LAYA

Staten Island-born vocalist Laya makes spare, atmospheric R&B that takes cues from 1990s artists while still seeking to move in new directions. Dreamy, slow-moving singles like 2020′s “Sailor Moon” led to a deal with Warner Records, which released Laya’s 2022 EP Um, Hello. The more concise Bet That quickly followed in 2023.
Laya was born Lauren Ayala. She worked in the music industry as a creative director while building a music career of her own, self-releasing tracks as early as 2017′s “Run.” More fleshed-out songs like 2020′s “Sailor Moon” and 2021′s “Bitter” boasted smoother production and a clearer rendering of Laya’s ’90s R&B re-envisionment. She applied her background in creative direction and visual arts to her own music, directing and editing all of her own videos and keeping a close watch over the look and delivery of all her releases. Laya contributed backing vocals to some Pop Smoke material in 2020 and signed on with Warner Records for the release of her first longer-running project, 2022 EP Um, Hello. The set included several of Laya’s previously released singles and featured a guest appearance from Fivio Foreign on the track “Brag.” The stand-alone single “Sock It 2 Me” appeared later in the year. The disco-flavored “F’d Up” was released in 2023, and it was included on the EP Bet That. ~ TiVo Staff