if I can announce ... fuck it. I have an EP coming out this year. There’s great singles on there and all the tracks, in general, are so good. It’s really an entire new world.
What are some of those visual inspirations right now? Even non-music-related ones?
That’s such a good question. Candyland. I would say there’s big homecoming themes. Everything is super eccentric, very Lalaloopsy dolls. Very Harajuku. You know that one Dior 2005 Ready to Wear collection? Just super colorful and mixed and matched. It’s campy. That’s my inspiration right now.
That just made me so excited. What do you want fans to know about the new versus the old Aliyah?
I want them to know not to put me in a box when it comes to my music and that I’m going to be super consistent from this point on. This is a world I’m building. It’s not just single after single. That’s what I want people to know.
And what do you want Aliyah from five years ago to know? If you could go back and tell her anything?
I’d tell her that whatever you’re doing right now, however temporary it feels, so much more is coming. Do not be sad about your position just keep on being consistent. And do not stop posting on TikTok. That’s what I would tell her for sure.
Photography: Mastermind
