Meet Amira Daugherty: Amira Unplugged (Amira Daugherty) | Singer, Rapper, Spoken Word Artist

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

Hi Amira, what role has risk played in your life or career?
What has propelled me forward throughout my life has been my willingness to take chances. My entire personal philosophy surrounded being open to any experiences, friendships, competitions, and opportunities, so long as they feel authentic to who I am. Being willing to take a leap of faith, whether it concerns a career move, a speaking engagement, or even the kind of lunch I will have today has put me into remarkable circumstances where I have been able to break barriers for other people who look and pray like me. Because of this, I have been the “first” a lot of times- from becoming the first Muslim President of my college’s Student Government Association, to, more recently, becoming the first hijabi woman to earn a Golden Ticket on American Idol. In those moments, I would be lying if I said there wasn’t an element of fear of taking those risks. When I put myself in front of hundreds, thousands, or MILLIONS of people as someone living at the intersections of Islam, Blackness, and womanhood, it is nerve-wracking- I know exactly the kind of horrible, cruel things the world is capable of saying. But in the end, taking these chances has been nothing but rewarding. They have helped me uplift others and build confidence in myself. At the end of the day, a life without risk is a life without fulfillment.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Music and writing have been two of my greatest loves from the time I was four years old. My parents continuously nurtured this, encouraging me to enter showcases and to sing/ perform in shows. But until the COVID-19 pandemic began, I never knew understood that these were viable career options for me. I have always had a passion for uplifting others and addressing serious conversations through creativity. That passion has taken me across the country to sing and perform spoken word for thousands of people. But through it all, I didn’t understand that this was a way that I personally could make a difference. The reality is that growing up in a majority Black school- district, our teachers tried to encourage us to aspire towards what they considered “real careers”, because they felt that we were oversaturating creative fields. So, I took my desire to help others and focused on another great love of mine: law and government. I earned my A.S. in Criminal Justice at age 18 years old from Georgia State University and a B.A. in Political Science from Agnes Scott College. Throughout my educational career, I was constantly invited to perform, whether that was on our school’s nationally ranked spoken word team, or as a representative to sing before the Georgia Assembly for International Women’s Day. What gave me my energy in my law and government classes was knowing that utilizing the law was yet another creative way to stand up for marginalized people. While I loved it and claimed titles through Mock Trial and other competitions, there was always that longing to tap into my full potential as a creative. I recall in the summer of 2019, when I was completing a fellowship on Capitol Hill, I would go to the basement of the Rayburn building during my lunch breaks to sing and write. I wished for a way to somehow do everything I wanted: to express my creativity while also speaking up for the communities I care about. That’s when COVID-19 changed my life. Prior to the pandemic, I was on track to enter law school in the fall of 2020. But once the lockdowns began, I withdrew my applications, as I did not feel that online law school was right for me. I decided to channel my energy into putting something positive into the world. Last April, I posted my first singing video to Instagram and Youtube- it was a cover of “Preach” by John Legend. The encouragement was overwhelming! People I did not know messaged me to tell me that they found joy in what I was doing. I decided to keep going, posting covers and poems every week. My dad and I started building a little studio space in our spare room, and every week things got more polished. I started getting invited to sing and speak during online concerts/ conferences. Soon, I caught the eye of an American Idol casting agent, and, fast forward a few months, became the first hijabi to earn a Golden Ticket on the show! From there, I began working with Ciara’s new brand Human Nation, writing pieces for them and speaking to their message of radical inclusivity. Nearly a year after posting that simple singing video to cheer people up, my life has completely changed. I am looking to release my first album soon, the songs on which speak to working through the highs and lows of everyday life. There are two major things that I believe set me apart. First is what is outward: I am a Black Muslim woman with a hearing impairment, striving to make it in spaces that do not often see faces like mine. I love being someone who can break barriers and represent, even when it gets challenging. The second thing that sets me apart is my desire to bring something into the music industry that I believe people are craving: true positivity and innovation. I want to talk about life as it is and as it could be, and paint a picture of a future of hope for my listeners. I feel so blessed to say that this year of isolation turned into a year wherein I feel as though I can touch the whole world with what I have to say and truly make a difference. The biggest lesson I would pass on to anyone reading this is to follow EVERY dream. I am a musician, I am a poet, I am an advocate, and I WILL become a lawyer. These are OUR lives; no one gets to tell us that “we cannot have it all”. Do what feels authentic to your soul, and know that if you are following your passion, you will make the impact you envision on the world.

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.
I LOVE this question! I was born and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia, so I would love to start our day in my favorite place- Stone Mountain Park. The great thing about this park is that there are new sites to see around every corner, and there are so many levels to it. There’s the amusement park (which is where the tourists and kids go), and then there’s MY park. First, we would pick up some breakfast from Le Petite Merche, a beautiful little Black-owned breakfast restaurant not-too-far from there. We would circle back to the main park and eat out breakfast by the boat launch, where the sunrise is absolutely stunning on the lake. After that relaxing morning, it would honestly be time to get the adrenaline pumping! I would take them to SkyZone, my favorite indoor skydiving place in the city. Then, for an afternoon cooldown, we would head to It’s Time to Escape, the BEST escape room in the city. To end the day, I would give them a choice: 1) Back to Stone Mountain Park. There is a skylift that takes you right to the top of the mountain. We could pick up a couple of burgers from Slutty Vegan (another awesome Black-owned business) and watch the breathtaking sunset at the peak. OR 2) Georgia Aquarium “After Dark”. There is an area in the Aquarium where the view of the animals expands across the entire room and part of the roof. It is dark, and there is calming music that surrounds you and makes you feel as though you are swimming among the fish. That would be a lovely place to chat and reflect. If we could top it off with some ice cream from Butter and Cream in Decatur, I’d say we would have had a perfect day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my dad. He has been my manager, my vocal coach, and one of my BIGGEST cheerleaders from day one. Whether I was passionately pursuing a career in law and government, or doing what I love with music and poetry, he has found a way to uplift me and make my best better.

Instagram: instagram.com/amiraunplugged

Twitter: twitter.com/amiraunplugged

Facebook: facebook.com/amiraunplugged

Youtube: youtube.com/amiraunplugged

Other: Electronic Press Kit (EPK): https://spark.adobe.com/page/Fc8VBMbPlBLBR/

Image Credits
Amina Daugherty (@theblacksculptress)