Meet Triana Akila | Singer-Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Triana Akila and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Triana, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
There isn’t a whole lot of money in music right now for up and coming artists because the industry is so saturated. Many artists are producing music because it’s what they love to do, not because it’s paying the bills. So buy the merch, come to the show, share the reel!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been singing and writing since forever, but I didn’t put the two together and begin taking songwriting seriously until maybe 5 years ago. I was surrounded by people who were living out their passions and I decided I wanted to do that too, but I didn’t exactly know what that looked like for me.

Now I’m excited to be working on my first album! Many of the records are songs that have been just sitting in tattered journals for far too long, so to hear everything coming to life brings me so much joy.

As crazy as it sounds, I still have a hard time considering myself an artist. I never saw myself writing or releasing music to the world. But I felt a calling to share my testimony through my music, so that’s what I do. And I think what sets me apart is that I’m just talking about my life experiences, and if it touches just one person, I’ve done my job.

I pride myself in refusing the industry pressure to look or sound a certain way – I’ve actually fashioned my social media around that concept. I found myself doing all these takes to try to get everything perfect, but that’s not reality! Mistakes, failures, growth – that’s reality! So I post my #StruggleGuitar and #StrugglePiano videos and bloopers because laughter is healthy and I’m devoted to being authentic about what the process actually looks like.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
SEAFOOD, SEAFOOD, SEAFOOD!!! I made the mistake once of ordering a “Maryland crab cake” outside of Maryland once…never again. If you’re in the DMV, you gotta crack some crabs – NOT crab legs – smothered in old bay! Then ride around the city on one of those pay by the hour bikes – riding past the monuments and museums at night in DC is an experience like no other, especially when you’ve got good company.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family. From teaching me the heart of a worshipper to recognizing I had a gift before I knew it myself to buying, streaming, listening to, and sharing all of my art – I can’t thank them enough for their eternal support!

Website: linktr.ee/akilasings

Instagram: @akilasings

Facebook: fb.me/akilasings

Youtube: Triana Akila

Image Credits
Troiah Mason