Malika Ayane and the power of awareness

With short, almost white platinum blonde hair, an oversized shirt in the same shade, and blue jeans, Malika Ayane answers our questions with the confidence and irony of a veteran, and her authority is unquestionable. Her career began at the tender age of 11 when she joined the children's choir at the Teatro alla Scala. It continued with a record contract with Sugar, was solidified by her numerous participations in Sanremo (a total of 5 times, from 2009 to 2021), and has now brought her to the release of her single Sottosopra, which will be followed by a theater tour and an album.

"Sottosopra is the first single I've released in two years and three years since my last album," she tells us. "I think it's a great forerunner for a more comprehensive record, which I believe will come at the beginning of 2025. This way, I can start looking around this world that I haven't frequented for a while." A necessary break, but also an awaited return, which will take her this autumn to theaters all over Italy. By choice. "The theater is the most beautiful place in the world because it’s immersive," she states. "It’s a place that remains unchanged for everyone, and you can put anything in it, thus taking the audience to a different place each time. One night you can be in ancient Egypt, the next day in the future with, I don't know, buildings on fire," she smiles. "In the case of concerts, you can invent a story that no one will expect until they get there. The extraordinary thing is that despite my myopia, I can see at least the first three rows clearly. Surely, the sacredness of a space where silence is maintained allows for a more direct connection through music."

Malika has grown so much in front of our eyes, but when asked how her music has changed over the years, she responds: "My music hasn't changed particularly. My writing has become more defined within certain boundaries, but in fact, all my albums have always been characterized by the presence of very different songs, and we can say that each album had a stylistic signature in terms of sound, also greatly influenced by the production choices. And in fact, I still don't know what direction I will take for the production of the next album," she adds, leaving us very curious.

"To a girl who wants to pursue this path, I recommend studying a lot, not just learning to sing, but studying music, which then allows you to go deeper and last a bit longer over time, at least in terms of competence," she explains with great seriousness. And what about writing? "Read a lot to write better, to have references, and then go out and perform concerts, weddings, subways, anything that comes up to gain practice and meet people. Also, because you never know which encounter will change your life."

The final word is on all forms of expression, which go beyond music. For Malika, the key to expressing oneself lies in awareness and being present in everything you do, and perhaps this is the real lesson of the interview. "I try to be present in every moment, to give everything the same importance. So simply by being there, if I need to cook, I try to cook as best as I can; if I need to walk, I try to walk as consciously as possible."